HB 14-1304 Summary

• Designates the Palisade peach (Prunus persica) as the official state fruit of Colorado

• Peaches have been grown in and around Palisade since the 1880s, with 75 percent of all peach orchards in Colorado located in that region

• Colorado ranks sixth nationally in peach production with over 520,000 peach trees in cultivation, generating over $25 million in receipts in 2012

• Peach cultivation accounts for 75 percent of all fruit production in Colorado, and the Palisade peach festival attracts approximately 14,000 visitors annually

• Takes effect 90 days after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 6, 2014) unless subject to a referendum petition filed by voters