Minnesota designated wlld rice as the official state grain symbol in 1977. Wild rice (Zizania aquatica or Zizania palustris) is an aquatic grass not related to common rice.* Wild rice is native to North America and grows predominantly in the Great Lakes region. For many years, nearly all the wild rice produced in the world came from Minnesota, and most still does.

Wild rice was a staple food for native American Indians for centuries (particularly the Ojibway, Menomini, and Cree tribes in the North Central region of the continent). Minnesota Indians called wild rice "manomio," which means "good berry" (wild rice has also been called Indian rice, marsh oats, Canadian rice, squaw rice, water oats, and blackbird oats).

Wild rice is a nutritional grain used in a wide variety of foods such as dressings, casseroles, soups, salads, breakfast cereals, mixes for pancakes, muffins, cookies and desserts. Wild rice has a high protein and carbohydrate content, and is very low in fat. Its nutritional quality (vitamins, minerals, protein) equals or surpasses other cereal grains such as wheat , oats, and corn.

*Note: not to be confused with the wild form of common rice (Oryza) which is also called wild rice.

Source:

State Symbols: Minnesota Secretary of State
Wild Rice: Alternative Field Crops Manual, Purdue University

Links:

American Food and Agricultural Symbols
American Food Holidays