Onion World January 2024

ONION WORLD Voice of the Industry for 40 Years • OnionWorld.net

January 2024

Perfect Timing Sunset Produce

Advertiser Index Bejo .................................... 23 Chinook Equipment .............. 7 Clearwater Supply .............. 11 Gearmore ........................... 13 Gowan Seed ....................... 12 Gwillamdale Farms ............... 3 Kerian ................................. 17 L&M ...................................... 6 Nate Vandenberg.................. 9 NOA .................................... 11 Noffsinger ........................... 20

Nunhems .............................. 7 Parrish ................................ 16 Redwood Empire .................. 6 Seed Dynamics ................... 24 Seedway ............................. 14 Spudnik ............................... 11 Top Air ................................ 23 Van Doren ............................. 3 Verbruggen ........................... 7 Western Labs ...................... 17

Onion World Turns 40 Precision Ag Essentials PNVA Conference

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ONION WORLD Volume 40, Number 1

JANUARY 2024

PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Telephone: (208) 520-6461 Circulation: (503) 724-3581

OnionWorld.net ONION WORLD CONTACTS

4 Perfect Timing

Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

Sunset Produce

10 Onion World Turns 40

Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

12 Taking Control

Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference

EDITORIAL INFORMATION

18 Precision Ag Essentials

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: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com, or call (509) 697-9436.

Buyers' Guide

ADVERTISING SALES For information on rates, mechanics, deadlines, list rental, direct mail, inserts or other information, call (208) 520-6461 or email: dave@onionworld.net

SUBSCRIPTIONS U.S. $24 per year Canada $40 per year Foreign $80 per year

Subscribe online at: www.OnionWorld.net/subscribe or call (503) 724-3581.

R.T. Stanley, Jr. of Stanley-Wright Farms in Toombs County, Ga., bites into an onion in this undated photo. Find more throwback photos from the Onion World archives on pages 10-11.

2

ON THE COVER

DEPARTMENTS

Sunset Produce packs, sells and ships onions grown at R. Munn Farms and Duane Munn Farms near Prosser, Wash. Pictured are, from left, Rob Munn, Randy Munn, Brenden Kent, Shane Munn and Duane Munn. Read how their operation is thriving as a large family farm on page 4.

8...... Onion Insect Quiz

Onion World • January 2024

9...... In the News 9...... Calendar 20.... Market Update 22.... From the NOA 22.... Advertiser Index

Email address changes/corrections to brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com or mail to: Onion World PO Box 333 Roberts, ID 83444 Onion World magazine (ISSN 0892-578X), is published eight times a year and mailed under a standard rate mailing permit at Idaho Falls, Idaho and at additional mailing offices.

Produced by Columbia Media Group PO Box 333, Roberts, ID, 83444.

Copyright 2023. 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 Media Group.

For information on reprints call (208) 520-6461.

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Additional Photos: https://youtube.com/shorts/Fw56jD671BY OnionWorld.net

3

Perfect Timing Story and photos by Denise Keller, Editor

W

hen it comes to onions, timing is everything for owners and managers at Sunset Produce. From planting to packing, opportunistic timing and the ability to adapt when needed have been keys in the onion operation’s success.

Located in the Horse Heaven Hills near Prosser, Washington, Sunset Produce packs, sells and ships onions grown at R. Munn Farms and Duane Munn Farms.

Brothers Robert and Duane Munn have been farming in the area since their dad, Lorin Munn, developed the land under irrigation in 1976. The family dabbled in onions, which they had previously grown in Oregon, but mainly grew potatoes in the farm’s early years. They began growing more onions in the 1980s, taking advantage of the region’s excellent soil, good water supply, and a climate well suited for onions.

Today, almost half of the Munn

families’ onion acreage is planted in yellow onions, 30 percent in reds, 15 percent in whites and 10 percent in sweet onions. Their rotation also includes carrots, sugar beets, grass seed, corn and wheat.

