February 2015
ONION WORLD
U.S. Onion Import Trends Managing Maggots and Thrips ONION WORLD
Bland Farms: Far More than “Right Place, Right Time”
6777 NE Vinings Way #1324, Hillsboro, OR 97124
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Table of Contents EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Columbia Publishing
ONION WORLD Volume 31, Number 2
February 2015 6
www.o n i o n w o r l d .n e t Onion World Contacts Denise
[email protected] Editor
National Onion Association
J. Mike Stoker
[email protected] Publisher / Advertising Manager
Staying Ahead of the Curve
Patricia Zundel
[email protected] Advertising Sales
10
Bland Farms
Far More than "Right Place, Right Time"
Jeraleh Kastner
[email protected] Production / Circulation Manager
16
Great Lakes Expo
D. Brent Clement
[email protected] Consultant
20
Onion Maggot and Onion Thrips Management in Onion
Canadian Onion Report
Canadian Onion Crop Plentiful, but so Is Competition
22
Onion Imports
28
Petrocco Farms
Onion World is interested in newsworthy material related to onion production and marketing. Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: dkeller@columbiapublications. com, or call (509) 697-9436.
For information on advertising rates, mechanics, agency commissions, deadlines, copy submission, mailing, contract conditions and other information, call (208) 846-5955 or email:
[email protected]. Or call Patricia Zundel at (208) 2018781 or email
[email protected]
U.S. Onion Import Report: Part I in a Two-Part Series
SUBSCRIPTIONS
"Hard Work" Best Practices
Departments
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EDITORIAL INFORMATION
ADVERTISING SALES
U.S. 1 year $16.00; 2 years $28.00, 3 years $36.00 Canada 1 year $27.00; 2 years $45.00; 3 years $60.00 Foreign 1 year $45.00; 2 years $80.00; 3 years $109.00
Third-generation vegetable farmer David Petrocco, Sr. farms 2,950 acres in Brighton, Colo. The family farm’s production includes onions and a variety of other vegetables to provide supermarkets with fresh produce year-round. Photo courtesy Petrocco Farms. Story on page 28.
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6777 NE Vinings Way #1324 Hillsboro, Oregon 97124 Telephone: (509) 248-2452
In the News Calendar
Onion World
On the Cover Troy Bland (left) with his father, Delbert, checks samples of Vidalia© sweet onions at Bland Farms' Glennville, Ga., facility. Story on page 10.
Payments may be made by check, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Subscribe online at www. onionworld.net or call (509) 248-2452. Email address changes/corrections to
[email protected] or mail to Onion World, 6777 NE Vinings Way #1324, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Onion World magazine (ISSN 1071-6653), is published 8 times a year and mailed under permit #410, paid at San Dimas, CA 91773. It is produced by Columbia Publishing, 6777 NE Vinings Way #1324, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose without the express written permission of Columbia Publishing. For information on reprints call (208) 846-5955. CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Send to: Onion World, 6777 NE Vinings Way #1324, Hillsboro, OR 97124
When you peel away our onions’ layers, you’ll find
INNOVATION AFTER INNOVATION. As a leader in introducing new, improved varieties throughout the world, we are committed to bringing you the very best. Our onions are developed to give you increased yield potential and uniformity to maximize your growing potential. Backed by world class marker-assisting breeding technology and a global network of breeding scientists, it’s easy to see why we can say our seeds get better with every generation.
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In the News: People and Products
Owyhee Produce Debuts New Packaging Design
A detailed itinerary and reservation form can be found at www. onions-usa.org/members/noaconventions. Space is limited; participants are encouraged to sign up early.
American Takii Hires National Vegetable Sales, Marketing Manager
The new year brought a new onion packaging option for customers of Owyhee Produce. The Nyssa, Oregon, onion grower-shipper has introduced The Sleeve Pack, a mesh bag that hugs onions in a side-by-side display. The innovative packaging is designed to minimize movement of the onions, and in turn, prevent messes caused by flaky onion skin - both in retail stores and consumers’ homes. The Sleeve Pack makes displaying onions easier with its stackable quality and its assurance of consistency – offering two pounds of onions all the same size. The Sleeve Pack also offers consumers the ability to knot the open end of the slim bag for later use, a convenience not offered by typical mesh bags, according to a statement from the company. “The Sleeve Pack is innovative, it looks great and I anticipate it driving sales,” said Shay Myers, general manager of Owyhee Produce. “But the bottom line for me is to get the absolute best product out to my customers. I want to give them an added value to their products they sell to their customers so that they can stand out.”
NOA Announces 2016 International Tour The National Onion Association has announced that its fifth International Tour will depart for Peru and Panama Jan. 13, 2016. The comprehensive trip will begin in Lima and include time in Arequipa, Cusco, Machu Picchu and Puerto Maldonado, concluding Jan. 25 in Panama City. The 13-day tour includes concentrated industry visits in Arequipa, one of the two major growing areas exporting onions to the United States. The latest of the two areas to mature, harvest and process onions for shipment, Arequipa in January will be ideal for touring and observing two operations dedicated to exportation of high-quality produce from the South of Peru. Foreign and domestic commerce of all proportions will be seen throughout the tour – the most significant of these being the Panama Canal and Gatun Locks. Remarkable sightseeing from Incan ruins to an Amazon rainforest will complete the experience.
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Onion World
Jerry Vosti has been hired as American Takii, Inc.’s national vegetable sales and marketing manager. Vosti is responsible for sales management of American Takii’s vegetable dealers in the United States and Canada and will also oversee the company’s vegetable marketing activities. Vosti has a Bachelor of Science in Business Management with an emphasis on marketing from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. He has over 30 years of experience in the vegetable seed and technology industries. Vosti most recently worked for Bayer Crop Science (Nunhems) as an account manager, managing its leafy greens business. He is located at American Takii’s Salinas, California, facility. American Takii, Inc. is a breeder/producer of vegetable and flower seeds, and is a subsidiary of Takii & Company, Ltd., headquartered in Kyoto, Japan.
Funding Opportunities Available from USDA The Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP), administered by USDA Rural Development, helps finance the cost of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements for rural small businesses and agriculture producers. The application deadline for FY2015 is April 30, 2015. For more information regarding this funding opportunity, visit http://www.rurdev.usda. gov/BCP_ReapResEei.html. The Value Added Producer Grant Program (VAPG), administered by USDA Rural Development, helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and/or marketing of bio-based value-added products. Generating new products, creating and expanding marketing opportunities and increasing producer income are the end goals of this program. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. More information regarding this funding opportunity can be found at http://www. rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_VAPG.html.
National Onion Association
Staying Ahead o By Kim Reddin, National Onion Association director of public and industry relations
L
ife moves fast, and with digital technology at our fingertips 24/7, staying ahead of the curve can seem like an insurmountable task. Here are a few ways the National Onion Association (NOA) leveraged digital technology and other resources to generate publicity and added value for the U.S. onion industry in 2014.
