Vermont Symbols, Fruit: Apple

Adopted on May 10, 1999.

The apple is the most popular state fruit, various varieties representing New York, West Virginia, Washington and perhaps Rhode Island and serving as the state flower of Michigan and Missouri.

When serving apple pie in Vermont, a "good faith" effort shall be made to meet one or more of the following conditions: (a) with a glass of cold milk, (b) with a slice of cheddar cheese weighing a minimum of 1/2 ounce, (c) with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.  

• Vermont's fresh apple crop is valued at $10-12 million each year.
• Processed apple products, like cider, applesauce and hard cider bring an additional $10-12 million into the state each year.
• Vermont's leading apple varieties are McIntosh, Cortland, Red Delicious and Empire.
• Vermont has almost 4,000 acres of commercial apple production.
• McIntosh apples became the state's leading variety after an extremely cold winter (1917-18) devastated most other varieties.
• On average, it costs Vermont's apple growers about $12 to produce, harvest, store and market one bushel of apples.
• In 1999, the Vermont legislature designated the apple as the state fruit, and the apple pie as the state pie.