Pioneer Day has been a long-time tradition for the state of Utah, celebrating the pioneers finishing their long trek and seeing the beautiful Salt Lake Valley. This year the celebrations are being shared with members of Congress in Washington D.C. where they will have the opportunity to taste a variety of Utah made products at the “Flavors of Utah” event. Created by Senator Mike Lee, this event’s goal is to share the rich pioneer history of Utah with our nation’s capital and showcase the amazing food and products that Utah produces.

This last week, an Associated Food semi-truck began its 30-hour trek across the country in order to share the wonderful Utah food with the members of congress. It is a big boost for the agriculture community because of how crucial these members are in making decisions about agriculture of Utah, as well as the entire nation. 

Prior to leaving Utah, an event was held at the state capitol to celebrate what was called “the biggest event east of the Mississippi.” Dave Davis, the president of the Utah Food Industry Association spoke about how the event came to be and the importance. Rowena Montoya, of JulieAnn Caramels, spoke as well and explained the origin of her company’s name. Following the press conference, those in attendance on Friday had the opportunity to sample the foods that were going to make the trek to Washington, D.C. in the truck. 

The companies that were involved were Heber Valley Cheese, Lower Foods, Taffy Town, Gusto Brazil, Creminelli Fine Meats, Mtn Ops, Pepperlane, JulieAnn Caramels, Madbrook Donut Co., Kodiak Cakes, Houwelings Tomatoes, Squatters, Apple Beer, Beehive Cheese, Chef Shamy Butter, USU Aggie Ice Cream, Sweet Candy Co., Butcher’s Bunches, Rocky Mountain Pies, and Utah’s Own.