When you think of places associated with Italian food, North Dakota is probably the last thing that comes to mind, but consider this. Each year, Americans eat nearly six billion pounds of pasta.

Pasta is made from durum wheat and 80% of that wheat is grown in North Dakota. According to statistics from the North Dakota Wheat Commission, the state produces enough wheat to supply each person in the United States with over 90 lbs of pasta annually. Think about that the next time you are eating a plate of spaghetti. On National North Dakota Day, we celebrate The Peace Garden State and all its citizens.