Value-Added Projects, Publicity and Events 1. NOA’s website is now mobile friendly, and the recipe section received a much needed facelift and functionality improvements. • September to December 2014 vs. 2013 Google report page views were up 41 percent, unique page views up 43 percent, and time spent per page up 14 percent. 2. A record number of 49 foodservice publicity place-
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Onion World
ments (2.4 million total circulation and $241,803 equivalent ad value) were made in fiscal 2014. This is significant as several publications have closed, and many others have reduced the page count of their printed material as they shift more content online. This means lower equivalent ad values and increased competition. Despite these challenges, a 14-1 ratio for return on investment (value vs. cost) was maintained. 3. “Signature Sandwiches,” a tantalizing recipe series created for foodservice professionals, was completed. Requests for these books poured in almost immediately from menu developers, chefs and culinary educators. Anyone interested in using this or other material for their marketing program should contact Kim Reddin at
[email protected] or (970) 353-5895.
4. Publicity results in consumer arenas were slightly above average this year. • Appetite for Health “Hidden Health Benefits of 14 Holiday Superfoods” was featured on Livestrong. com in November 2013. The site has over 7 million unique monthly visitors. The article was also featured in their weekly newsletter, which reaches 2 million subscribers. • Multiple- and singlepage features in Tastes of Italia (February), Woman’s World (April, single page) and Cook’s Illustrated (September/ October) netted 1.2 million in circulation. • National Onion Ring Day was promoted via press release and social media. This resulted in
Kim’s Challenge to the Industry
of the Curve
•
•
811 article views, 443 media downloads, 685 social mentions, 22,000 impressions on Twitter during the promotion period (average in 28 day period is 8,900). Pinterest monthly viewers averaged almost 5,000 before Onion Ring Day; that number increased to 31,000 during the June promotion. Onion grilling tips and kebab recipes distributed via Family Features generated over 1,000 print and online placements and 47 million impressions. Special online articles with five recipe images and live links to the redesigned web pages were released via Brandpoint, which generated 1,592 articles
•
and $241,803 in equivalent ad value. Other consumer publicity included: Salt Lake Tribune, Men’s Fitness (online), Lubbock Avalanche Journal, Times Dispatch Richmond Virginia, Dayton Daily, CBS Minnesota (online), Forbes (12 Hottest Food Trends), Maine 5th Graders and USA Today (Pickling Trend).
5. In June, educators from culinary programs in high schools and colleges across the country lined up at their conference in Salt Lake City to order materials created by NOA. Educators, many of them trained chefs, sing the praises of onions to their students and are super thankful for the investment growers/shippers/ processors make to put quality resources in their classrooms.
Over 125 million bags of onions are produced in the U.S. annually. At this volume, assessments should total over $600,000 per year. NOA currently receives less than $125,000 per year in assessments. I am very eager to expand NOA’s outreach, but I need your full support in order to do so. Onion is a bonafide vegetable with layers of flavor and health benefits! Help me continue to move the program forward on your behalf. Recommended Voluntary Assessment = One cent per 100 pounds shipped/ processed/sold Please submit your payment via check by mail to the NOA office at 822 7th Street #510, Greeley, CO 80631, or via credit card online at www.onions-usa. org/members/payonline. To request an invoice or more information about the current publicity efforts, including how funds are allocated, contact Kim Reddin at
[email protected] or (970) 353-5895. Voluntary Assessments are the primary source of revenue for NOA’s public relations program. Membership dues are not used for publicity or promotion activity.
Onion World • February 2015
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Calendar Feb. 3
Feb. 25
July 15-18
Idaho-Malheur County Onion Growers Association Annual Meeting, Four River Cultural Center, Ontario, Ore. Contact: Sheila Seeman, (208) 722-5044.
First Annual Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Annual Conference, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Renaissance Hotel Conference Center, Denver, Colo. Visit www.coloradoproduce.org.
National Onion Association Summer Convention, Boise, Idaho. Visit www.onionsusa.org.
Feb. 10
April 15-17
Utah Onion Association Winter Meetings, 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Bridgerland Applied Technology Center, Brigham City, Utah. Lunch included. Contact: Dr. Daniel Drost, Utah State University, (435) 7972258, fax: (435) 797-3376, dan.
[email protected].
Canadian Produce Marketing Association Annual Convention and Trade Show, Montreal, QC. Visit http://convention.cpma.ca.
June 10-13 United Fresh 2015, McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago, Ill. Visit www. unitedfresh.org.
Oct. 23-25 PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo, Atlanta, Ga. Visit www.freshsummit. com.
Editor’s Note: To have your event listed, please email the editor, Denise Keller, at dkeller@columbiapublications. com. Please send your information 90 days in advance.
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Onion World
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Bland Farms
Forty-pound boxes of Bland Farms Vidalia© sweet onions roll down the line as company owner Delbert Bland (left) and his son, Troy, take a quick look at their product.
Far More than “Right Place, Right Time” By Eric Woolson
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Onion World
S
ome might chalk up the extraordinary growth of Bland Farms to simply being in the right place at the right time, but they’d be selling short the skills, educated risks and ingenuity of a Glennville, Georgia, family that took their business from a five-acre plot to the world’s largest grower, packer and shipper of sweet onions in less than 35 years. Raymond Bland operated a small rowcrop and livestock farm when his son, Delbert, joined him in 1975. Raymond Bland had also grown tomatoes but his broker went out of business when Delbert decided an up-and-coming variety of onions might be the way to go. “To be honest, I was tired of chasing pigs, and you can only sell row crops for what the market dictates,” Delbert Bland explained. “Onions were an opportunity. If you do a good job of growing and marketing, there’s a potential for more profit. Vidalias were not well known back then and people were just starting to realize they were sweet.” The Blands planted their first five acres of onions in 1983. “My father was a bonafide farmer. He just wanted to farm.
