1. Vidalia Onions An Overview of the Onion Industry in Georgia Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office Dr. Frank Flanders and Catrina Kennedy April 2006

2. Objectives Students will be able to: Explain the importance of the onion industry in Georgia. Explain the importance of the onion industry in Georgia. Name several onion products. Name several onion products. State key facts about Vidalia Onions. State key facts about Vidalia Onions. Rank the Onion Industry compared to other Georgia agricultural commodities. Rank the Onion Industry compared to other Georgia agricultural commodities.

3. Why is the onion industry important? Onion products play a major role in Georgia’s economy. About 70,000 plants are produced per acre. The 2001 harvest was valued at $70.5 million

4. Onion Products There are over numerous products that are produced from onions! Some of those include: Relish Salad Dressing Gift Baskets

5. Onion Producing Counties in Georgia ONLY 20 Counties in the State of Georgia can produce true Vidalia Onions. Those counties are: Evans Tattnall Toombs Telfair Jeff Davis Appling Bacon Jenkins Screven Emanuel Candler Treutlen Bulloch Wheeler Montgomery Laurens Dodge Pierce Wayne Long

6. Georgia’s Commodity Value Item Rank by saleSales ($1000) Percent of total sales Poultry and eggs12,780,21456.6 Vegetables, melons, and potatoes2383,5567.8 Cotton and cotton seed3318,0136.5 Nursery, greenhouse, floriculture4315,3246.4 Other crops and hay5246,9365 Cattle and calves6240,0704.9 Milk and other dairy products from cows7212,7204.3 Fruits, tree nuts and berries8122,1512.5 Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas9102,4642.1 Tobacco1089,0581.8

7. Interesting Facts The Vidalia onion is a Georgia-grown, yellow granex hybrid known for its sweet, mild flavor. The Vidalia onion is a Georgia-grown, yellow granex hybrid known for its sweet, mild flavor. About 140 growers cultivate Vidalia onions on 14,386 acres. About 104 handlers grade, pack and distribute Vidalia's About 140 growers cultivate Vidalia onions on 14,386 acres. About 104 handlers grade, pack and distribute Vidalia's About 70 percent of the Vidalia crop is distributed through grocery stores as a specialty item. The remaining 30 percent is distributed through roadside stands and mail order businesses and as an added-value product. About 70 percent of the Vidalia crop is distributed through grocery stores as a specialty item. The remaining 30 percent is distributed through roadside stands and mail order businesses and as an added-value product.

8. Interesting Facts Vidalia's delicate nature requires that they be harvested by hand, thoroughly dried and treated gently during grading and packaging Vidalia's delicate nature requires that they be harvested by hand, thoroughly dried and treated gently during grading and packaging Vidalia Industry is protected by a Federal Marketing Order #955, and regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Vidalia Industry is protected by a Federal Marketing Order #955, and regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

9. Assessment 1. Name one product that is associated with Vidalia Onions. 2. Name 4 counties that can officially produce Vidalia Onions in the state of Georgia. 3. Where do onions rank in comparison to other commodities? 4. How are Vidalia Onions harvested? 5. What are Vidalia Onion’s famous for?

10. Quiz Key 1. Relish, Salad Dressing or Gift baskets 2. Numerous 3. They are second. 4. By hand 5. Their sweet mild flavor

11. References http://resources.caes.uga.edu/media/gar/vidali aonions.htm http://resources.caes.uga.edu/media/gar/vidali aonions.htm http://resources.caes.uga.edu/media/gar/vidali aonions.htm http://resources.caes.uga.edu/media/gar/vidali aonions.htm http://www.shumanproduce.com/facts.html# http://www.shumanproduce.com/facts.html# http://www.shumanproduce.com/facts.html#