Sweet Onions

Voting on Onion Marketing Orders Begins

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 14:37:17 GMT

It’s time for Walla Walla and Vidalia onion growers to vote.

Back in mid-December 2025, USDA announced that it would be conducting referenda votes among eligible Vidalia onion producers in Georgia and eligible Walla Walla sweet onion producers in the Pacific Northwest. The referenda ask both groups about their support for their respective federal marketing orders. Such votes must be conducted every six years according to the orders.

The referenda votes for both groups starts today, Jan. 12. For Walla Walla growers, it ends Jan. 30 and for Vidalia growers it ends Feb. 3.

Eligible growers should have already received their ballots and voting instructions in the mail last year. If you are or think you are an eligible grower and have not received a ballot, contact the following Agricultural Marketing Service personnel:

For Walla Walla Sweet Onions: Kelsey Dugan at Kelsey.Dugan@usda.gov or (503) 351-2108
For Vidalia onions: Delaney Fuhrmeister at Delaney.Fuhrmeister@usda.gov or (863) 307-3289

What’s at stake

Shane Curry, executive director of the Vidalia Onion Committee told The Packer that the Vidalia onion federal marketing order protects and supports the Vidalia onion industry by establishing clear rules for how Vidalia onions are defined, marketed and promoted, as well as collecting assessments for the purpose.

“The order legally defines the specific region in Georgia where onions must be grown to be sold as ‘Vidalia onions,’ helping prevent non-Vidalia onions from being labeled as Vidalia onions,” he says. “Without the federal marketing order, Vidalia onions would lose an important layer of protection. This would allow onions grown outside the designated region to use the Vidalia name, opening the door to misuse of the brand.”

Kim Brunson, Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee manager, had much the same to say about the Walla Walla federal marketing order. She explains Walla Walla Sweet Onions are defined by their geographic origin, the Walla Walla Valley of southeast Washington and northeast Oregon, which “contributes to their signature low pungency and large size.”

“The marketing order plays a critical role in protecting that geographic identity and supporting consistent quality so authentic Walla Walla Sweet Onions can reach the fresh market each year,” she says.

Brunson says the results of the votes are expected later on in the season or in early spring.

Shuman Taps Into College NIL Activations to Connect With Younger Consumers

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 18:46:31 GMT

Reidsville, Ga.-based Shuman Farms is leveraging name, image and likeness (NIL) partnerships with college athletes — including University of Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen and Georgia Southern University wide receiver Josh Dallas — in an effort to connect with the next generation of shoppers, says John Shuman, president and CEO.

“These partnerships tie naturally to football and tailgating season, offering family-friendly, game-day recipe inspiration featuring premium sweet onions,”
he says.

“By linking produce to sports and lifestyle moments, we’re helping retailers position sweet onions not just as an ingredient, but as a centerpiece for seasonal meals and celebrations,” Shuman explains.

The company is using NIL activations to enable the firm to reach Gen Z and younger millennial families through digital and social channels, where they are most engaged, he says.

“These efforts are designed to inspire cooking at home and to demonstrate the versatility of sweet onions in quick,
approachable recipes that fit busy lifestyles,” Shuman says.

Sweet onions, and all fresh produce, are an essential part of the Food as Medicine movement, he adds.

“By promoting fresh produce through retail programs, NIL partnerships and awareness campaigns, Shuman Farms is helping consumers connect the dots between flavorful meals and better health outcomes,” Shuman says.

Peru Plays Key Role in Year-Round Sweet Onion Supply

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 21:41:24 GMT

September can be a sad time for onion connoisseurs. That’s when supplies of Georgia’s popular Vidalia sweet onions wind down.

The good news for consumers, retailers and foodservice operators, though, is U.S. grower-shippers can import sweet onions from Peru during the fall/winter period that they say do a great job of filling the void until Vidalias return in the spring.

The mild, sweet flavor of Peruvian onions closely mirrors what consumers love about Vidalias, says Steven Shuman, general manager and vice president of sales for G&R Farms, Glennville, Ga.

“They come to market during the U.S. offseason, which means consumers can count on a seamless year-round supply,” he says. “And the consistent growing conditions in Peru, combined with our precision farming practices, make for a very reliable product in terms of both quality and flavor.”

Flavor is the biggest advantage of Peruvian sweet onions, agrees John Shuman, owner and CEO of Shuman Farms, Reidsville, Ga.

They deliver the same mild, sweet taste customers love about Vidalias, he says, and that means shoppers and chefs can enjoy a premium sweet onion option even when Vidalias aren’t in season.

“By keeping a high-quality sweet onion available year-round, retailers can maintain category momentum and drive sales beyond the Vidalia window,” he says.

Size and quality of Peruvian onions from Glennville, Ga.-based Bland Farms should be very strong this year,” says Delbert Bland, owner and CEO. “Peru’s growing region offers one of the best climates for onions — very little rainfall and consistently dry conditions,” Bland says.

(Photo courtesy of Bland Farms)

Growing in Peru and Mexico allows Bland Farms in Glennville to maintain a consistent, year-round supply of mild, sweet onions, says Delbert Bland, owner and CEO.
“Consumer demand for sweet onions doesn’t stop when Vidalia season ends, and our program ensures retailers can keep shelves stocked all year,” he says. “At the end of the day, it’s about meeting that demand with a product that delivers the same dependable flavor profile consumers know and love.”

L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms Inc., Lyons, Ga., started receiving Peruvian onions around the first of August, says John Williams, director of sales and marketing. The company should have Peruvian onions until mid-March Volume should be about the same as last year, he says.

(Photo courtesy of L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms Inc.)

Growers in Peru plant many of the same sweet onion varieties Vidalia growers use, but they can’t legally be called Vidalias, says John Williams, director of sales and marketing for L.G. Herndon Jr. Farms Inc., Lyons, Ga.

“They grow a really nice, sweet onion,” he says. “It’s a very good close cousin of the Vidalia.”

Peru’s near-perfect growing area is another significant plus because it provides excellent conditions for sweet onion production, says Cliff Riner, vice president of ag production and grower relations for G&R Farms.

“The climate is marked by mild, steady temperatures and sandy, loamy soils similar to those in Georgia,” he says.
And there’s not much rain during the growing window, which is ideal for cultivating sweet onions, because it reduces disease pressure and helps ensure clean, high-quality bulbs, Riner adds.

“Peru offers soil conditions very similar to what we have in southeast Georgia, which is one reason the region is so well suited for sweet onions,” he says.

The main difference between Georgia and Peru is Peru’s dry, arid climate.

“That allows us to drip irrigate and carefully manage the crop from start to finish, resulting in consistent quality and reliable yields season after season,” he says.

Size and quality of Peruvian onions from Glennville, Ga.-based Bland Farms should be very strong this year,” says Delbert Bland, owner and CEO. “Peru’s growing region offers one of the best climates for onions — very little rainfall and consistently dry conditions,” Bland says.