By Lake Wagner, 4th Generation Egg Farmer. Dutt & Wagner Family Farm, Abingdon, VA.

I am a fourth-generation farmer of Dutt & Wagner. I began working on our family farm at the age of 14, and after gaining a Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech and an MBA from the University of Richmond, I returned to Dutt & Wagner in 2015 to carry on our family tradition. Americans love eggs, and we work hard every day to provide the best possible food for people!

Farming was seeded in my blood when my great-grandfather, Frank Wagner, and his brother-in-law, Paul Dutt, started a successful business in the mid-1920s with a $500 loan. Since then, Dutt & Wagner has seen four generations of farmers and continues to grow.

As a child growing up in Virginia, I had the opportunity to participate in the White House Easter Egg Roll and have fond memories of this event, which has become a staple in my life. In my earlier years, the White House Easter Egg Roll was an opportunity to meet Presidents who served as role models and to fulfill dreams of playing on the South Lawn. Today, the White House Easter Egg Roll is an opportunity for our Dutt & Wagner family to reflect on our heritage as egg farmers doing our best to provide for American families.

The White House Easter Egg Roll dates back to 1878. Today it is one of the largest annual gatherings hosted by the White House. Since 1977, America’s egg farmers have provided the eggs used for egg rolling and other traditions on the lawn. That same year, America’s egg farmers also presented the First Lady and First Daughter with the first-ever Commemorative Egg, a tradition that continues today, with a focus on the next generation.

We love what we do. We love the tradition we are continuing each day. And we are proud of our farming heritage and excited about what the future will bring.