See also: Louisiana Food Festivals

LOUISIANA FACTS & TRIVIA

Some of Louisiana's nicknames: The Pelican State, The Sugar State, The Creole State, Fisherman's Paradise, Sportsman's Paradise, The Bayou State.

FARMS & FARMERS
Louisiana: approximate land area of 27,668,285 acres.
Farmland is 8,109,975 acres or 29.3% of total land.
Organic agriculture accounts for about 1,175 acres.
Number of Farms: 30,106
Principle Farm Operators: Men: 26,248 Women: 3,858
(2013 - USDA Economic Research Service: www.ers.usda.gov )
[2007-2008 latest available data]

POPULATION & HUNGER
Louisiana has a total population of: 4,574,836
Urban population: 3,421,794 Rural population: 1,153,042 Food insecure households*: 14.1%
Households with very low food security*: 4.4%
*Food insecurity - Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.
Very low food security - At times during the year, eating patterns of one or more household members were disrupted and food intake reduced because the household lacked money and other resources for food.
(2013 - USDA Economic Research Service: www.ers.usda.gov )
(Population & Food Security data: 2011)

Louisiana is the third largest rice producing state, growing about 13.8 % of the U.S. rice crop on almost 400,000 acres (2008). Louisiana grows mostly long grain rice.

• Breaux Bridge, is the ‘Crawfish Capital of the World’.
• Rayne, Louisiana, is the ‘Frog Capital of the World’.

Artichokes were first grown in Louisiana, brought there by settlers in the 19th century.

1.8 billion pounds of sweet potatoes were produced by major sweet potato producing states in 2007. North Carolina (667 million pounds) produced more sweet potatoes than any other state. It was followed by California (426 million pounds). Mississippi and Louisiana also produced large amounts: at least 300 million pounds each. US Census Bureau, November, 2008

In Louisiana, biting someone with your natural teeth is considered a simple assault, but biting someone with your false teeth is considered an aggravated assault.

Food Related Louisiana State Symbols:
In 2004 Gumbo was named as the official Cuisine of Louisiana

In 2003:
- Mayhaw Jelly and Louisiana Sugarcane Jelly were designated as Official State Jellies
- The Sweet Potato was named the official State Vegetable
- The Natchitoches Meat Pie was named official State Meat Pie
- The Creole Tomato was named official State Vegetable Plant

In 2001:
- The Louisiana Strawberry (Fragaria sp.) was designated as the Official State Fruit
- The Spotted Sea Trout or Speckled Trout (Cynoscion nebulosus) was designated as the Official Saltwater Fish

In 1993 the White Perch (Pomoxis annularis), also known as Speckled Perch, Sac-au-lait and White Crappie, was designated as the Official Freshwater Fish of Louisiana

In 1986 the Beignet (ben-yay) was designated as the official State Doughnut.

In 1983:
- Milk was designated as the official State Drink.
- The Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) was named as the official State Reptile.
- The Crawfish (Cambaridae) was named State Crustacean.

In 1977 the Honeybee (Apis mallifera) was named Official State Insect

In 1966 the Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) was designated the Official State Bird of Louisiana.

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