Posted: December 13th, 2009 - 10:53am by Doug Powell

State budgets are tight and getting tighter, but politicians in Wisconsin are determined to promote the Badger State in a slightly cheesy way: ??????The state Assembly is considering a bill that would name the bacterium that converts milk into cheese as -- ready for it? -- the official state microbe.??????

The microbe, Lactococcus lactis, is poised to join the state's list of 21 designated symbols, which includes an official dance (the polka), beverage (milk) and domesticated animal (the Holstein dairy cow). It would also be a first for the nation.