He said he’d do the growing if I’d do the marketing.” One of his first sales was a 200-bag deal with a Chicago chain store that Bland said would only have to pay for them if the onions sold. Bland consistently sold more onions than his father grew and purchased onions from neighboring farmers who didn’t have a distributor. “We grew real fast because the industry was growing,” he said. But it was Bland who was aggressively marketing the variety. Traveling the eastern United States, he would meet one-on-one with store managers, saying, “I’m from Vidalia. We’re growing special onions and I’d like to sell them to you.” Reid Torrance, a recently retired University of Georgia Extension Service specialist recognized as a national leader in the Vidalia© onion industry, remembers the mid-1980s when Delbert Bland’s office was “a little 8-by-12 room and the entire plant was, maybe, 30-by-60 feet.” “Delbert was very aggressive in marketing from the start. That’s always been his forte. As my predecessor said, ‘Delbert could sell a dead horse to a
mounted policeman,’” Torrance recalled with a laugh. Bland, he said, was also instrumental in legislation to designate 13 Georgia counties and parts of seven others as the Vidalia production area and trade-marking and branding the region’s unusually sweet onion. Torrance's successor, Cliff Riner, said Bland Farms’ contributions to the industry don’t stop there. “I’d definitely say they’re very supportive of the University of Georgia Extension and research. As large of an operation as they are, they’ve always had an open-door policy of tours whether it’s an international group or just a local civic organization,” Riner said. “Whether it’s publicity, any type of research plots we want to do, assistance getting a grant or political support, someone from their organization is there to help.” Riner continued, “If you say, ‘Delbert Bland,’ in terms of the onion industry you have to say ‘innovator and risk taker.’ To be the big dog in the game, you have to take big risks. He’s done that. He’s worked with my predecessors and others at the university to make educated
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Part of the 2014 Vidalia© sweet onion crop, pictured, is harvested and ready for cleaning, packing and shipping at Bland Farms in Glennville, Ga.
decisions, but even though people say something might work, it's still his money that he's risking.” Not surprisingly, Ray Bland was named the 1993 Vidalia Onion Committee Grower of the Year and was inducted into the Vidalia Onion Committee Hall of Fame in 2005. Delbert Bland was chosen as the 2010 grower of the year.
Mail Order, Snack Foods With Vidalias quickly growing in popularity and selling out in grocery stores in the mid-1980s, consumers were looking for another way to get their fill of the sweet Georgia onions. Bland Farms expanded its reach early when Delbert placed a single ad in Southern Living magazine, offering 10 pounds of Vidalias for $12.95. His wife Sandra, expecting their second child, launched a mail order business in 1986. Sandra was the first person to successfully incorporate Vidalia onions into processed foods and introduce the brand name to markets west of the Mississippi River. At one point, Bland Farms was sending out 5 million catalogs at a time before shifting to the wholesale market. Delbert Bland also wanted to ensure that the Vidalia brand stood out from other onions. In 1984, he became the first to label individual onions. “We learned along the way but learned quickly how to market. We were looking to get people’s attention and help them understand onions are different, so we were also one of the first to use cardboard boxes instead of bags,” he said. Sandra Bland also got the idea to create and market Vidalia crisps, finding an effective use for No. 2 onions. An independent contractor processes that product line, which is distributed across the country, and the Blands receive a royalty from each package. In 1996, she noticed a large number of customers buying Bland Farms’ batter mix and mused that the company could create another profitable product line by producing frozen onion rings. Starting first with mail orders in 1998, the onion rings were soon selling in grocery stores. Within three years, Vidalia O’s soared from the 33rd largest retail onion ring brand to the second before the Blands
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Onion World
Right: A Bland Farms employee maneuvers bins of Vidalia© sweet onions into place for pick up.
sold the trademark to Ore-Ida. In a noteworthy twist, the rights to Vidalia O’s transferred back to Bland Farms when the H.J. Heinz Co. purchased Ore-Ida. The Blands expect to move back into the frozen onion ring business in 2015.
Year-round Growing Bland Farms began year-round onion production in 1990. Today, Vidalias are grown on 2,500 acres owned by Bland Farms and another 500 acres in partnerships, then harvested from mid-April to early June. Some are sold fresh and up to 1 million 40-pound boxes go into storage through Labor Day. The company grows the same type of flat, very sweet onion in Peru, shipping in February and March. Production then moves to Mexico and Texas, where a mild, more global variety is grown. In all, Bland Farms accounts for roughly 45 percent of the Vidalia market and approximately 5 million 40-pound boxes of onions. Riner said Bland Farms, which employs nearly 1,000 at seasonal peaks and 300 to 400 year-round, has become a global leader by producing a quality product and relying on a team strategy. “Delbert is a great mind and he’s also smart enough to know he doesn’t want all that responsibility to rest with him. One of the successes of that operation is that he’s willing to delegate,” Riner said. “Farmers are eternal optimists, but he takes it to another level. At the same time, he keeps his nose to the grindstone and his ear to the ground. He knows what’s going on not just with Vidalias but the worldwide industry.”
“Everybody’s Important, Nobody’s Important” Two members of the next generation of Blands – 34-year-old Landis and 28year-old Troy – are actively involved in the business. “Both have done real well in the business because of the way they are. Landis never talked about it until he was 25. He’s more into the computers, sales and working in the office,” Delbert Bland explained. “Troy grew up wanting to be
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in it. He likes to farm, like my daddy. He doesn't mind getting his hands dirty.” Bland is quick to share the credit – and profits – for the company’s extraordinary success. “Anytime you see someone talking, there are 100 people behind them doing the work,” he said. “The guy cleaning up is just as important as sales or anybody else. It takes a little piece of everybody to make it work. Everybody’s important and nobody’s important.”
Bland Farms Vidalia© sweet onion packaging film is ready for one of up to 5 million 40-pound boxes of onions produced by the company each year.
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Onion World
And, his recipe for success is no secret. “You don’t have to be a Fortune 500 company to innovate. If you stay up late enough and work hard enough, you can make it work,” he said. Even before this year’s first onions are out of the ground, Bland was already reviewing his business to increase pack out by 2 percent. If we can increase our production – not necessarily our yield – by protecting the onion and creating less bruising and problems by 1 or 2 percent,
that is a tremendous amount of profit on 5 million boxes,” he said. Bland's latest frontier is sweet potatoes, which are planted after the Georgia onion crop and harvested in August and September. The crop is selling well through the sales network built on years of delivering on promises made – and kept – in the sweet onion market. Bland dearly values those connections. “Looking back over 30 years, it’s the people you meet, the relationships you
build, that are the most important,” he said. “When you tell someone you’ll deliver a product superior to any product they can find and you have it to them when you say you’ll have it to them, that’s how you build trust. That’s how you build a relationship.” He also values Bland Farms’ generational legacy. “I was blessed not to squander what my father had and worked very hard for to help me get where I am. He made me realize what he was intending when we’d been in business four or five years. A company wanted to buy us out for a lot of money and pay us as consultants. I was thrilled but he said, ‘Son, I worked all my life so you don’t have to punch a time clock and now you’re telling me your two sons are going to sack onions for someone else?’ I said, ‘No,’” Bland remembered. “That’s what it’s all about – who you are and what you stand for when you get to the end of the road. I’m more or less looking to my sons and them carrying on the business. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many onion rings you sold. It’s who loves you.”
Bland Farms’ high-graphic point-of-sale bin packed with bagged Vidalia© sweet onions catches shoppers' eyes and is one more tool fueling demand for its products.
