pecans are a native American nut that is an important food, and is a valuable part of the human diet;

the production of pecans plays a significant role in the economy of the United States in that pecans are produced by thousands of pecan producers, shelled and processed by numerous shellers and processors, and pecans produced in the United States are consumed by millions of people throughout the United States and foreign countries;

pecans must be high quality, readily available, handled properly, and marketed efficiently to ensure that consumers have an adequate supply of pecans;