Sweet potato named Mississippi state vegetable

• Sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables, from savory casseroles and hashes to sweet pies.

With the sweep of a pen, Governor Tate Reeves signed Senate House Bill 2383, and in so doing, he raised the status of a lowly root vegetable to state vegetable status. Effective July 1, the state’s sweet potato crop’s significance to the state’s agriculture sector and food culture will be recognized by its designation as Mississippi’s official state vegetable. 

Across the state, sweet potato farmers are rejoicing. And joining the farmers in their celebration is Lorin Harvey, a sweet potato expert at Mississippi State University. 

“Farmers in Mississippi work hard to produce the safest, most nutritious and affordable sweet potatoes out there,” said Harvey, an assistant agronomy professor in MSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. “I’m always glad to see them get any recognition for producing such an important vegetable in our state.”

Sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables. From savory casseroles and hashes to sweet pies, the sweet potato often steps in for carrots, pumpkins, or even other potatoes. But there is no comparison to the taste and nutritional value – and there is no doubt that the sweet potato packs a punch.

Will Maples is an agriculture economist at Mississippi State University, which means he studies the economic impact of crops. According to Maples, sweet potatoes are considered a specialty crop. They have a statewide production value of $82 million annually, which may sound impressive, but compared to yields of soybeans and corn, that’s small potatoes. Maples does say that Mississippi is known as a major producer of sweet potatoes in the United States, third to North Carolina and California. 

The epicenter of sweet potato production in Mississippi is the town of Vardaman in Calhoun County. The first plants were grown there around 1915, and they took off, thriving in the fertile soil and climate that is ideal for growing the orange-colored root vegetables. With a population of about 1,060, between 28,000 and 30,000 acres of Beauregard variety sweet potatoes are grown in what is known as “The Sweet Potato Capital of the World.” 

Harvey said, “Vardaman’s staying power as the center of production is most likely infrastructure. Most operations there have built washing and packing facilities, as well as long-term refrigerated storage buildings.”

Farmers aren’t the only ones excited about the sweet potato’s newfound elevated position as the official state vegetable. Jill Conner Browne, the celebrated Sweet Potato Queen, was delighted about the announcement.

On the “O-fficial (Facebook) Page of the World Famous Sweet Potato Queens,” Browne stated, “Celebrating TWO GREAT THINGS TODAY! First, OBVIOUSLY – the long-awaited announcement that the SWEET POTATO will finally and forever be enshrined as MISSISSIPPI’S O-FFICIAL STATE VEGETABLE! AND – BRAVO! Italian Restaurant and Bar is NOW serving Salad Days Produce Lettuce! So, in honor of these two wonderful events, I betook myself to Bravo! and had a beeyooteeful Chicken and SWEET POTATO salad, made with the tastiest lettuce on earth!”