A battle has commenced over the future of the iconic Vidalia onion.
First came the whispers that reverberated from southeast Georgia farms to kitchens across the nation and to halls of power in Atlanta: Vidalia onions aren’t as sweet as they used to be. And they look odd. And go bad quickly.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black heard the talk and decided to act. Now lines have been drawn in the low-sulfur sand over what makes a Vidalia a Vidalia. Growers have lined up against growers. And growers have lined up against Black.
For several years, Black told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, onions harvested too early have resulted in inferior Vidalias with shorter shelf lives. That’s damaged the brand and caused the market to collapse, Black said. In response, the commissioner has imposed new regulations that set an April date before which no onion may be packed, giving the crop 10-15 additional days in ground.
While there is broad agreement in the industry that the Vidalia’s quality has been off, not everyone is convinced Black has found the right solution.
To read the complete story, click the link below to myajc.com.
http://www.myajc.com/news/news/not-so-sweet-fight-erupts-over-vidalia-onion/nbfXk/
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