Adjusting as Needed

Built in 1989, Sunset Produce packs 5.5 million bags of onions a year and accounts for nearly 10 percent of the onions shipped in the U.S. daily when running at full speed. About 85 percent of the onions are sold throughout the U.S., 10 percent in Canada and Mexico, and 5 percent exported to the Pacific Rim. Sunset Produce general manager Brenden Kent attributes much of the company’s growth to a hands-on style of management within a vertically integrated business model.

“What’s unique about us is we are

very large, but what’s nice is our sales staff is all on site,” Kent says. “We are in the fields. We know what’s going on with the product because we’re out in the plant. I know a lot of our customers really appreciate that.”

For example, Kent will change Sunset’s packing schedule based on sales throughout the day. Knowing what’s selling, what’s being packed and what’s in the field or in storage, he tries to make customer-driven management decisions.

“We’re not afraid to change when change is needed. For a big operation, that can be hard. I think the fact that we’re family owned and there’s no politics allows us to change quickly and make the necessary changes faster than other big operations can,” Kent says.

Saving on Staffing

Sunset Produce has made several changes in the last few years in response

An employee stacks bags of onions at Sunset Produce, where 5.5 million bags of onions are packed per year.

4

Onion World • January 2024

to the increasing cost of labor. While the availability of labor has improved, Kent says, the cost of labor remains an especially big concern for employers in Washington state. Minimum wage just increased to $16.28, and agricultural employers are no longer exempt from paying overtime wages.

To stay competitive, Sunset Produce adjusted hours of operation at the packing shed in 2023 by running the plant four days a week instead of five and adding a night shift. This change meant hiring more employees, but allowed the amount of overtime to be reduced. The new schedule has also increased the plant’s efficiency, improved the ability to maintain equipment and increased employee satisfaction, according to Kent.

Sunset has been utilizing a night crew on its consumer bag line for three years. In 2022, the company automated the consumer lines in order to further streamline the operation and save on labor costs. In addition, the packing shed includes an optical grader on its six-lane sizer, and Kent is looking into adding more electronic grading equipment in the future.

In the field, the Munns were handBrenden Kent oversees operations at Sunset Produce.

Sunset Produce general manager Brenden Kent has worked at the company for 20 years and also currently serves as the chair of the Washington Potato and Onion Association.

topping early-harvested white onions up until a couple of years ago. With the associated labor costs approaching $2,000 per acre, the growers hired Lee Shuknecht and Sons to custom build a harvester with a double topping table.

The machine can lift, top and harvest onions while the tops are green, allowing the growers to harvest early and take advantage of a window in the market.

And by eliminating the cost of handtopping the onions, the harvester paid for itself in about two years, according to the growers.

Farming as Family

While the Munn family grows the onions and Kent is tasked with getting them to market, they all agree on what it takes to produce a product worthy of the

From left, Rob Munn, Randy Munn, Brenden Kent, Shane Munn and Duane Munn talk shop in the field during harvest.

OnionWorld.net

5

SUNSET PRODUCE

Harvesters and trucks kick up some dust harvesting onions bound for Sunset Produce.

6

Onion World • January 2024

Sunset label.

“Farming is more of an art than it is a science,” Duane Munn says. “Farming is all about timing.”

Kent agrees that having the experience to properly time farming practices from planting to irrigation to harvest helps produce the level of quality Sunset Produce customers expect.

“If you want to be in this business, that’s the whole thing. If you have good quality and you have your timing figured out and you know how to market it, you can do well and you can grow. But if you don’t have those things figured out, it can hurt; it can really diminish your growth potential and hold you back,” Kent says.

Although Sunset Produce’s

competition includes both large family farms and corporate farms, Kent believes family farms run by working managers like the Munns will always have an edge over the competition.

“I think family farms have a very solid future in the onion industry because onions are very hard to produce, they’re hard to pack, and sometimes they’re hard to sell,” Kent says. “A corporate farm that has a corporate farm manager, in my opinion, is going to have a hard time growing as good of a crop as a familytrained farmer that has interest and skin in the game growing onions.”

A passion for farming and the knowledge to do it successfully are being passed down from one generation to the next in the Munn family. Duane’s son, Shane, is now largely responsible for the day-to-day operation of Duane Munn Farms, and Shane’s son, now in high school, plans to farm in the future. Robert Munn’s three sons, Randy, Ryan and Rob Jr., manage R. Munn Farms and each of them have sons who are involved or plan to be involved with the farm, representing the fourth generation and counting.

