Rebecca Harrop, of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, made a floral bouquet at the recent 148th White House Easter Egg Roll.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Newly-hatched chicks peeped from an enclosure, children lined up with brightly colored eggs and the South Lawn of the White House buzzed with activity on Easter Monday.

Amid the celebration, Rebecca Harrop, of Milroy, was part of the action — representing the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau at one of the nation’s most enduring spring traditions.

Harrop attended the 148th White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday, April 6, serving on behalf of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Promotion & Engagement Committee. The committee works to engage Farm Bureau members by providing opportunities to develop as communicators, collaborators and influencers who help build consumer trust and confidence in American agriculture.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience,” Harrop said. “I was greeting people when they came in and giving stickers to the kids. I love to talk to people about farming. Less than two percent of Americans have anything to do with farming.”

Although her role carries national significance, Harrop serves on the Farm Bureau board and committee as a volunteer.

The White House Easter Egg Roll is held annually on Easter Monday and is designed as a family-friendly event. Children under the age of 13, selected through an online lottery, attend with their families to take part in rolling decorated hard-boiled eggs across the South Lawn, along with games, story times, live entertainment and egg races. The tradition dates back to 1878, during the administration of President Rutherford B. Hayes, making it one of the longest-running public events hosted at the White House.

“They had the kids’ activities right up on the lawn, up near the White House,” Harrop said. “Kids would take a wooden spoon and try to roll their egg with the spoon. There was also cookie decorating for kids, coloring pages Easter-themed and live baby chickens.”

This year’s Egg Roll featured a notable first. For the first time in the event’s history, 150 live chicks appeared on the South Lawn as part of the American Egg Board’s ‘Hen-to-Home’ exhibition, tracing the egg’s journey from farm to table. The American Egg Board reported the chicks hatched on Friday, April 3, and stayed at the Willard InterContinental Hotel ahead of the event.

“There was a fresh produce booth where they had a build your own flower bouquet bar,” Harrop recalled. “I brought home some fresh strawberries. Everything was featuring agriculture, which I love to see.”

The American Egg Board sponsored the Easter Egg Roll this year, marking the first collaboration between Farm Bureau and the organization. Representatives from all three of Farm Bureau’s national promotion and engagement, women’s leadership and young farmers and ranchers committees were invited to attend. Harrop represented her committee alongside Heidi Cooper of Massachusetts, who serves as committee chair.

Agriculture played a visible role throughout the day’s activities. More than 30,000 real eggs were used during the event, supplied by Braswell Family Farms of Nashville, N.C., a detail confirmed by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on her official Instagram page. Harrop also had the opportunity to shake hands with Rollins during the event.

Families attending the event joined the president, first lady, White House staff and their families on the South Lawn.

“I was in one of the afternoon sessions,” Harrop added. “They came out during one of the morning sessions. I personally did not get to see them.”

As guests exited the celebration, each child received a wooden egg from the Official 2026 White House Easter Egg Set, courtesy of the White House Historical Association. Each commemorative egg was imprinted with the signatures of the president and first lady.

For Farm Bureau representatives, participation in the Easter Egg Roll offered a chance to connect agriculture with families and children in a highly visible and approachable setting. The introduction of live chicks and the “Hen-to-Home” exhibit highlighted agricultural education alongside traditional Easter activities.

For Harrop, attending the Egg Roll represented both a professional milestone and a memorable personal experience. Serving during the first year of collaboration between Farm Bureau and the American Egg Board added to the significance of the day.

Harrop learned just a week before the event that she would be attending. Already in Washington, D.C., for a national Farm Bureau conference, she was in the Capital City when the selections were made.

Committee members were randomly asked which products they raised on their farms. Organizers later revealed that participants who grew soybeans would receive invitations. Harrop was the only one to raise her hand — and eagerly accepted.

As one of the oldest traditions at the White House continues to evolve, this year’s Easter Egg Roll blended history, education and celebration — with Pennsylvania agriculture represented on a national stage by a resident of the Juniata River Valley, proving that even in Washington, D.C., the roots of farming still reach home.