The New York state senate passed a bill that would make yogurt the state’s official snack, but not without a surprisingly spirited debate Tuesday evening.
Senators debated for nearly an hour on the bill introduced after a push from a fourth-grade class at an upstate elementary school, reports Buzzfeed.
One senator was worried that honoring yogurt would offend those with lactose intolerance, according to Buzzfeed. Others wondered if the designation would conflict with the state’s official muffin, the apple muffin. Some senators suggested that other foods be brought into the mix.
Senators also debated whether low-fat or Greek yogurts would be get the honor of state snack if the bill passed. One member of the legislative body wondered if yogurt could even be considered a snack, since some eat it for breakfast.
According to the New York Times, the debate eventually closed after Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., a Democrat from the Bronx, piped up, “Almost 7 o’clock and we are here discussing yogurt.”
The bill passed by a vote of 52-8. The measure now goes to the state Assembly.
New York is the top yogurt-producing state in the country, according to the bill. The food also driven up milk output in the state, with production in 2012 topping 13 billion pounds.
