In a joint statement on March 17, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper and Vidalia Onion Committee Chairman Cliff Riner set April 17 as 2023’s start date for Vidalia® onions.
“I’m pleased to announce, in coordination with the Vidalia Onion Committee, April 17, 2023, as the official pack date of the 2023 Vidalia onion season,” Commissioner Harper said.
He continued, “It’s an exciting time for farmers and producers in our state and for consumers across the country as we look forward to enjoying the sweet onion once again. The Vidalia onion has become a sought-after ingredient by professional chefs and home cooks alike, and we’re proud to grow them right here in Georgia.”
“For the 2023 season, we have 10,000 acres of Vidalia onions planted in the production area,” VOC Chairman Riner noted.
“Over the past few years, sweet onion sales have continued to increase, with Vidalia onions being a big part of the market. We’re looking forward to another great season this year,” Cliff added.
Vidalia onions are available each year starting in April and running through early September, and eager consumers look forward to this time of year for “America’s favorite sweet onion.”
The pack date is determined by soil and weather conditions during the growing season, both of which contribute to high-quality Vidalia onions. Taking those factors into consideration, the Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel voted April 17 as the 2023 pack date.
Known for their sweet, crisp flavor and versatility, Vidalia onions are a seasonal treat suitable in a variety of dishes from savory to sweet. The Vidalia Onion Committee points out that because of the unique combination of weather, water and soil in 20 South Georgia counties, Vidalia onions cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world – all Vidalias are sweet onions, but not all sweet onions are Vidalias.
Tradition and TLC go into each crop. For more than 80 years, Vidalia onions have been hand-planted, harvested and cured by growers. The Vidalia Onion Act of 1986 established the growing region in South Georgia and trademarked the “Vidalia onion” name. Vidalia onions are grown from a distinctive Granex seed, then packed and sold on or after the official pack date annually.
Because Vidalia onions are sweetly unique, farmers united to seek legal protection for their crop and its name. Federal Marketing Order No. 955 was established in 1989 to stipulate where the crop can be grown and also to help with research and promotion of Vidalia onions.
The Vidalia Onion Committee administers FMO No. 955 and authorizes production research, marketing research and development and marketing promotion programs. This federal program along with Georgia state laws that protect the Vidalia trademark have provided a legal framework for the industry. So, you can try to grow a sweet onion elsewhere, but you cannot call it a “Vidalia,” unless it is from Georgia! For more information, visit VidaliaOnion.org.
