Texas’s state nut is looking to make a comeback. Pecans were all the rage in the 60s, but then the almond took over. Since then, the US almond crop has grown 33-fold. But now, StateImpact Texas reportsthat things are looking up for the Lone Star staple. The USDA has allowed the pecan industry to start something called a “federal marketing order.” This will allow pecan producers to pool their money and market their product. Think of other successful efforts, like “Got milk?” or the pork industry’s “The other white meat” campaign.
Some experts fear the cost of marketing and research could drive prices up for consumers. But in the future, we may be seeing pecan butter and pecan milk on supermarket shelves. And that’s good news for the Texas agricultural economy.