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Onion Insect Quiz

This material is provided courtesy of Claudia Nischwitz, Associate Professor and Plant Pathology Specialist, Utah State University.

Who Ate These Onions?

Starting in early July 2023, feeding damage was noticed on onion leaves (Photo 1). As time progressed, damage became more severe (Photos 2, 3 and 4).

Answers on page 21 What is responsible for this damage?

8

1

2

3

4

Onion World • January 2024

CALENDAR

Jan. 23-24

Empire State Producers Expo

The Oncenter, Syracuse, N.Y. www.nysvga.org

Feb. 6

Idaho-Malheur County Onion Growers Association Annual Meeting Four Rivers Cultural Center Ontario, Ore. Sarah Freeman, (208) 888-0988 or sarah@amgidaho.com

IN THE NEWS

IVI and Restrain Announce Agreement Netherlands-based Restrain has appointed Industrial Ventilation Inc. (IVI) as the exclusive distributor of Restrain’s sprout inhibitor product for the onion market in the U.S. The ethylene-based sprout inhibitor is EPA-approved for stored onions, shallots, garlic and potatoes. The product is designed to work by continuously maintaining an extremely low concentration of ethylene gas in the storage throughout the entire storage period. The receptors in the onions will bind and release the ethylene molecules and signal a block to cell elongation, inhibiting the sprouts, according to the company.

IVI will be responsible for product distribution throughout the U.S.

Feb. 7

Western Labs Onion School

Western Labs Lecture Hall Parma, Idaho (208) 649-4360 westernl@westernlaboratories.com

Restrain and IVI announced at the 2023 NOA Annual Convention in San Antonio that IVI will be the exclusive distributor for Restrain sprout inhibitor products in the U.S. onion market.

Pictured are, from left, Emily Merk with Restrain, Ragen Darrington with IVI and Dirk Garos with Restrain.

Feb. 13

Utah Onion Association Winter Meeting Bridgerland Technical College Brigham City, Utah Mike Pace, (435) 695-2542 or mike.pace@usu.edu

June 25-29

NOA Summer Convention Sheraton Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska www.onions-usa.org

ONION

WORLD E-News

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Onion World Turns 40

Onion World is celebrating 40 years in circulation after publishing its first issue in October 1984. As we begin our 40th year as the voice of the industry, we take a look back at other memorable moments from the year that started it all… 1984.

• The first Apple Macintosh PC hit store shelves with a price tag of $2,495.

• Los Angeles hosted the 1984 Summer Olympics, which featured new events including synchronized swimming, rhythmic gymnastics, windsurfing and the women’s marathon.

• “Ghostbusters,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “Gremlins,” “The Karate Kid” and “The Terminator” all premiered in theatres, with “Ghostbusters” ranking as the year’s highest grossing movie.

• “When Doves Cry” by Prince, “What’s Love Got to Do with It” by Tina Turner, “Say, Say, Say” by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney, “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins and “Against All Odds” by Phil Collins led the Billboard Hot 100.

• U.S. President Ronald Reagan was re-elected to a second term after receiving the electoral votes from 49 of the 50 states.

• The L.A. Raiders won the Super Bowl, the Detroit Tigers clinched the World Series, and the Boston Celtics were named NBA champions.

1984 BY THE NUMBERS

• Year-end Federal Reserve interest rate: 10.75% • Average annual income: $21,600 • U.S. minimum wage: $3.35 • New house: $86,730 • Monthly rent $350 • Gallon of gas: $1.10 • Dodge RAM 50 truck: $8,995 • Chevrolet Corvette: $23,392 • Movie ticket: $2.50 • U.S. postage stamp: $0.20 Join us on a walk down memory lane in the upcoming issues of Onion World, as we look back at the onion industry during the last 40 years.

2004: A Washington State University field day

10

Onion World • January 2024

The 1984 pilot issue of Onion World featured Shannon McKay from Othello, Wash. on the cover.

