With unique traits, versatility and adaptability, heritage livestock breeds return us to our agricultural roots. The US Postal Service (USPS) pays homage to the priceless genetic diversity of heritage breeds with 10 different Forever stamps showcasing these unusual and culturally valuable animals.
On Monday, May 17, 2021, at 11am ET, the US Postal Service (USPS) will hold a dedication event for the new Heritage Breeds Forever stamps. The dedication at George Washington’s Mount Vernon (3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy, Mount Vernon, Virginia) is free and open to the public (RSVP here). Additionally, the story behind the stamp will be featured on the USPS Facebook and Twitter pages at 1pm ET.
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:
- American Mammoth Jackstock donkey
- Narragansett turkey
- Cayuga duck
- San Clemente Island goat
- Mulefoot hog
- Cotton Patch goose
- American Cream draft horse
- Barbados Blackbelly sheep
- Milking Devon cow
- Wyandotte chicken.
Purchase stamps online through usps.com/shopstamps or at Post Offices nationwide. Also available are new USPS stamps featuring espresso coffee drinks. Purchase a booklet of 20 stamps featuring four unique designs illustrating espresso, cappuccino, caffe latte, and caffe mocha.
Note: The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Source: US Postal Service
