Watermelon Wedge Issue Ripens In Oklahoma

The watermelon has been Oklahoma's state vegetable — not fruit — for nearly a decade. The poor melon has become a political football, as some lawmakers now want to repeal the its title.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Back here on this side of the Atlantic, the good people of Oklahoma are hoping to attract visitors with their own unique offerings. They have an official state animal, the bison, an official amphibian, the bullfrog, and an official meal that includes fried okra, sausage and gravy. Except for some complaints that the official meal is the stuff of heart attacks, Oklahoma's state emblems haven't exactly been controversial - until now - because the seeds of discontent are being sewn over the state vegetable, the watermelon. Yes, you heard correctly. Back in 2007, State Representative Joe Dorman pushed for his beloved summer treat to get top billing. He was dismayed to find the strawberry had already been crowned the state fruit. Dorman, a Democrat, had to settle for a vegetable. Now a repeal effort is underway by a Republican, and it's turned the watermelon into a political football. The melon supporters insist it can be both and should keep its title. Technically, the watermelon does have a genetic relationship with the gourd. Former lawmaker Joe Dorman wants to just get over this wedge issue. We have a $611 million budget shortfall, he says. There are more important things to focus on this year than whether watermelon is a fruit or a vegetable.

Copyright © 2015 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.