Ice Cream Cone Proclaimed Official Dessert
Chesterfield, Mo. – Governor Matt Blunt recently signed a bill proclaiming the ice cream cone as the official dessert of Missouri. Passage of this legislation officially and permanently preserves the historic and economic importance of the world renowned ice cream cone to the state of Missouri.
Since the ice cream cone’s official world debut at the 1904 World’s Fair held in Forest Park, Missourians have continued to play a significant role in the development of the ice cream cone. The University of Missouri – Columbia is home, not only to one of America’s most respected ice cream research and development facilities, but also to many nationally recognized industry experts.
Thursday, Aug. 28, will mark the official effective date of the Ice Cream Cone Bill. Coffee Cartel, located at #2 Maryland Plaza in St. Louis, and Edy’s will host the official kick-off event celebrating the ice cream cone as Missouri’s official dessert. Free ice cream cones will be provided between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Missouri Dairy Association Executive Director Dave Drennan provided a written endorsement for the bill and testified at committee hearings in support of the Ice Cream Cone Bill.
“People have forgotten that the ice cream cone was introduced here in Missouri; so it is more than fitting to recognize this event today,” said Drennan.
The bill was proposed to Senator John Loudon, MO, (R) by a group of 19 Missouri students, ranging from 9-13 years of age, who love their ice cream cones, and believe it worthy of the designation of the official state dessert. Together, the students brainstormed, developed and facilitated every step of the ice cream cone bill process.
“We wanted to make a positive impact on our community and thought that this would be a good way to do it,” said the 13-year-old spokeswoman for the group, Elise Kostial.
The 19 Missouri students included: Elise Kostial; Alexandra D’Ordine; Kjia Zuroweste; Garrett and Elise Floyd; Jacob, Nicholas, and Bethany Frost; Grace Savage; Louisa Geyer; Elizabeth and Katie Kramer; Thatcher Broyles; Kayleigh Hecht; Anna, Nathan, and Gabriel Farrell; and Chloe and Josie Lozano.
Industry endorsements came from the University of Missouri Commercial Agriculture Program; Missouri Restaurant Association; Missouri Department of Tourism; Missouri Dairy Association; Prairie Farms; Central Dairy; Hiland Dairy; Missouri Farms Dairy; Pacific Valley Dairy; Roberts Dairy; Kloppe Dairy Farms; Patke Dairy Farm; Regal Dairy Farm; Kessler Dairy Farm; Frietag Dairy; Dipity Ice Cream; Pacific Valley Creamery; Belfonte Creamery; Prairie Farms Creamery; Central Dairy Creamery; Breyers Creamery; Robert’s Creamery; Cold Stone Creamery; Ice Cream Specialties, Inc.; North Star Distributing; Shop n’ Save; Serendipity, Coffee Cartel; and Patke Dairy Store.
For more information on the ice cream come bill or upcoming ice cream related events, go to www.themissouriicecreamcone.org.
