As a 145-year-old tradition, the White House Easter egg-rolling race across the lawn with a wooden spoon dates back to 1878. This year, the “EGGucation” roll theme included egg decorating, egg hunting and interactive farm experiences. The 30,000 families that attended learned about soy as a high-quality and sustainable ingredient fed to poultry (broilers, laying hens and turkeys), which is U.S. Soy’s No. 1 customer.
The American Egg Board organized the Easter egg roll with the farm field trip experience co-sponsored by the United Soybean Board (USB) and Elanco. Soy checkoff farmer-leaders participated in the event and interacted with families, sharing how the nation’s 515,000 soybean farmers are committed to animal agriculture.
“There’s something special about people bonding over Easter traditions, and this event broke down barriers between urban and rural America,” said Meagan Kaiser, USB Chair and farmer from Missouri. “One of the biggest takeaways from my interactions was kids’ genuine interest in knowing where their food comes from and the novelty of meeting a real-life farmer.”
Different stations in the farm field trip showcased the journey of an egg from being transported on a truck to being cooked into a delicious breakfast. Parents and children from the Washington, D.C., metro and beyond learned about how an egg travels from hen to home. The stations allowed soybean farmers a platform to discuss USB’s investments in nutrition and health research that support animal health.
At the event, a Q&A about soybeans included:
Q: What do hens eat? A: Hens are fed a balanced diet of sorghum, corn, cottonseed and/or soybean meal – depending on where the hen lives and which grain is most available.
Q: How much soybean meal do chickens eat each year? A: More than 500 million bushels of soybean meal is used for chicken feed in the U.S. each year.
“To further the reputation of U.S. Soy, it’s critical that we interact with consumers about how soy can provide sustainable solutions to every life, every day,” said Steve Reinhard, USB Vice Chair and farmer from Ohio. “With chickens being our biggest customer, anything we can do to ensure a vibrant poultry and egg industry remains a priority for U.S. soybean farmers.”
