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Stein to pardon two turkeys at annual Thanksgiving ceremony
By Woody Cain
November 12, 2026 at 7:02 AM EST
Gov. Josh Stein will pardon two turkeys Thursday during the state's annual Thanksgiving event with the North Carolina Poultry Federation and Butterball.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh.
North Carolina produced 1.1 billion pounds of turkey last year, the most by weight of any state in the country.
Minnesota leads the nation in the number of individual turkeys produced, with more than 33 million in 2025. North Carolina ranked second with 28 million turkeys.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh.
North Carolina produced 1.1 billion pounds of turkey last year, the most by weight of any state in the country.
Minnesota leads the nation in the number of individual turkeys produced, with more than 33 million in 2025. North Carolina ranked second with 28 million turkeys.