Onion World • February 2015
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Great Lakes Expo
Onion Maggot and Onion T By Brian A. Nault, Department of Entomology Professor, Cornell University, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
O
nion maggot (Delia platura Meigen) and onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman) are major onion pests that can cause significant bulb yield reductions if not managed. Insecticide use is the principal tool for managing both pests, but more research is needed to evaluate the performance of new insecticides and identify strategies that minimize their use without compromising the level of control and that mitigate insecticide resistance development. This article provides some guidelines on how to improve management of these important pests of onion using new reduced-risk insecticides.
Onion Maggot Relatively new pesticide seed treatment packages containing novel insecticides are available for onion maggot control (e.g. FarMore FI500 (Syngenta) and Sepresto in the “CAPS” package (Bayer CropScience)). Spinosad and thiamethoxam are the insecticide active ingredients in FarMore FI500, whereas clothianidin and imidacloprid are the insecticide active ingredients in Sepresto.
Research is needed to determine if these seed treatment packages should be considered either as stand-alone treatments or used in combination with chlorpyrifos (e.g. Lorsban Advanced) applied in the furrow at planting to maximize maggot control. Question: Should chlorpyrifos be applied at planting with new seed treatment packages to improve onion maggot control? Separate field trials were conducted to evaluate the performance of new seed treatment packages (FarMore FI500) with and without chlorpyrifos (Lorsban Advanced), and Sepresto in the “CAPS” package with and without Lorsban Advanced in a commercial onion field near Sodus, New York in 2013. Onion maggot pressure was extremely high at this test site. In the FarMore Trial (Trial I), onion maggots killed eight of 10 plants in the fungicide-only control (Fig. 1). The percentages of plants killed in all treatments that received an insecticide were significantly lower than the percentage
Figure 1. Mean percent onion plants killed by first-generation onion maggots in a trial near Sodus, NY in 2013.
a
a
Fungicide only
b
Lorsban Advanced
c
Trigard + Lorsban
b
Lorsban Advanced
bc
Trigard
c
Sepresto
No difference
bc
FarMore FI500
No difference
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Mean % Plants Killed by Maggots Onion World
c
Sepresto + Lorsban
c
FarMore + Lorsban
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Figure 2. Mean percent onion plants killed by first-generation onion maggots in a trial near Sodus, NY in 2013.
Maggot Control in ‘Hendrix’ Onions Sodus, Ny 2013
Maggot Control in ‘Talon F1’ Onions Sodus, Ny 2013 Fungicide only
of onion plants killed in the fungicideonly control. However, the percentage of plants killed in plots treated only with Lorsban was high and not commercially acceptable (more than four of 10 plants killed). Onion maggots killed about one of four plants in the FarMore FI500 treatment (Fig. 1). This level of damage is greater than desirable, but under such high pressure, this may be a reasonable level of control. Addition of the Lorsban drench to the Farmore FI500 treatment reduced the percentage of plants killed by maggots to 21 percent, but this level did not differ significantly from the level in the FarMore FI500 treatment alone (Fig. 1). Thus, addition of Lorsban did not significantly improve maggot control. The onion maggot population at this location was likely resistant to Lorsban, so it is understandable that its inclusion with FarMore FI500 did not substantially improve control. Cyromazine (Trigard) seed treatment significantly reduced onion maggot damage relative to the fungicide-only control, but maggots still killed nearly one of three plants (Fig. 1). As observed many
100
0
20
40
60
80
Mean % Plants Killed by Maggots
100
Thrips Management in Onion times in past studies, the combination of Lorsban and Trigard seed treatment protected the crop better than using either product alone; however, this difference was only significant when comparing this combination versus Lorsban Advanced alone (Fig. 1). In the Sepresto Trial (Trial II), onion maggots killed nearly all of the plants in the fungicide-only control (Fig. 2). The percentages of plants killed in treatments that received an insecticide were significantly lower than the percentage of onion plants killed in the fungicide-only control (Fig. 2). However, the percentages of plants killed in the insecticide treatments were high and not commercially accept-
able. Onion maggots killed half of the plants in the Sepresto treatment (Fig. 2). This level of damage is far greater than desirable, and the addition of the Lorsban drench to Sepresto did not improve control (Fig. 2). As mentioned above, the onion maggot population at this location was likely resistant to Lorsban and explains why its inclusion with Sepresto did not improve control. Answer: FarMore FI500 is an excellent option for onion maggot control and in most situations will not need supplementation with Lorsban. In muck fields where onion maggot pressure is perennially high, inclusion of Lorsban may be warranted. However, if the onion maggot
population is highly resistant to Lorsban, its addition will not be helpful. Our results also indicate that the combination of Trigard seed treatment and Lorsban continues to provide decent control of onion maggot infestations. In contrast, Sepresto did not do a very good job of controlling onion maggot in this trial under high pest pressure. Perhaps, in muck fields where onion maggot pressure is much lower, Sepresto will adequately protect the crop.
Onion Thrips Based on multiple years of examining efficacy of insecticides to manage onion thrips in onion on New York muck farms, the best performing products have
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17
Onion Thrips Control in Onion - 2014 (Total after 6 weekly sprays)
Effective Insecticides for Onion Thrips Control on Onion
A
Untreated
Registered on Onion in US: • Agri-Mek SC (abamectin [Avermectin])
B
MMRREE + Induce
• Exirel (cyantraniliprole [Anthranilic Diamide])
(Movento, Movento, Radiant, Radiant, Exirel, Exirel)
MMEERR + Induce
B
(Movento, Movento, Exirel, Exirel, Radiant, Radiant)
MMAARR + Induce
B
(Movento, Movento, Agri-Mek, Agri-Mek, Radiant, Radiant)
• Movento (spirotetramat [Tetramic Acid]) • Radiant SC (spinetoram [Spinosyn])
P< 0.0001
0
20
*Must use with a non-ionic surfactant or MSO to improve efficacy
18
Onion World
80
100
Surfactants
of insecticide products were evaluated on a weekly basis for six consecutive weeks: (a) Movento, Movento, AgriMek, Agri-Mek, Radiant and Radiant (MMAARR); (b) Movento, Movento, Exirel, Exirel, Radiant and Radiant (MMEERR); and (c) Movento, Movento, Radiant, Radiant, Exirel, Exirel (MMRREE). All insecticide sequence treatments provided excellent seasonlong thrips control (Fig. 4). Answer: In sequences initiated with Movento, placement of Exirel either in the middle or at the end of the sequence provided excellent thrips control.
According to the labels for the four insecticides listed in Fig. 3, all should be co-applied with a non-ionic surfactant or methylated seed oil to improve efficacy against thrips on onion. There are many types of surfactants and identifying those to co-apply with these insecticides that will enhance thrips control is important. Question: Which surfactants should be co-applied with insecticides to improve onion thrips control? A field trial was conducted in New York in 2014 in which various sur-
Figure 5. Efficacy of insecticides co-applied with various types of surfactants in which all insecticide sequences were identical, but surfactants differed, to provide season-long control of onion thrips in onion.
