How much of the pie does Illinois have? That’s a question many people are asking in recent days, according to an analysis of recent Google search terms.
While some states’ official pies aren’t particularly common (consider Indiana’s sweet cream pie or Oregon’s Marionberry pie), Illinois’ is.
By some accounts, this is actually the most popular pie flavor, especially at a certain time of year.
You may have guessed it: the official pie of Illinois is pumpkin pie.
In 2015, then-Governor Bruce Rauner signed a bill making pumpkin pie the official state pie of Illinois.
This makes sense, given that Illinois produces more pumpkins than any other state in the country. According to the Illinois Department of Agriculture, 95% of the U.S. pumpkin crop for processing is grown in Illinois.
If you buy canned pumpkin, chances are it was also processed in Illinois.
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, a company in Morton, a town outside Peoria, produces 85 percent of the processed pumpkins in the United States.