1997: Cory, Ron, Adam and Jerry Jacobson from Jacobson Farms in Fulton, N.Y.

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1995: Maynard Klamer of DeBruyn Produce in Byron Center, Mich.

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1999: Greg Bennett from Brooks, Ore.

Help make a difference in Washington D.C. 1998: Antonio and Don Victor Rodriguez of Rancho Los Pinos, Baja California.

NOA members are all welcome to join the NOA’s annual Washington D.C. Fly-In to help us make a difference in ag policy by promoting better ag understanding.

Membership is easy. Call the NOA at (970) 353-5895 or download a membership brochure at: www.onions-usa.org/members/membership

OnionWorld.net

11

Taking Control

Management Strategies for Weeds and Pests

F

rom new invasive weeds to some of the onion industry’s most persistent pests, onion production is never short of challenges. The onion session at the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference, held Nov. 15-16 in Kennewick, Washington, gave researchers an opportunity to address today’s growing challenges by sharing new data and some important reminders.

Weeds Warning

Joel Felix, an associate professor of weed science at Oregon State University (OSU), took the stage to update growers on what he calls the most anticipated weed in the Pacific Northwest: Palmer amaranth. He is among scientists who have been issuing warnings about the weed’s arrival since 2021, and now that

From left, Jose Arias, Limor Golan and Barry Younkin with Hazera enjoy the PNVA trade show.

Weed species Palmer amaranth recently arrived in the Pacific Northwest.

Photo courtesy Joel Felix, OSU

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Onion World • January 2024

Skysense displays a drone it uses to map agricultural fields.

the weed is in the region, he is working to teach growers how to identify and manage it.

Palmer amaranth is a summer annual weed species, native to the southwestern U.S., Mexico and South America. Growers can think of the weed as “redroot pigweed or Powell amaranth on steroids,” Felix said, adding that it has been referred to as “the king of weeds.”

Correct identification is crucial for developing management programs, Felix said. Palmer amaranth has smooth stems; non-wavy, diamond-shaped leaves; petioles longer than leaf blades; and elongated seed heads, up to 24 inches long. Emergence begins after accumulation of more than 350 growing degree days and continues through September. It grows quickly – about 2 or 3 inches per day and up to 10 feet – and a single plant produces more than 250,000 seeds. The weed can be very competitive, and its spread will result in added hand weeding expenses for onion growers, Felix said.

Management recommendations include uprooting plants before seed set, harvesting infested fields last, sanitizing equipment, and using shallow tillage to encourage germination. Felix also recommended using soil-applied Group 15 herbicides such as Dual Magnum or Outlook. Plants found so far are resistant to glyphosate (e.g. Roundup) and possibly Group 2 herbicides.

Felix also added some words of caution about velvetleaf, a weed that is scattered in the Treasure Valley of Idaho and Oregon and is becoming increasingly common. The weed, which emerges

from June through October and grows 3 to 8 feet tall, has a stout stem with soft hairs, heart-shaped leaves, and yellow to orange flowers with five petals. It produces abundant seeds that can persist in soil for up to 60 years.

Pre-Emergent Herbicides

Rui Liu, a weed scientist with Washington State University (WSU), followed Felix with a presentation on pre-emergent herbicide options. After

reviewing the region’s problematic weeds in onions and reminding growers about herbicide resistance and management, Liu shared an update on a pre-emergent herbicide trial she worked on with WSU’s Tim Waters.

The researchers conducted a field study in Pasco, Washington, to evaluate six pre-emergent herbicides at low and high rates for control of redroot pigweed, puncturevine and lambsquarters. The study also evaluated the products’

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PACIFIC NORTHWEST VEGETABLE ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE

SEEDWAY_Onion World_Oct2021_Layout 1 10/4/2021 2:52 PM Page 1 Cameron Way mans the Unisorting booth at the PNVA trade show in Kennewick.

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safety to the onion crop, and results showed that the tested herbicides had no significant injury on onion, except for Dacthal (3-5 percent).