Evaluation of Insecticides Co-applied with Various Surfactants on Thrips Densities (Total after 6 weekly sprays) Elba, Ny 2014
100
A
N=4
80
P<0.0001
60
B
40 20
C
CD
D
D
D
S JM
+
+
R
R
AR M
M A
AR
M A
Treatments
St yl et O il
-7 7 Si lw
et L
In du ce AR
R
+
G re en M A
M
+ R AR M A M
cv. ‘Bradley’
M
Pu re Sp ra y
R AR M A M
M
M A
AR
+
R
M
SO
O nl y
0 Un tre at ed
Mean Total Number of Larvae /Plant
Question: When should Exirel be used during the season to best control onion thrips? Past research in New York showed that starting the season-long thrips control program with two applications of Movento controlled onion thrips significantly better than starting with two applications of Exirel (data not shown). Therefore, the question really is should Exirel be applied in the middle or end of the season in a season-long sequence? In 2014 in a field trial near Elba, New York, three different sequences
60
Figure 4. Efficacy of insecticide sequences examined to provide seasonlong control of onion thrips in an onion field near Elba, NY in 2014.
Figure 3. Effective products for onion thrips control in onion.
been (trade names listed in alphabetical order) Agri-Mek SC (Syngenta), Exirel (DuPont Crop Protection), Movento (Bayer CropScience) and Radiant SC (Dow AgroSciences) (Fig. 3). Using these products sparingly in a sequence that provides season-long control will mitigate insecticide resistance development and reduce pesticide and input costs. For example, past studies in New York and Michigan have shown excellent season-long thrips control with the following sequence of products (in order of first spray to last spray): Movento, Movento, Agri-Mek, Agri-Mek, Radiant and Radiant. The newest effective insecticide for managing thrips, Exirel, is now registered on onion in most onion-producing states. Identifying where Exirel fits best in a sequence of foliar-applied products to manage thrips during the season is important.
40
Mean Total Number Larvae/ Plant
factants were combined with insecticides to determine their efficacy against onion thrips in onion. The surfactants evaluated were Induce (non-ionic), MSO (methlyated seed oil), Silwet L-77 (organosilicone), and both PureSpray Green and JMS Stylet Oil (mineral oil) (Fig. 5). The insecticide sequence treatment was evaluated either with or without surfactants. The insecticide sequence for all treatments was Movento, Movento, Agri-Mek, Agri-Mek, Radiant and Radiant (MMAARR Only). Results indicated that the insecticide-only treatment provided only mediocre control of the thrips infestation. The insecticide treatment sequence co-applied with MSO did not provide as effective thrips control as those co-applied with Induce, Silwet L-77 or JMS Stylet Oil. Those applied with PureSpray Green provided an intermediate level of control between MSO and the others. Answer: Surfactants should be co-applied with insecticides to improve efficacy for managing onion thrips infestations in onion. Among the surfactants examined, all significantly improved the performance of the insecticide sequence regimen.
Evaluation for Thrips Control using Host Plant A Resistance and Insecticides - 2013 Sequence of Insecticides Applied Week 1 (July 3)
Week 2 (July 8)
Week 3 (July 15)
Week 4 (July 22)
Week 5 (July 29)
Week 6 (Aug. 5)
Week 7 (Aug. 13)
Week 8 (Aug. 19)
Mean Season # Larvae/Leaf
Mean Damage
1) Advantage + Untreated
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5.1 a
17 a
2) Advantage + Weekly
Movento
Movento
Agri-Mek
Agri-Mek
Lannate
Lannate
Radiant
Radiant
1.2 b
4b
3) Advantage + Threshold
-
Movento
-
Lannate
Lannate
Radiant
Radiant
1.8 b
5b
4) Santana + Untreated
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4.0 a
60 a
5) Santana + Weekly
Movento
Movento
Agri-Mek
Agri-Mek
Lannate
Lannate
Radiant
Radiant
1.3 b
5b
6) Santana + Threshold
Movento
Movento
-
Agri-Mek
Lannate
Lannate
Radiant
Radiant
1.4 b
8b
Treatment
Figure 6. Numbers of applications and efficacy of management strategies that combined host-plant resistance and insecticide sequences timed using action thresholds to manage onion thrips in onion in (A) 2013 and (B) 2014.
Evaluation for Thrips Control using Host Plant B Resistance and Insecticides - 2014
Host-Plant Resistance Long-term onion thrips management should include tactics that complement insecticide use. One of the most promising and sustainable means to manage insects is to grow cultivars that are resistant to them or the damage they cause. Several commercially available onion cultivars have low levels of resistance to onion thrips, and research is needed to evaluate the combination of “thrips-resistant” onions and an actionthreshold based insecticide program, which already has been developed. Question: Would combining host-plant resistance with an action-threshold based insecticide program reduce the number of insecticide applications needed to control onion thrips? In 2013 and 2014, a strategy that included a cultivar that had a low level of thrips resistance and an insecticide regimen based on a predetermined sequence of products timed using action thresholds was evaluated for thrips control near Elba, New York. Dry bulb onion seeds, cv. ‘Advantage’ (thripsresistant) and cv. ‘Santana’ (thrips-susceptible), were planted in separate experiments because each had a different maturity (i.e., Advantage matured seven to 10 days later than Santana). For each cultivar, there were three insecticide treatments: a) no insecticides, b) weekly spray program, and c) actionthreshold based spray program. An action threshold of one larva per leaf was used for all action threshold treatments. Results indicated that thrips were controlled effectively in both Advantage and Santana plantings following either the weekly spray program or the action threshold program in both years (Fig. 6A, B). However, fewer insecticide applications were applied in the action threshold program compared with the weekly spray program (Fig. 6A, B). Thrips damage in all insecticide-treated plots was significantly lower than in untreated ones (Fig. 6A, B).
Sequence of Insecticides Applied Week 1 (July 29)
Week 2 (Aug 5)
Week 3 (Aug 11)
Week 4 (Aug 18)
Week 5 (Aug 26)
Week 6 (Sep 3)
Mean Season # Larvae/Leaf
Mean Damage
1) Advantage + Untreated
-
-
-
-
-
-
2.2 a
15 a
2) Advantage + Weekly
Movento
Movento
Agri-Mek
Agri-Mek
Radiant
Radiant
0.7 b
1b
3) Advantage + Threshold
Movento
Movento
Agri-Mek
-
-
0.7 b
3b
4) Santana + Untreated
-
-
-
-
-
-
2.6 a
36 a
5) Santana + Weekly
Movento
Movento
Agri-Mek
Agri-Mek
Radiant
-
0.8 b
9b
6) Santana + Threshold
Movento
Movento
-
Agri-Mek
-
-
0.9 b
9b
Treatment
Figure 6B
Thrips densities in untreated Advantage plots were similar to those in untreated Santana in both years, indicating that the resistant properties in Advantage were insufficient to reduce the thrips infestation (Fig. 6). However, thrips damage in Advantage was substantially lower than in Santana and did not reduce bulb yield (data not shown). Thrips in Advantage tended to concentrate in the neck of the plant throughout the study, while those in Santana fed on the entire leaf surface later in the season, perhaps explaining why more damage occurred in Santana. Another explanation is that Advantage canopy was larger than Santana canopy, so the same amount of feeding damage on Advantage would be proportionally lower than that on Santana. Answer: Inclusion of a thrips-resistant cultivar and an action-threshold based insecticide regimen may reduce the overall application frequency in some years and will provide excellent thrips control.
