By Cook                                                H.R. No. 732
         76R13721 GMW-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to
 1-2     recognize April 27, 1999, as Texas Corn Day at the State Capitol;
 1-3     and
 1-4           WHEREAS, Indigenous to this hemisphere, corn was first
 1-5     cultivated in the form of maize by Native Americans throughout the
 1-6     Americas; these people recognized the diversity of the crop more
 1-7     than 7,000 years ago, consuming it as a fresh vegetable, flour, and
 1-8     popcorn, and it became so central to their way of life that Mayans
 1-9     believed the gods had created them out of maize; and
1-10           WHEREAS, Early western explorers described this remarkable
1-11     plant as the "staple crop of the Americas" because of its
1-12     adaptability, durability, and diversity; many of America's first
1-13     settlers credited the gift of corn for their survival during their
1-14     initial winter in the New World; and
1-15           WHEREAS, Corn also played a significant role in early Texas
1-16     history, as Spanish missionaries and Anglo-American colonists
1-17     greatly relied on it as a vegetable, as well as for flour, oil, and
1-18     feed-grain for their cattle; and
1-19           WHEREAS, Today corn has become America's leading cash crop,
1-20     with more than half a million farmers harvesting 85 million acres
1-21     of farmland and producing 9.5 billion bushels of corn; each year
1-22     Texas farmers generate 248 million bushels and harvest 2.1 million
1-23     acres of crop land; and
1-24           WHEREAS, Much of this corn is exported to markets around the
 2-1     world, including Japan, Taiwan, China, Africa, Mexico, Russia, and
 2-2     Europe; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Corn is truly a versatile crop with more than 1,000
 2-4     uses for, in addition to its role as feed-grain to Texas' six
 2-5     million cattle and two million hogs, it is a renewable resource for
 2-6     food, fiber, textiles, and ethanol fuel and is the primary
 2-7     ingredient in a host of products, such as colas and other
 2-8     beverages, building materials, chemicals, fuel, paper, adhesives,
 2-9     and clothing; and
2-10           WHEREAS, Through its diversity, corn has become one of
2-11     America's most essential crops, and it is indeed appropriate to pay
2-12     tribute to corn and Texas corn producers at this time; now,
2-13     therefore, be it
2-14           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-15     Legislature hereby recognize April 27, 1999, as Texas Corn Day and
2-16     extend to all those associated with this occasion sincere best
2-17     wishes for an enjoyable day and a profitable harvest.