What:

With unique traits, versatility and adaptability, heritage livestock breeds return us to our agricultural roots. The U.S. Postal Service pays homage to the priceless genetic diversity of heritage breeds with 10 different Forever stamps showcasing these unusual and culturally valuable animals.

The dedication event for the Heritage Breeds Forever stamps is free and open to the public. News of the stamps is being shared with the hashtag #HeritageBreedsStamps.

Who:

Steve Monteith, chief customer and marketing officer, U.S. Postal Service

Douglas Bradburn, president and CEO, George Washington’s Mount Vernon

When:

Monday, May 17, 2021, at 11 a.m. ET

Where:

George Washington’s Mount Vernon
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy.
Mount Vernon, VA 22121

The story behind the stamp will also be featured on the U.S. Postal Service Facebook and Twitter pages, posting at 1 p.m. ET.

RSVP:

Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at: usps.com/heritagebreeds.

Background:

With the industrialization of farming, a few breeds of livestock have been standardized for maximum productivity. This expansive growth of the few breeds resulted in the critical endangerment of many other breeds, with several becoming extinct. These pre-industrial breeds, known as heritage breeds, possess a priceless genetic diversity that can help farmers, and society at large, adapt to variable conditions, ranging from new consumer tastes to varied landscapes.

The pane of 20 stamps includes photographs by Aliza Eliazarov of 10 heritage breeds: the American Mammoth Jackstock donkey, the Narragansett turkey, the Cayuga duck, the San Clemente Island goat, the Mulefoot hog, the Cotton Patch goose, the American Cream draft horse, the Barbados Blackbelly sheep, the Milking Devon cow and the Wyandotte chicken.

Postal Products

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling (844) 737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.