Editor’s note: Brian A. Nault can be reached by email at ban6@cornell. edu or by visiting http://blogs.cornell.edu/nault/.
Onion World • February 2015
19
Canadian Onion Report
Canadian Onion Crop Plent By Myron Love
C
anada’s 2014 onion production looks to be plentiful; however, due to the fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine – combined with a free trade agreement that Canada signed with the European Union last fall – the market conditions are not very promising. “We had an outstanding crop,” reports Jamie Reaume, the executive director of southern Ontario’s Holland Marsh Growers Association. “Our growers produced 30 percent more onions (on about 5,000 acres) than the previous year. The problem is that we have become the dumping ground for onions from Europe and the United States.” Reaume points out that with Europe putting sanctions on Russia, European growers have had to find other markets. The Dutch, in particular, he said, have been shipping a lot of onions to the Eastern seaboard while American pro-
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Onion World
ducers affected by the influx of Dutch onions are looking to Eastern Canada for new markets. As well, he continued, the free trade agreement makes it easier for the Europeans to export onions and other food products to Canada. “Our federal government doesn’t seem to understand that it isn’t only the hog and grain producers that are affected by the free trade agreement,” he said. Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, has more than 250 growers concentrated in the Holland Marsh area just north of Toronto. Growers in the area seed 7,500 to 8,000 acres of mainly yellow cooking onions, (along with some red and cooking onions). In neighboring Quebec, reports that while growers produced a lot of onions, Charlene Newton, executive director of Montreal-based marketing group Groupe Vegco Inc., echoes Reaume in commenting on European producers dumping product in Canada. “Our industry is based on supply and demand,” she
noted last fall. “With the competition we face, it looks like it is going to be a tough year in terms of pricing.” She reports that there are 80 growers in Quebec – 15 of whom are members of Groupe Vegco – who planted about 1,400 acres in 2014. The Quebecers grow mainly yellow onions, and also some red. Ontario and Quebec growers struggling to find new markets are having a trickledown effect on producers in the Maritime provinces on the East Coast. “We had a slow start to the season,” reports Mark Sawler of Sawler Gardens in New Brunswick, “but the quality is good. Prices are down, though, because of the competition from Ontario and Quebec growers.” Sawler Gardens plants about 150 aces of yellow onions. In the western provinces, onion prices are affected by the quantity and pricing of Washington state onions. “Our pricing is lower than it should be because of pressure from the Western U.S.,” says Larry McIntosh, presi-
tiful, but so Is Competition dent and CEO of Manitoba vegetable marketing co-op Peak of the Market. McIntosh reports that planting was about a month late because of the late spring. The number of cooking onions and red onions produced was down, he notes, while there were more jumbos and organics. “Overall,” he says, “we had an average crop.”
He notes that Manitoba, which borders Minnesota and North Dakota, plants about 300 acres of yellow, red and white onions. There is one major grower in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, notes Tom
Demma, general manager of the B.C. Vegetable Marketing Commission. The crop, mainly yellows (with some shallots) came in good shape, Demma says. Pricing is about the same as the year before.
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Onion World • February 2015
21
Onion Imports
U.S. Onion Imp Part I in a Two U.S. imports of onions and related products By Mark Wocial
This article provides an overview of long-term trends in U.S. imports of onions and related products, as well as
the latest import values, volumes and their geographic origin. The information presented here is based on the author’s By Mark Wocial, MSc. Horticulture, MBA, CGBP Certified Global Business Professional, Wocial & Associates LLC
analysis of the international trade data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Division. Imports of onions are monitored for statistical purposes under the following commodity designations: onions and shallots (fresh or chilled), onion sets (fresh or chilled), pearl onions (less than 16 mm in diameter), onion powder or flour, dried onions (except
T
his article provides
trade data collected by the U.S.
onion powder or flour, dried
powder or an flour) and onion ImportBureau information collected by the Census Bureau includes the value overview of seeds long-for sowing. Census Foreign Trade onions (except powder or and flour) and onion seeds for imports of onions and related are monitored for statistical sowing. Import information products, as well as the latest purposes under the following collected by the Census U.S. imports of fresh and dried flour and powder, onion seeds and onion sets grew from $118 in import values, volumes andonions, onion commodity designations: Bureau includes the million value and their geographic origin. onions and shallots (fresh or volume of shipments as well 1992 to $383 million in 2013. Onions and shallots are by far the largest product group. Last year they accounted for 87% The information presented chilled), onion sets (fresh or as their geographic origin. of imports by value, followed by onion seeds (8.6%) and onion sets (1.9%). Dried onions represented whileand onion here is based on the author’s chilled), pearl onions (less U.S. imports1.6% of fresh analysis the accounted international mm value. in diameter), dried onions, powder andofflour for 0.8% of thethan total16 import Pearl onions accounted for just 0.1%. onion flour trends U.S. Division. volume of term shipments as in well as their geographic origin.Imports of onions
22
Onion World
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23
million. The average value of imports per ton increased from $568 in 2003 to $785 in 2013.
