Posts Tagged “Vidalia onions”
Stanley Farms of Vidalia, GA has been placed on one year’s probation by the Georgia Department of Agriculture because it improperly stored other yellow onions at its Vidalia facility. However, it has been cleared by the GDA of accusations that it packed non-Vidalia onions in Vidalia-branded bags.
No evidence was found during its five-week investigation that non-Vidalias were on the packing equipment at Stanley Farms’ facility in Vidalia, Ga., when Vidalia onions were being packed.
“What we did find was improper storage of organic yellow onions in a Vidalia (onion) packing facility,” said Gary Black, GDA commissioner. “We promptly responded with a hold on those onions until all inventory could be traced and accounted for, preventing the onions from entering the retail fresh market.”
The department required Stanley Farms to move 285 field bins of non-Vidalia onions to another facility where they were held under seal. Black said Stanley Farms and members of the Stanley family fully complied with all of the department’s directions and requests during the investigation.
Commissioner Black said the department and the grower-shipper signed a consent agreement that includes a one-year probationary period. If another infraction of the same kind is found during that year, the operation could lose its Vidalia onion license, he said.
Vidalia onions – grossing about $3000 to Chicago; $3300 to New York City.
(Onions on the top are from Stanley Farms, Vidalia, GA, and are being investigated. The onions on the bottom row are marketed and sold by Shuman Produce in Reidsville, GA.)
Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black and officials from the Federal-State Inspection Service met May 7 with Vidalia onion growers to hear allegations from growers that Stanley Farms recently processed as many as 400 truckloads of conventional yellow Florida onions at the same facility where it processes Vidalias without separating the two as required by law, an infraction that carries a fine of $5,000 per incident up to $20,000.
Stanley Farms, a Vidalia, GA, onion facility was acquired last year by interests connected to billionaire Bill Gates.
Growers at the meeting also raised allegations that Stanley may have packed those yellow onions as Vidalias. According to statute 2-13-134 of the Vidalia Onion act of 1986, misrepresenting other onions as Vidalias is a felony carrying potential punitive measures consisting of a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than three years, or both.
“That’s what hurts us, is for anybody to think we would do anything to hurt the Vidalia image,” Brian Stanley, company sales manager, said. “It’s a tough situation and that’s why we’re ready to get all the information out there and let them look at it and be transparent with it. They’ll see that we’d never in any way want to hurt Vidalia’s heritage. We want to get it behind us as quickly as possible. Whenever the department looks through all this, hopefully we can get it behind us very rapidly so we can move on. We’ve just got to get that information to the right people, then we can talk about it soon.”
At issue is the ferociously defended Vidalia trademark. Over two decades ago Vidalia growers were granted a federal marketing order protecting their crop from fraud. Stringent rules apply to the packaging and labeling of Vidalia onions, including prohibitions against comingling Vidalias with other onions in a processing facility or misrepresenting any other onion as a Vidalia.
Vidalia onions – grossing about $3500 to New York City.
Most likely sweet onion shipments from the Vidalia onion district in Southeast Georgia that are labeled “Vidalias” will begin shipping April 27th. Unlabeled Vidalias should start sooner.
The Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel met with Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black March 23 and recommended an April 27 shipping start date this season for the state’s trademarked vegetable.
Under Georgia law, the ag commissioner sets the beginning of shipping each year. The commissioner is not bound by the advisory panel’s recommendation, but Black has followed it during his tenure in office.
Vidalia onions are maturing about 10 days later than usual because of weather conditions this winter.
Meanwhile sweet onion supplies out of Mexico and Texas have had consistency issues. Vidalias can be shipped prior to the official starting date, but cannot be labeled as Vidalia onions. No double some shipments from Vidalia will begin the first or second week of April.
In mid-March, despite a wet winter with 20 inches of rain in since mid-December, the Vidalia crop looks clean, but that could change if problems such as disease arise.
By Vidalia Onion Committee
Vidalia, GA — Recent sales data research by the Vidalia Onion Committee indicates that sweet onions lead the onion category with the largest dollar sales (35%) and Vidalia onions represent 62% of sweet onion sales. In addition, Vidalia onion sales grew by 12% while all other sweet onions sales grew by only 5%.
The study conducted by the Nielsen Perishables Group, on behalf of the Vidalia Onion Committee, analyzed national sales data over a two year time period (2012-13) and also reviewed retail performance. The results found that Vidalia volume growth at 8% outpaced total onions (4%) during the April 20 – August 17, 2013 season. In addition to the category sales data, the study highlighted key retail opportunities.
