Minnesota State Drink

Milk

Adopted in 1984.

Milk was adopted as the official State drink in 1984. Rep. Rick Krueger, chief sponsor of the bill, said that milk was chosen for several reasons; it has promotional value for the American Dairy Association, it would help tourism efforts, show the dairy industry the state cares about it, and bring about a general awareness of dairy products in the state. It was signed into law by Governor Rudy Perpich.

Minnesota produces 9.7 billion pounds of milk a year (6 percent of the nation's total) and ranks fifth in dairy production among the states.

Did you know that: Milk has been proclaimed the official state beverage or drink in each of the following states:

State Symbol: Milk

Where milk comes from and how it's made.

Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many diseases in the baby. It also contains many other nutrients.

In the state of Minnesota, there are 3,354 licensed dairy herds.
Minnesota dairy farms produced approximately 1,063 million gallons of milk in 2013.
Minnesota farms generate approximately $1.77 billion in milk sales annually.
Dairy products are the 4th largest agricultural commodity in Minnesota.
Minnesota is the 7th largest milk-producing state in the U.S.
Minnesota has 47 plants that process one or more dairy products.
It takes about 48 hours for milk to travel from the farm to the dairy case.

Ever wonder where delicious milk comes from? It all starts with healthy, well-fed cows that live on farms all around America the beautiful.

All cows are females (males are called bulls).
A cow can't give milk until she's given birth to a calf.
Cows provide 90% of the world's milk supply.
A cow's udder can hold 25-50 pounds of milk at a time - no wonder she's so eager to be milked - and a cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.

Can You Say, "I'm Full?"
Cows are BIG eaters. Did you know that cows have four stomachs and eat 90 pounds of food a day? That's probably more than you weigh! A cow that chows on only grass can make 50 glasses of milk a day. But one that eats grass, corn and hay can make 100 glasses of milk a day!

See Moo Milk

Milk has a long and rich history. For example, did you know?

Sanskrit records mentioned milk 6,000 years ago.
The Bible describes the Promised Land as Aa land flowing with milk and honey."
The Greek physician Hippocrates recommended milk as a medicine some 2,300 years ago.
Christopher Columbus brought cattle to the New World on his second voyage.
It has been said that one reason for the high death rate among those who traveled to the New World on the Mayflower was that they had no fresh milk to drink.
Cows were brought from Europe to the Jamestown colony in 1611 and to the Plymouth colony in 1624.
Cheese was an important item in the diet of the Vikings, who from about the 8th to the 10th century sailed the seas on long voyages.
Cheese was an article of commerce in ancient Rome. Monks developed the art of cheese making in Europe in the Middle Ages.

Minnesota Law

The law designating milk as the official Minnesota state drink is found in the Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 1, Section 1.1495

MINNESOTA STATE DRINK: Milk; adopted 1984.
Statutory citation: Minn. Stat. 1.1495
History:

1984 Minn. Laws Chap. 645 Sec. 1 (HF1532)

Minnesota Statutes 2002
1.1495 State drink.
Milk is adopted as the official drink of the state of Minnesota.
HIST: 1984 c 645 s 1
Copyright 2002 by the Office of Revisor of Statutes, State of Minnesota.

State Foods

List Official US State Foods