Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law on April 10th a bill designating the pecan as the official state nut of Georgia. There were many growers, as well as the Georgia Pecan Growers Association that were instrumental in the passing of this new bill. The GPGA sent out a notification to all members recently highlighting the passing of the new bill and celebrating the hard work and dedication of all the people involved in getting this bill passed. 

 

Georgia has long been the number one pecan producing state in the country and is also home to the worlds largest contiguous pecan orchard. With around 170,000 producing pecan acres in Georgia and many more acres being planted each year Georgia has been the largest producer of pecans since records have been kept. 

 

Georgia has always been a leader in the industry with the first state to have a mandatory assessment for pecans that has allowed growers to engage in research and promotional activities for years. Also the formation of the National Pecan Growers Association that included growers from across the southern US and what has paved the way for global demand for pecans. Nearly a decade ago, growers joined forces from across the US and began promoting pecans internationally and found strong global demand. This would eventually pave the way for the formation of the American Pecan Council which now assesses pecans nationally and has allowed for an even larger marketing budget to reach more consumers and allow for more research projects to be conducted. 

 

Georgia has been paving the way forward for the pecan industry for many years and now they have taken some time to promote their work at home. The Senate Bill 222 was signed into law on April 10th 2021 at Ellis Brothers Pecans in Vienna, GA and was well attended by pecan growers and community leaders. For more information about the bill and ceremony contact the Georgia Pecan Growers Association.