“This is exciting news to learn that when in season, Vidalia onions play such a key role in driving the growth of sweet onion sales nationwide,” stated Kevin Hendrix Chairman of the Vidalia Onion Committee. “Our previous consumer research reveals that 91% of consumers are familiar with Vidalia onions and they associate them with superior, sweet flavor so it’s great to match the consumers’ perceptions with the actual sales results.”
Here are some loading opportunities ranging from Southeastern Georgia’s Vidalia onions to pear shipments from the Northwest, and cantaloupe and honeydew volume from California.
Fewer Vidalia onions have been shipped thus far this season. About 1.5 million 40-pound packages had been shipped through May, about 40 percent compared to by the same time last year. Shipments of fresh Vidalias finished in early June now loadings are coming from good supplies of onions from storage. Vidalias out of storage should be available through Labor Day.
Pear Shipments
Fewer shipments of Northwest pears are being forecast for the up coming season starting in late July. About 18.7 million boxes are expected to be hauled out of Washington and Oregon in the 2014-15 season, 13 percent less than in 2013-14 and 6 percent less than the five-year. The harvest should wind down in mid-October. Green anjous are expected to make up 53 percent of the Northwest volume, with bartletts at 23 percent and boscs 14 percent.
Yakima Valley apples, pears and cherries – grossing about $4300 to Chicago.
Melon Shipments
Shipments of cantaloupe and honeydew from Central California (Westside District) could get underway anywhere from a few days, to a couple of weeks early, depending on the field. There will be light volume the first two or three weeks of July, with much better movement beginning in late July and continuing into October. There has been a reduction of acreage in some of the earlier growing districts such as Huron and an increase in plantings farther north in such areas as Los Banos and Turlock.
Central San Joaquin Valley fruit – grossing about $8800 to New York City – higher towards the end of the week.
It has been rainy, it has been cold, but Georgia vegetables seem have weathered the storms and are finally getting on track, albeit two weeks later – and in some cases even more – than we’re used to.
The biggest volume items coming out of Georgia are bell peppers, cucumbers and squash, although there are a number of other vegetables such as sweet corn, green beans, carrots, greens, and cabbage, as well as blueberries. There also are Vidalia sweet onions, which have been paying 25 to 40 percent more on the freight rates compared to mixed veggies.
This year is the latest start on record for mixed vegetable shipments out of central and southern Georgia, according to some shippers. Items such as peppers, cukes and squash are typically finished shipping in early July. With such a late start, it is up in the air whether the season will extend beyond early July. As always, weather factors rule.
In Southeastern Georgia, the season for non-storage Vidalia onions, as well as the harvest are complete. Further loadings will be coming out of storage and should continue into September. Sweet onions are not always known for holding up well in storage. However, thus far shippers are reporting good quality and let’s hope it holds up for the duration of the storage season.
South and central Georgia vegetables and blueberries – grossing about $2700 to New York City.
Vidalia onions – grossing about $3600 to New York City.
While total Florida spring produce volume is winding down, some other areas in the East are shipping, or will be soon.
Florida red potato shipments are about two weeks later than usual as a series of winter freezes and heavy spring rains damaged the crop and could cut yields by as much as 50% on the front end of the red potato season. Shipments got underway around Palatka, Fla. about the second week of May. South Florida red spud loadings finished up in mid-May around Lake Wales.
Watermelons shipments got off to a shaky start from Southern Florida, but quality has improved and product is coming in steady volume out of the Ft. Meyers and Arcadia areas. The harvest gradually moves northward over the next few weeks, before shifting to Georgia around June 15-20, about two weeks later than usual.
As Florida veggie loadings decline, the transition from central Florida to southern Georgia is bringing lighter-than-normal volume on some vegetables. which are behind two weeks or more due to weather.
Georgia bell peppers and cucumbers are still moving in light volume and decent shipments are not expected until early to mid-June. Squash and bean shipments from south Georgia are now ending.
Vidalia onions
While it was rough start for Vidalia onion shipments this year, with seed stem problems, better weather is making life easier for both shippers and truckers.
While no official crop estimates have been made, observers see total Vidalia onion loadings at around 4.5 million boxes this season.
Seed stem has adversely about 30% to 40% of Vidalia crops this year.
North Carolina
Sweet corn shipments should get under way in mid-June, at least two weeks later than normal. A similar situation exists with lettuce……Currently, cilantro and kale are being shipped.
South Georgia vegetables – grossing about $2600 to New York City.