DeSantis Announces Official Dessert Of Florida

 

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr

Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Official Dessert Of Florida. At a news conference event on Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke about designating the Strawberry Shortcake with natural Florida dairy topping as the official state dessert. 

This designation is a tribute to Florida strawberry farmers who produce seventy-five percent (75%) of the winter strawberry crop in the United States of America. DeSantis was at the Florida Strawberry Festival to sign the bill into law,  this event is held every year in Plant City, Florida. Approximately 200K strawberry shortcakes are served at the Florida Strawberry Festival every year.

After signing this bill Gov. Ron DeSantis said:

“Signing this bill is one way that we are supporting our Florida strawberry farmers and is a tribute to the more than 10,000 acres of strawberries that are grown in the greater Plant City area,” Ron  DeSantis Added.

AG Ashley Moodey said:

“As a Fifth Floridian and a native of Plant City, I am delighted and proud that our Governor Ron DeSantis and the Legislature are making Strawberry Shortcake the official state dessert of Florida." 

“Plant City grows more than 3-quarters of the country’s winter strawberries that help make this delicious dessert and support Florida’s economy. I hope everyone tries a bite of Strawberry Shortcake in celebration” Added Attorney General Moody.

In his official remarks regarding dessert, Governor DeSantis said

We are going to be signing senate bill 1006 which officially designates the strawberry shortcake of course with natural Florida dairy topping as the official dessert of the state of Florida. And what better place to sign this than the 2022 Florida strawberry festival now when they were doing this bill they asked me and I say well wait. I thought the key lime pie was our state dessert they said no no no key lime pie is the official pie of the state of Florida but we actually didn't have it as the official dessert so this was something that you know. 

We needed a worthy contender to step up and claim the mantle and you know I think this is obviously a great candidate for that and so people will still be able to do key lime as the official state pie. 

This will be the official state dessert just here at the strawberry festival. They serve 200,000 strawberry shortcakes which is an awful lot this has been going on since 1930 and it's a way to celebrate the successful strawberry crops that are grown in this part of Florida really people come from all over.

I can tell you last year when I was here you the people that would stop me you know most were from Florida but I mean there were people from all over the country you that came for this and I think you probably see the same you today.

And so we understand why because it's a really really good event so this designation of the strawberry shortcake as the state dessert is a way to pay tribute uh to the strawberry farmers. 

And what they have contributed to our state and our agriculture industry is an important part of Florida.

The farmers have helped put us on the map. I don't know a lot of people don't appreciate just how significant Florida is in terms of strawberries, so plant city and the surrounding areas are home to over 10 000 acres of strawberries. They make up 75 percent of the winter strawberry crop in the entire united states. So people think of us of course you know we have a history with citrus and oranges great but this is a major major not just in Florida you all over the country in terms of in terms of their reach and so you and we're going to continue to highlight the great work that's being done here you.

I got the first lady with their two oldest kids out doing rides and doing all that stuff that they love that and we're happy to be able to be here to do this.

Media Release: Office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis

For the bill transmittal letter, simply click here.

Now, You can watch the video of this news conference attached below: