Ag News
April 20 is Vidalia Onion Pack Date
Posted on Apr 04, 2018 at 0:00 AM
The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) and the Vidalia Onion Committee announced March 26 that the pack date for the 2018 Vidalia Onion season April 20. Beloved by world-renowned chefs and home cooks alike, the versatile Vidalia will be available in stores and farmers market after the pack date.
Vidalia onions are grown and hand-cultivated exclusively in 20 southeast Georgia counties by 80 registered growers. Vidalias are known for their sweet, distinctive flavor and are available for a limited time in the spring and summer. Each year, the Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel, state agricultural scientists and the Department of Agriculture determine the pack date based on soil and weather conditions in South Georgia during the growing season.
The Vidalia trademark is owned by the state of Georgia as a result of the Vidalia Onion Act of 1986. To be called a Vidalia, the onions must be cultivated in the South Georgia soil in one of the 20 counties of the recognized growing regionfrom a special Granex seed and packed and sold after the official pack date each year.
In 2017, Georgia grew more than 11,000 acres of Vidalia onions, according to Vidalia Onion Committee Chairman Troy Bland.
Vidalia onions represent about 40 percent of the U.S. sweet onion market and are sold in every state. Visit www.vidaliaonion.org for more information. Follow the season’s news on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.
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