Vidalia® Onion Season Underway

Randall Weiseman General, Georgia, Specialty Crops, Vegetables

Vidalia_OnionsFor those who love Vidalia® onions, you’ll be glad to know the 2016 crop is now available because yesterday was the official pack date, as set by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.


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From the Georgia Department of Agriculture:

Vidalia® onions cannot be packed or sold prior to April 25th as established by the rules of the Georgia Department of Agriculture. The Georgia state legislature in 1986 entrusted the Georgia Department of Agriculture with the ownership of the Vidalia® onion certification mark, delegating the Commissioner to protect the integrity of the mark and ensure consumers receive only the highest quality sweet Vidalia® onions.

Commissioner Gary Black says the goal this year is 100% consumer satisfaction.

“I know that every family farmer in Georgia that grows Vidalia® onions wants to put the best product on the market every day,” said Commissioner Black. “It’s not just about being first to market with something; it’s about going to market on the first day with the best.”

Vidalia® onions are unique to Georgia and may only be grown in parts of a 20-county area in the southeastern part of the state. The onions are prized for their sweetness and mild flavor and can be used raw or cooked. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Georgia farmers harvested 268 million pounds of Vidalia® onions from 11,200 acres in 2015. Value of production for last year’s crop exceeded 120 million.