powder, seedsfresh onions andannual offrom 4 percent byLast year, shipments for 94 percent of imports Aand large portion onion of imported shallotsrate come Mexico. from Mexico accounted and onion sets grew from
volume in the last 10 years
by volume. In the last five
for 62%million of U.S. in imports byincreased Peru (22.5%) and287,000 Canada (9.5%). In 2013, three from countries $118 1992by tovolume, $383 followed and from years,these imports Mexico million in Onions (MT)imports in 2003 to Mexico grew grewatat average annual accounted for2013. 94% of importsand by volume. Inmetric the lasttons five years, from anan average annual rate of
shallots are by far the largest 424,000 MT in 2013. The rate of almost 9 percent by product group. Last year they value of imports increased volume and increased from accounted for imports 87 percent $163 million to per $333 172,000 ($185 million) the same period, fromof Peru grew onfrom average by almost 11% year and increased from MT 57,000 MT ($19 million) imports by value, followed by million. The average value in 2008 to 263,000 MT to 95,000 MT ($41 million). In contrast, the volume of imports from Canada remained fairly unchanged. Last year, onion seeds (8.6 percent) and of imports per ton increased ($247 million) in 2013. In imports from (1.9 Canada amounted to 40,000 MT, valued at in $252003 million. There in are significant differences in the value of onion sets percent). Dried from $568 to $785 the same period, imports onions represented 1.6 percent 2013. from Peru grew on average imports per ton. Last year, imports from Mexico were valued at $939/MT, from Canada at $625/MT and from Peru at while onion powder and flour A large portion of by almost 11 percent per $431/MT. Based on the averageofmonthly volumes fromfresh the last three years almost of imports from accounted for 0.8 percent imported onions and (2011-2013), year and60% increased from the total import Pearl shallots fromfrom Mexico. MT through ($19 million) Mexico occur from value. February through June. Over 95%come of imports Peru take place 57,000 from August January to and onions accounted for just 0.1 Last year, shipments from 95,000 MT ($41 million). almost 60% of imports from Canada take place duringaccounted the period of through January. percent. Mexico forSeptember 62 In contrast, the volume percent of U.S. imports by of imports from Canada volume, followed by Peru remained fairly unchanged. Imports of Onions (22.5 percent) and Canada Last year, imports from and Shallots (9.5 percent). In 2013, these Canada amounted to Imports of onions and three countries accounted 40,000 MT, valued at $25 shallots grew at an average
almost 9% by volume and increased from 172,000 MT ($185 million) in 2008 to 263,000 MT ($247 million) in 2013. In
3
24
Onion World
million. There percent imports Additionally, China and India are are also significant the largest suppliersalmost of onion60 powder andof flour. Last year, imports from these twofresh countries differences in the value from Mexico occur from onions and shallots are of imports per ton. Last February through June. Over imported from several other year, imports Mexico 95 percent imports from of onion powder countries. After several from India reachedfrom 678 MT valued at $0.7 million. Other of important suppliers and flour include Mexico, were valued at $939/MT, Peru take place from August years of declines in the first Egypt and Canada. Overall, U.S. imports increased from about 850 MT in 2007 to a peak of 2,900 MT in 2010. The from Canada at $625/MT through January and almost half of the 2000s, imports annual for the three years was about 1,870 MT. 2013, the U.S. importedfrom 1,800 the MT Netherlands valued at $3.1 million. and average from Peru at last $431/ 60 percent of In imports from have MT. Based on the average Canada take place during the shown steady increases in monthly volumes from the period of September through the last five years. They last three years (2011–2013), January. grew from 77 MT in 2008 Imports of onion sets and onion seed
accounted for 75% of U.S. imports by volume. Imports from China reached 695 MT valued at $1.1 million while imports
Canada is the largest exporter of onion sets to the U.S. and last year accounted for 83% of U.S. imports by volume. Imports of onion sets from Canada reached a peak of 22,100 MT in 2008. Imports declined in the following years and stood at 10,100 MT in 2013, valued at $5.8 million. Imports from Mexico grew from 520 MT in 2008 to 3,500 MT in 2012. Imports declined to 1,300 MT in 2013, valued at $950,000. In recent years, small quantities of onion sets were also imported from the Netherlands, Peru and China.
5
Onion World • February 2015
25
imported from the Netherlands, Peru and China.
5
to 6,900 MT in 2013. China at $599/MT and from Imports of Dried Onions, Imports from New Zealand Spain at $592/MT. Powder and Flour have shown a lot of annual Imports of pearl onions Imports of dried onions fluctuations in recent years are very small. Import data showed a steady growth from 240 MT in 2008 to indicates significant annual in volume from the mid3,600 MT in 2013. Imports fluctuations in recent years. 1990s to a peak of 4,000 from Spain have shown There was a significant spike MT in 2006. In the last five steady increases in the last in imports in 2010 (468 years, the average volume five years, from 100 MT MT) and then again in 2013 of imports dropped to about to 2,600 MT. Imports from (915 MT). Pearl onions are 2,800 MT. Since the early Chile reflect the opposite imported primarily from 2000s, China and India have trend and declined from Mexico. In 2013, imports been the dominant suppliers 15,000 MT in 2008 to 4,300 from Mexico amounted to of dried onions to the U.S. MT in 2013. Imports from 871 MT valued at $297,000. In recent years, these two China increased from 21 International trade data countries accounted for about MT in 1993 to 860 MT in indicates occasional imports 80 percent of U.S. imports The volume of onion seed a peakthe of 542,000 kg in 1999 a low of 267,000 kg in 2004. 2003 to 3,200 MT inimports 2013. reached from Netherlands andand dropped to by volume and their market Last year, imports from the an upward China. Last 22 MT share to over 93 Imports of onion seed have shown trend in the year, last decade and reached 469,000 kgincreased in 2013, valued at almost Netherlands were valued were imported from the percent in 2013. Last year, $33 Last from year, 63% of imported seed originated from These two countries, together at million. $805/MT, New Netherlands andArgentina 19 MT and South Africa. China exported 2,100 MT Zealand at $754/MT, from France, Mexico, from China. with the Netherlands, Italy, Chile, Japan, Israel and China accounted for 99% ofonions importstobythe volume. of dried U.S.
26
Onion World
valued at $3.5 million. India exported 1,000 MT valued at $1.9 million. Other consistent suppliers of dried onions include Canada, Egypt, Germany and Vietnam. China and India are also the largest suppliers of onion powder and flour. Last year, imports from these two countries accounted for 75 percent of U.S. imports by volume. Imports from China reached 695 MT valued at $1.1 million, while imports from India reached 678 MT valued at $0.7 million. Other important suppliers of onion powder and flour include Mexico, Egypt and Canada. Overall, U.S. imports increased from about 850 MT in 2007 to a peak of 2,900 MT in 2010. The annual average for the last three years was about 1,870 MT. In 2013, the U.S. imported 1,800 MT valued at $3.1 million.
Imports of Onion Sets and Onion Seed Canada is the largest exporter of onion sets to the U.S. and last year accounted for 83 percent of U.S. imports by volume. Imports of onion sets from Canada reached a peak of 22,100 MT in 2008. Imports declined in the following years and stood at 10,100 MT in 2013, valued
at $5.8 million. Imports from Mexico grew from 520 MT in 2008 to 3,500 MT in 2012. Imports declined to 1,300 MT in 2013, valued at $950,000. In recent years, small quantities of onion sets were also imported from the Netherlands, Peru and China. The volume of onion seed imports reached a peak of 542,000 kg in 1999 and dropped to a low of 267,000 kg in 2004. Imports of onion seed have shown an upward trend in the last decade and reached 469,000 kg in 2013, valued at almost $33 million. Last year, 63 percent of imported seed originated from Argentina and South Africa. These two countries, together with the Netherlands, Italy, Chile, France, Mexico, Japan, Israel and China accounted for 99 percent of imports by volume. Editor’s Note: This article is Part I in a two-part series. Part II will focus on U.S. exports. About the Author: Mark Wocial is a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) and a member of NASBITE International, a professional organization dedicated to advancing global commerce through education and training. He is an independent international trade specialist focused on the food and agribusiness sector. He can be reached at mwocial@ foodandagriexports.com or (317) 362-6906.
