By: Springer (Senate Sponsor - Duncan) H.C.R. No. 87
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2013;
May 6, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on
Administration; May 15, 2013, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 15, 2013, sent to printer.)
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The diversity of Texas agriculture is one of the
strengths of our economy, and over the years, the pumpkin has become
an important crop in the Lone Star State; and
WHEREAS, A variety of squash that is native to North America,
the pumpkin can vary in size from one pound to over a thousand;
while pumpkins are usually orange or yellow, they are sometimes
also dark green, white, red, or gray; they are remarkable for their
durability, for they can be grown quickly and then stored for as
long as six months; pumpkins are capable of being cultivated on
every continent on earth except Antarctica; and
WHEREAS, With its distinctive shape and lightly ribbed
surface, the pumpkin is especially associated with two holidays,
Halloween, when carved jack-o'-lanterns light up the front porches
of houses across America, and Thanksgiving, when no family feast is
complete without a slice of pumpkin pie; each year, 80 percent of
pumpkin sales occur in October; and
WHEREAS, Texans have long made great use of the pumpkin;
before refrigeration, ranchers relied on the hardy pumpkin to feed
their livestock during the winter months; once considered a cure
for freckles and snakebite, the pumpkin is now valued by
health-conscious Texans as a good source of vitamin A, potassium,
and fiber; in addition, Texas has become the fourth leading state in
commercial pumpkin production, growing between 15 and 20 million of
them annually, mostly in West Texas; pumpkins generate
approximately $10 million for the Texas economy every year; and
WHEREAS, During a time when a majority of Texans are living in
cities, the pumpkin has begun to represent more than just
trick-or-treat or a favorite type of pie, and such distinctive
varieties of pumpkin as the Fairytale, the Caspar, and the Atlantic
Giant have come to be used by families to decorate their homes,
serving as welcome reminders of the Lone Star State's traditional
rural heritage; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate the pumpkin as the official State Squash of Texas.
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