Agriculture’s Contribution to National Dessert Day

There is always room for dessert no matter how much you had to eat during the main course of the meal and dessert might come in many forms on National Dessert Day.

October 14th is National Dessert Day and to celebrate you may have your cake, and eat it too, but as with all foods, agriculture plays a major role in providing your sweet treat.

Wheat

The wheat industry has six types of wheat that are grown, all used for different types of flour that go into the many baked goods we enjoy. Soft wheat, which has a heavy presence in the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest, is typically used for cakes and  pastries as well as cereal and crackers. The Wheat Foods Council provides more information on wheat products and what the other types are used for.

Milk

Dairy is a major player in the sweets game as well. The International Dairy Foods Association says that in 2022, 1.38 billion gallons of ice cream was made in the U.S. On average, Americans consume close to 20-pounds of ice cream, or four gallons, in a year. The IDFA also reports that ice cream is a $13.1 billion contributor to the economy. As delicious as ice cream is, other treats made from dairy include yogurt, mousse, cheese cake, parfait, and custard.

Sugar

We can't exclude one of the most important ingredients to making dessert, sugar. Sugar grown in the United States comes from sugarbeets, found in Oregon and Idaho, and sugarcane, grown mostly in southern states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service statistics show the U.S. produces an average of nine million short ton of sugar per year, since 2017.

Whatever dessert you choose to have on National Dessert Day, don't forget that it comes to the table from a long line agriculture that may have started in your own backyard.