Kay Koch, owner of Koch Farms, pours marionberries into baskets to sell at the family run farm in Tualatin on July 10, 2006.

As Oregon lawmakers get back to work, one thing they will be deciding this session: Should the T-bone be the official state steak?

If the T-bone becomes our steak, it will join a long procession of state symbols. Oregonians are represented by many, many things. From the humble potato to the towering Douglas fir, poets hoping to write about our state have plenty to work with.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of those symbols, much of which we gleaned from the Oregon Encyclopedia. Did we forget one? Send an email with your evidence to lacker@oregonian.com.

State seashell: Oregon hairy triton

This cute hair shell has been the state seashell since 1991.

State dance: Square dance

Children of the 1990s who attended gym class may not be shocked to learn that since 1977, Oregon’s state dance has been the square dance.

State crustacean: Dungeness crab

Those who love the Oregon coast know that the state crustacean is of course the Dungeness crab, named in 2009, even though Dungeness Spit is a place in the state of Washington.

State pie: Marionberry

Oregon Encyclopedia is missing this one: Oregon’s official state pie since 2017. And what could be more Oregon than a pie made of a berry created right here in our state?

State mushroom: Pacific golden chanterelle

For some reason, Oregonians love mushrooms. The Pacific golden chanterelle has been the state mushroom since 1999.

State rock: Thunderegg

The thunderegg has been Oregon’s state rock since 1965, which is almost no time at all, for thundereggs.

State vegetable: Potato

The potato was only named the state vegetable in 2023, after a battle between potato lovers and onion aficionados.

State insect: Oregon swallowtail

You might think Oregon’s state insect is the mighty ant, which seems to thrive everywhere. But it is not. It is the Oregon swallowtail and it has been since 1979.

State gemstone: Sunstone

Is it a coincidence that in 1987, right in the middle of the run of the classic ‘80s animated TV show “Jem and the Holograms,” Oregon named itself a state gemstone?

State beverage: Milk

Milk has been the state beverage since some kids apparently asked for that designation in 1997. Someone ask those kids about water, which falls constantly from the sky and even the lactose intolerant and plants can drink.

State fruit: Pear

Pears are far superior to apples. Just ask Harry and David. Or Oregonians, who have called pears the state fruit since 2005.

State tree: Douglas-fir

The scientific name for Oregon’s state tree is Pseudotsuga menziesii, and knowing that once won me a free pumpkin during a hay ride at a pumpkin patch. The Doug fir has been the state tree since 1939.

State fossil: Dawn redwood

Dawn redwood or Metasequoia went extinct in Oregon about 5 million years ago (they were re-introduced in the 1940s), but their fossilized remains only became the state’s official fossil in 2005.

State bird: Western meadowlark

A lot of states name the western meadowlark as their state bird, six in fact. In Oregon, it’s been our state bird since 1929.

State flower: Oregon grape

One of the state’s oldest symbols, the Oregon grape was elected state flower in 1899. Oregon grape isn’t actually a grape, but you can eat the berries without getting sick, though they don’t taste great.

State nut: Hazelnut

Whether you call it a filbert or a hazelnut, this has been Oregon’s state nut since 1989.

State animal: American beaver

Don’t tell the ducks…bevers have been our state animal since 1969.

State soil: Jory

In 2011, after years of trying, the Oregon Soil Science Society finally convinced lawmakers to name Jory the state soil of Oregon.