SALEM – A vote on the House floor for the official pie of Oregon revealed some of the regional biases toward the state’s fruit.

The House on Monday, May 8, approved a resolution 53-to-6 by Rep. Sheri Malstrom, D-Beaverton, to make marionberry pie the official pie of Oregon.

Six Republican lawmakers voted against the resolution.

“Marionberries are not native to my district but apples and pears and cherries, among other ag products, are,” said Rep. Mark Johnson, R-Hood River.

The designation came at the request of Shari’s Café and Pies, headquartered in Malstrom’s House district in Beaverton. The restaurant has won

the National Pie Championship in Orlando Florida 10 times, Malstrom said.

“This is an attempt to contribute to a branding of Oregon and Oregon products. This positively impacts our local economy and helps to promote our products throughout the United States, bringing tourism dollars into our state and contributing to jobs in our communities,” she said.

The marionberry’s roots started in Oregon through a partnership between Oregon State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the 1950s. The berry is a cross between the Chehalem and Olallie blackberry. About 90 percent of marionberry production remains in Oregon, about 28 to 33 million pounds every year.