Oklahoma State Beverage or Drink

Milk

Adopted on May 23, 1985; November 1, 2002

Milk was adopted as a symbol of the State of Oklahoma twice!

Milk was adopted as the official state "beverage" by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 2 on May 23, 1985.

In 2002, Representative James E. Covey introduced House Bill No. 2110 to makes milk the official state beverage and changes the name of the Department of Agriculture. On May 6, 2002, Governor Keating signed House Bill No. 2110 naming milk "the official drink of the State of Oklahoma,"

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

State Symbol: Milk

Arkansas | Delaware | Louisiana | Minnesota | Mississippi | Nebraska
New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Oregon | Oklahoma | Pennsylvania | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Vermont | Virginia | Wisconsin

Oklahoma State Beverage or Drink: Milk

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 Oklahoma, there are about 179 licensed dairy herds.
• Oklahoma dairy farms produced approximately 92 million gallons of milk in 2013.
• Oklahoma farms generate approximately $171 million in milk sales annually.
• Oklahoma is the 30th largest milk-producing state in the U.S.
• In Oklahoma, the average dairy cow produces about 5.6 gallons of milk per day. That's more than 2,041 gallons of milk over the course of a typical year.
• Oklahoma has 5 plants that process one or more dairy products.
• It takes about 48 hours for milk to travel from the farm to the dairy case.

Oklahomans Say "OK" to Milk
All-American Drink Becomes State's Official Beverage

Milk was named Oklahoma's official state beverage on November 1, 2002. District 4-H officers, Janae Martin, NE District Song leader, and Tish Foster, SW District Song leader, were present at "The Great Milk Break," a special ceremony held at the State Capitol. There, Oklahoma Dairy Farmers recognized the people behind the idea and raised their milk glasses in honor of this declaration.

The idea was the brainchild of Daniel Howard, an 11-year-old 4-H member from Guthrie, Okla. While working on a class project where he memorized facts about the state, Howard noticed there was no state beverage. So the 4-H member, who owns and shows dairy cattle, became determined to change that.

Howard, the son of the state's Commissioner of Agriculture, Dennis Howard, and wife Penny, wrote letters to state senators and spoke before a legislative committee to encourage them to support the bill, which was first introduced by State Sen. Paul Muegge, and later by Rep. Clay Pope in the house. When the bill went to the governor's desk for signing, Howard wrote him a letter too, urging him to sign the bill. The bill was signed on May 6, 2002.

Daniel Howard was joined by Oklahoma dignitaries such as: Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin, state Sen. Paul Muegge, state Rep. Clay Pope, Oklahoma Commissioner of Agriculture Dennis Howard, Oklahoma dairy farmers, school children, 4-H and FFA members to celebrate this momentous occasion.

A proclamation was signed to declare Milk as Oklahoma's official state beverage. Following the ceremony, 4-H and FFA members posed with dignitaries, all sporting their got-milk-mustaches. They got their own got milk Polaroid photos to take home as a momentum along with a t-shirt, souvenir buttons and cookies. The two 4-H district song leaders entertained the television cameraman and dairy farmers with a special milk song all 4-H camp goers would recognize.

Exerpted from Oklahoma 4-H

Where milk comes from and how it's made.
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!

Oklahoma Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 2

A Concurrent Resolution designating and adopting milk
as the official beverage of the State of Oklahoma;and directing distribution.

WHEREAS, the State of Oklahoma has enjoyed the benefits of fresh wholesome milk for many years; and

WHEREAS, dairy farming is a very important part of our Oklahoma agricultural community; and

WHEREAS, the State of Oklahoma has relied on its dedicated dairy farmers to supply our citizens with nature's most nearly perfect food; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of Oklahoma should be encouraged to drink milk every day as a nutritious food.

Now, Therefore, be it resolved by the Senate of the 1st Session of the 40th Oklahoma Legislature, the House of Representatives concurring therein:
THAT milk is hereby designated and adopted as the official beverage of the State of Oklahoma.

THAT copies of this resolution be distributed to the Governor and to the Lieutenant Governor of the State of Oklahoma; the State Board of Agriculture; the Associated Milk Producers, Inc.; and Steve and Renee Jones, owners, Sooner "J" Dairy, Rush Springs, Oklahoma. Adopted by the Senate the 5th day of March, 1985.

Adopted by the House of Representatives the 22nd day of May, 1985.
Filed with the Secretary of State May 23, 1985.

Oklahoma Law

The law designating milk as the official Oklahoma state drink is found in the Oklahoma Statutes, Title 25, Section 25-98.7.

Title 25. Definitions and General Provisions
Section 25.98.7
§25-98.7. Official state drink.
Milk is hereby designated and adopted as the official drink of the State of Oklahoma.
Added by Laws 2002, c. 173, § 1, emerg. eff. May 6, 2002.