The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Vidalia Onion Committee have announced that 2018 Vidalia Onion season begins 8 a.m. Friday, April 20, according to a press release.
Grown and hand-cultivated exclusively in 20 southeastern Georgia counties by 80 registered growers and known for their sweet, distinctive flavor, Vidalia onions are available for a limited window of 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 onion, the vegetables must be cultivated in the South Georgia soil from a special Granex seed and packed and sold after the official pack date each year, resulting in only the highest-quality onions reaching Vidalia fans each season.
In 2017, Georgia grew over 11,000 acres of Vidalia onions with a value of more than $120 million, according to Troy Bland, chairman of the Vidalia Onion Committee.
Information: vidaliaonion.org
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