Oregon
Industry leaders outline how retailers can maximize the 90-day sweet cherry sales window through aggressive early promotions and strategic late-season displays.
The removal of categorical exclusions sets a dangerous precedent that will force interstate shippers to navigate a maze of new fees and safety hurdles.
Good weather had contributed to optimistic outlooks in the field.
Along with sharing good news from the field, a number of grower-shippers say exports play a significant role in their sales programs.
While there have been no major disruptions, there’s some concern over the potential for immigration enforcement efforts to impact labor.
Washington and Oregon producers hope to avoid disruptions related to immigration enforcement.
While this year’s crop might be smaller, growers have a positive outlook on how things are shaping up in the field.
Bulk onions marketed by grower-shippers in Washington and Oregon typically outsell packaged product, but they say consumer packs have been steadily gaining traction.
In 2023, onion utilized production in the Pacific Northwest was up 6% from the previous year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The 2024 harvest is expected to get underway sometime between late July and early September, with start dates varying slightly by grower.
Consumer packs typically account for about half the fresh-market potatoes shipped by suppliers in Washington and Oregon, grower-shippers say.
Following a June recommendation from the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Potato Committee, the USDA has issued a proposed rule that would raise the assessment rate for growers for the first time since 2017.
Yakima, Wash.-based Superfresh Growers expects to deliver both a strong season of Northwest blueberries, starting with fruit from Norris Farms in southwestern Oregon.
Oppy’s California cherry season is expected to end around June 20, just in time to overlap with the start of the Pacific Northwest cherry season.
After erratic spring weather, onion crop prospects in the Columbia Basin shared by Washington and Oregon have improved to strong levels.
Both Washington and Oregon potato output was down for the 2022 season, and prices have been elevated through mid-2023.
The Idaho-Eastern Oregon Committee is promoting the region’s onions in various high-profile ways, says Candi Fitch, executive director.
In 2023, Idaho accounted for 14% of the U.S. domestic shipments and Oregon accounted for 10%.
Each year the committee offers foodservice and retail materials, full-color POS merchandise material, recipe cards for consumers and foodservice, and educational material.
Eagle Eye Produce, Idaho Falls, is shipping new crop yellow and red onions, with white onions to follow soon.
The Pear Bureau Northwest, Milwaukie, Ore., has promoted Neil Ferguson to creative marketing manager.
Homegrown Organic Farms has received Bee Better certification for Oregon blueberries.
Onion grower-shippers say choice is a major part of their program, including a range of sizes and varieties and, to some extent, organics.
Awe Sum Organics, Santa Cruz, Calif., expects to have Pacific Northwest blueberries starting June 22.
Though “normal” likely would be the last way one might describe 2020, onion suppliers across the Idaho-Eastern Oregon region say they can at least expect some normality in their crops this year.
Northwest potato suppliers say they are eager to rev up a major sales engine in their industry — foodservice — as the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic passes.
Potato production in the Northwest was strong in 2019, and the outlook for 2020 looks similar, said Chris Voigt, executive director of the Moses Lake-based Washington State Potato Commission.