See Also: Tennessee Food Festivals

TENNESSEE FOOD TRIVIA & FACTS

FARMS & FARMERS
Tennessee approximate land area: 26,383,003 acres
Farmland is 10,969,798 acres or 41.6% of total land
Organic agriculture accounts for about 2,655 acres
Number of Farms: 79,280
Principle Farm Operators:
Men: 69,320 Women: 9,960
(2013 - USDA Economic Research Service: www.ers.usda.gov )
[2007-2008 latest available data]

POPULATION & HUNGER
Tennessee has a total population of: 6,403,353
Urban population: 4,713,397
Rural population: 1,689,956
Food insecure households*: 15.2%
Households with very low food security*: 6.4%
*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)

Coca-Cola was first bottled in 1899 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Paris, Tennessee is home to the "World's Biggest Fish Fry" in April each year. Hungry visitors will consume about 12,500 pounds of catfish during the festivities, which last for six days. The event began in 1953 and includes parades, square dances, an auto show, and, if you're lucky, a catfish race!
Library of Congress Local Legacies Project

MoonPies (marshmallow between 2 chocolate covered Graham crackers) were introduced in 1917 by the Chattanooga Bakery in Tennessee. They supposedly developed the MoonPie to sell to Appalachian coal miners as a snack.
There is an ‘RC Cola and MoonPie’ Festival held each year in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.

In 2012 Tennessee adopted the Tennessee Echinacea (Echinacea tennesseensis) as the 2nd Official State Wild Flower (April 30, 2012).

In 2009 Milk was adopted as the Official State Beverage.

In 2005 the Small-Mouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) was adopted as the Official State Sport Fish.

In 2003 the Tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) was adopted as the Official State Fruit.

In 1990 the Honeybee (Apis mellifera) was adopted as the Official State Agricultural Insect.

The Bobwhite Quail, genus Colinus virginianus, was designated as the Official State Game Bird in 1987. The Bobwhite Quail (in some areas also confusingly known as the Partridge), is considered one of the finest game birds in the world.

In 1988 the Channel Catfsh (Ictalurus lacustris punctatus) was adopted as the Official State Commercial Fish.

In 1975 the Firefly [Lightning Bug Beetle] (Family: Lampyridae) and Ladybird Beetle [Ladybug] (Family: Coccinellidae) were adopted as the Official State Insects.

In 1973 the Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) was adopted as the Official State Wild Flower. (It was also the Official Flower 1919-1933).

In 1971 the Raccoon (Procyon lotor) was adopted as the Official State Wild Animal.

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