A seven-year-old boy has been deemed the official "corn-bassador" of South Dakota after he recently found out that the starchy vegetable is real and really tasty, especially with butter.
Tariq, 7, was nicknamed the "Corn Kid" after he professed his love for the vegetable last month in a Youtube video that's garnered millions of views.
"I mean just look at this thing, I can't imagine a more beautiful thing, it's corn!" Tariq said in the video as he chowed down on a cob.
As a result of Tariq's passion for how "awesome" corn is, Governor Kristi Noem declared him the official corn-bassador of South Dakota on Saturday (September 3) and dubbed the occasion "Official Corn-bassador Tariq Day."
"Whereas, South Dakota is one of the top corn producers in the nation, providing nourishment across the globe but especially to Tariq, a 7-year-old boy who recently discovered that corn was real," the governor's declaration reads, "... it is fitting and proper as Governor to make special note of outstanding young man."
Katlyn Svendsen, a spokesperson for the South Dakota Department of Tourism, told NPR that the newly crowned Corn-bassador and his family traveled from New York to attend a ceremony in his honor at Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D.
"As part of naming Tariq a South Dakota Corn-bassador, we wanted Tariq and his family to experience a combination of South Dakota's two largest industries, tourism and agriculture," Svendsen said.
According to Svendsen, Tariq was in disbelief when he saw the palace made of corn.
"It's a dream come true!" the seven-year-old said.
Though everyone doesn't have to love corn, Tariq suggested that all people at least try it, especially with a slab of butter.
"If you or anyone loves corn, if you come to me, I'll tell you all about it," the Corn-bassador said in the now-viral YouTube video.
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