Alum Steve Lykken brings Liberty and Bell to White House for presidential pardon
Steve Lykken, an international business alum originally from West Fargo and president of Jennie-O Turkey Store (Willmar, Minn.), has a lot to be thankful for this season. He and his family spent time with President Joe Biden last weekend as he brought the Minnesota-raised turkeys, Liberty and Bell, to the White House to receive a presidential turkey pardon. Liberty (42.5 pounds) and Bell (42.1 pounds) were raised in Willmar and hatched from a presidential flock back in July, said Lykken, who is also chair of the National Turkey Federation.
Interesting facts culled from stories about the presidential pardon:
- The ceremony dates back to the National Turkey Federation presenting a turkey to President Harry Truman in 1947.
- Minnesota is the largest supplier of turkeys in the United States, with 37 million birds produced in 2022.
- Americans eat about 14.6 pounds of turkey per capita every year.
- Liberty and Bell were raised by Jennie-O Turkey Store, the country’s second-largest turkey company behind Butterball.
- Liberty and Bell, now four months old, will live out their days under the care of the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.
Read more about Lyken’s famous turkeys:
- Jennie-O turkeys Liberty and Bell introduced to nation before White House ceremony (Inforum, Nov. 19, 2023)
- Biden grants turkey justice as Liberty and Bell ride the gravy train to the White House (CNN, Nov. 20, 2023)
- Biden pardons Minnesota-raised turkeys in annual White House Thanksgiving tradition (Star Tribune, Nov. 20, 2023)
- @GovTimWalz tweet
- @natlturkeyfed tweet
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