Alexandria Representative Lance Harris has authored a bill that would designate a little taste of Louisiana – the pecan as the official state nut and authorize its use on official state documents and with the insignia of the state. Harris says in a quest to identify the state nut he realized one did not exist and a constituent requested he propose the bill.
“Everybody knows that pecans are everywhere. Everybody picks them up. They bake with them. It’s a huge crop here in Louisiana. I told him I would be glad to carry the bill this year and make the pecan the state nut.”
Louisiana harvests an average of 17.7 million pounds of pecans annually and ranks top five among pecan-producing states. Harris says the only nut produced in the state has been overlooked and this measure will add candied benefits for Louisiana growers.
“I believe that just like we have a state flower. We have a state song. We have a state butterfly. I think it’s only fitting that we have a state nut. The pecan should get that designation.”
Harris says the state sports one of the largest crops of pecans in the south – Louisianans love them and it’s time to make it official.
“You see it during pecan harvesting time. People are picking them up everywhere and they’re able to go sell them. We have a lot of farms that sell and produce them.”
Lawmakers will hear the bill in the legislative session that begins April 10.
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