Onion World • February 2015
27
Petrocco Farms
“Hard Work” Bes By Andrew Hind
not to imagine work being done by hand, without the benefit of tractors and machinery. Knowing the hardships his grandparents faced gives Petrocco the strength to persevere through whatever hard times he might face in his farming life.
Growing Up Fast
At age 18, Dave Petrocco, Sr., preparing for work on the tractor. Courtesy photo.
I
t’s the sense of family history that David Petrocco, Sr., loves, and which continues to draw him out to the fields at his Colorado farm. The moment he stands amidst row upon row of plump onions, his imagination runs wild, transporting him back to the early days when his grandparents began farming a century earlier. It’s hard
28
Onion World
“My grandparents on both sides were immigrants from farming families in Italy. Both came to America around the turn of the century with nothing but a strong work ethic and pride in their work. They passed these traits on to their children, and they remain part of our philosophy today. No technology or best practices are more important than old-fashioned hard work,” explains Petrocco. Petrocco’s paternal grandparents, Dominic and Maria Petrocco, came from the region of Abruzzo in Italy and found themselves in the coal-mining in Wyoming.
After working for a number of years in the half-lit world of coal mines, Dominic had managed to save enough money to purchase a small farm just north of Denver, Colorado. He began growing vegetables to feed both his family and the growing city of Denver, and was just realizing the fruits of his labor when he suddenly passed away. Dominic left behind a widow with two small sons to support, John and Albert, aged 10 and 8, respectively. It says much about her strength and determination that the farm endured to be passed on to a second generation. John and Albert were forced to grow up quickly, stepping into the shoes vacated by their father. The boys assumed greater responsibility on the farm and later dedicated their entire lives to helping it thrive and expand. Albert’s son, David Sr., became the third generation of the farming family and, in the wake of his father’s 1985 death, represents the patriarch of the clan today. “I stayed with farming. It was in my soul. We’ve expanded quite a bit since those days, and as Denver
st Practices grew and its suburbs began to encroach up farmlands, we moved further north to Brighton in northeast Colorado, about 30 miles north of Denver. We’re still doing the same thing as my grandparents, just on a larger scale,” Petrocco explains.
Modern Challenges
At 2,950 acres, the modern Petrocco Farms dwarfs that purchased by Dominic and Maria nearly a century ago. But, as Petrocco says, there are similarities. For example, then and now, a variety of mixed crops are grown, of which onions represent one of the most important. Other vegetables grown include cabbage, green beans, leaf lettuce, acorn squash, butternut squash, peppers and spinach. “We grow a number of vegetables that fit our program, which is based upon providing fresh produce to supermarkets year-round. Supermarkets are our primary partners and we market directly to them, primarily in Colorado but also in nearby states including Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and New Mexico,” Petrocco says. Since its official incorporation in
1985, David Petrocco Farms, Inc. has become locally and nationally renowned, earning the business of several major national chain stores. Northeastern Colorado is an ideal oniongrowing region. The soil is generally rich and fertile, and the climate is moderate: cooler springs give way to hot summers with long days, followed by a shorter cool period in autumn. Vegetables thrive in these conditions— onions in particular becoming large and flavorful. The region, however, is no stranger to erratic, vicious weather – like hailstorms – that can threaten vegetables, but this mostly affects lettuce and greens. Onions, by and large, are
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Onion World • February 2015
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unaffected by all but the most extreme storms. Onions are not, however, exempt from the next major threat to crops: water—or rather lack thereof. Water has always been a concern for Colorado farmers, but it’s more intense than ever today thanks as much to legislation as global climate change. In 2006, Petrocco Farms lost part of its irrigation supply when alluvial wells were shut down by the state to preserve the aquifer. Naturally, this legislation has had a huge impact on all vegetables growers in Colorado, forcing them to cut back acreage under cultivation and explore means of being ever-more efficient. “Labor is another pressing issue, and more so today than ever. There’s a labor shortage in our area because the economy in northeast Colorado is booming. There’s a huge increase in oil development and exploration, as well as construction and food services, so many seasonal workers are now finding fulltime employment,” Petrocco explains. “Seasonal workers are becoming very difficult to acquire. Labor is the main
ingredient in producing the vegetables that we do. It dictates how many acres we can cultivate, how many crops we can grow and ultimately how profitable we can be.” Petrocco reflects back on the years 2011 to 2013 as some of the hardest he has experienced in a lifetime of farming because of severe labor shortages. Things were so bad in those years that Petrocco Farms lost crops because there weren’t enough hands to harvest them. Because of the turbulent labor market, Petrocco Farms has had to adapt to going yearby-year rather than making long-term plans, though Petrocco does hold out hope that long overdue immigration reform will help him and other farmers as politicians insist it will. Yet despite these challenges he and other farmers face, Petrocco hastens to add how passionate he remains about farming and how proud he is of the quality of crops his farm produces. He notes how many positive changes there have been in the onion industry during his lifetime, demonstrating just how adaptive and progressive the farming sector really is.
“There have been massive changes over the last 30 years in particular. Onion variations today store much better than those in years past. They are bred for hardiness, which is of benefit in ensuring year-round sales even in fall and winter. Storage has really improved over the same period. Better air temperature control and humidity control, as well as well-insulated sheds, all add to the quality of the crop that we can provide consumers,” he explains. Indeed, Petrocco notes that the United States has become so efficient in producing onions that in the average year, there’s overproduction. This usually means American farms can ship to markets overseas for increased revenue, but some years there is no foreign market to be found. When that happens, we see prices crash and producers suffer correspondingly.
Four Generations Maintaining the integrity of the century-old business is of vital importance to current generations of the family, and as a result Petrocco Farms takes tremendous pride in the quality and safety of its products. For years, the company has diligently invested time and financial resources to maintaining and improving upon Best
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Onion World
Red and green leaf lettuce prior to harvest. Courtesy photo.
Practices related to Food Safety. Employees are trained to the highest possible standards, the farm practices strict documentation, and regular internal testing is performed. In order to verify its practices, Petrocco Farms invests in voluntary third-party inspections and audits against a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarked audit, which focused not only on food safety but also on sustainability. “Farming in the 21st century is a really big challenge,” Petrocco says. “I always say I just want to keep the ball rolling. If I fail, I’ve failed my family, my parents and my grandparents. I’m
proud to say all three of my grown children are involved in the farm – representing a fourth generation – and feel the same way.”
“It’s been a real satisfying ride for me growing vegetables in Colorado. We as a family are proud of the vegetables we produce.”
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