Vermont State Fruit

Apple

(Genus Malus)

Adopted on May 10, 1999.

The apple, Genus Malus, is the most popular state fruit, various varieties representing New York, West Virginia, Washington and perhaps Rhode Island and serving as the state flower of Michigan and Missouri. The apple was adopted as Vermont's state fruit on May 10, 1999.

§ 513. State fruit
The state fruit shall be the apple. (Added 1999, No. 15, § 3.)

When serving apple pie in Vermont, a "good faith" effort shall be made to meet one or more of the following conditions: (a) with a glass of cold milk, (b) with a slice of cheddar cheese weighing a minimum of 1/2 ounce, (c) with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.

• Vermont's fresh apple crop is valued at $10-12 million each year.
• Processed apple products, like cider, applesauce and hard cider bring an additional $10-12 million into the state each year.
• Vermont's leading apple varieties are McIntosh, Cortland, Red Delicious and Empire.
• Vermont has almost 4,000 acres of commercial apple production.
• McIntosh apples became the state's leading variety after an extremely cold winter (1917-18) devastated most other varieties.
• On average, it costs Vermont's apple growers about $12 to produce, harvest, store and market one bushel of apples.
• In 1999, the Vermont legislature designated the apple as the state fruit, and the apple pie as the state pie.

No. 15 of the Acts of 1999, effective May 10, 1999, designated the apple pie as the official State Pie and the apple as the official State Fruit. When serving apple pie in Vermont, a "good faith" effort shall be made to meet one or more of the following conditions: (a) with a glass of cold milk, (b) with a slice of cheddar cheese weighing a minimum of 1/2 ounce, (c) with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.