Fourth Graders Lobby For California To Adopt State Nut

MERCED (AP) -- A California fourth grade class is pushing to make almonds, pistachios, walnuts and pecans the official state nuts.

Merced Assemblyman Adam Gray supported the elementary students' idea and drafted a bill.

The Fresno Bee reported Thursday that Gray's bill is headed to the Senate this summer after passing through the Assembly.

The students travelled to Sacramento last month to a bill hearing. They brought the Modesto Nuts minor league baseball team mascots: Al the almond, Wally the walnut and Shelly the pistachio.

At first the students were only lobbying for the almond, a crop valued at $4 billion that creates more than 100,000 jobs. Legislators who heard Gary's bill wanted the major nut crop of their districts to get an official designation too.