Overall, weed control decreased as the season progressed. Liu said Dacthal provided excellent control of puncturevine throughout the season, at 92- 95 percent control. In comparison, the rest of the treatments lacked sufficient control of puncturevine at the end of the season, at 0-40 percent control. The percentage of control on redroot pigweed did not differ between low and high rates of the herbicides, ranging from 65 percent to 85 percent, with the exception of Nortron at 8 fl. oz. per acre, which showed 27 percent control. Liu reported similar results for lambsquarters.

All treatments had more medium grade onion yield, except for Dacthal at the lower rate and Dual Magnum at the higher rate. The onion marketable yield

Rui Liu, a WSU weed scientist, presents preemergent herbicide options during the all-day onion session.

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Onion World • January 2024

did not differ significantly among all treatments.

Onion Thrips

OSU Malheur Experiment Station Director, Stuart Reitz, kicked off the second half of the session with a refresher course on onion thrips control.

He said onion thrips remain the single most important onion pest because of their direct feeding damage and transmission of Iris yellow spot virus, both of which reduce the size and quality of bulbs. Thrips populations are generally much higher in red onions than yellow onions.

Because insecticides remain a key part of thrips management, Reitz wanted to address three big-picture questions: 1) How long do I need to spray over the season? 2) How often do I need to spray?

3) What do I need to spray?

Onion thrips populations in the Pacific Northwest build up rapidly and peak in July. These peak populations have the greatest impact on yields, so maintaining spray programs during that time of the season is critical, Reitz said. Minimizing the time between insecticide applications helps keep the crop size profiles as large as possible. As for product selection, there are only a few effective insecticides for onion thrips, so growers need to be strategic in selecting which ones to use.

Tank mixing insecticides just because one is not working well turns out not to be a good strategy. Adding a second insecticide is not going to make the poor performer work better. It’s better to put the poor performer away and find an alternative.

Quinn Dreher with Miller Chemical talks with a trade show attendee.

Nichole Drake and Meggie Gilbert with Vive are on hand at the PNVA trade show.

Below-Ground Pests

Reitz followed his thrips talk with a second presentation, this one addressing below-ground pests growers should be concerned about, including seedcorn maggot, onion maggot, wireworms and bulb mites. These soil-borne pests are most problematic early in the growing season. Feeding on the developing root systems of young onions can lead to stunting of the plant or often kill the plant, leading to stand losses. Damage from seedcorn maggots and onion maggots can be especially intense in springs with wet and cool weather, as the OnionWorld.net

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PACIFIC NORTHWEST VEGETABLE ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE onions grow slowly while the maggots are still able to develop.

Likewise, damage from bulb mites seems to be worse in cold, wet springs, especially in fields with high amounts of organic material in the soil. In addition to early-season damage, wireworms can also burrow into bulbs later in the season.

There are no effective rescue treatments for these pests, so growers need to take preventive approaches, Reitz said. Insecticide seed treatments that contain spinosad provide protection against maggots, and those that contain neonicotinoids provide protection against wireworms. Little is known about effective miticides for bulb mites, although the IR-4 program is currently sponsoring research in that area. Reitz recommended growers not plant backto-back onions and not plant onions immediately after a long-term crop, like hay or pasture, where wireworm populations are likely to be high.

Denise Andersen with Clearwater Supply and Brian Haddon with Gowan Seeds visit during a trade show break in Kennewick.

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Feb. 7, 2024 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Western Laboratories Lecture Hall 213 Highway 95 Parma, Idaho 83661 Cost: $10 Pre-Register: 208.649.4360 westernl@westernlaboratories.com CCA Credits and Pesticide Credits One Day After OSU Onion School

John Taberna - Soil Scientist Harry Kreeft - Plant Pathologist John Taberna Jr. - Agronomist Cathy Bingham - Manager

Vendors and visitors kick off the trade show season at the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference.

OnionWorld.net

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Precision Ag Essentials Buyers' Guide HarvestEye • harvesteye.com Harvest Monitoring Tool

Onion growers can now take advantage of crop insights tool HarvestEye, following the latest expansion of the system’s capabilities to work with more fresh produce.

Fitting to harvesting or grading equipment, HarvestEye is a cost-effective method to deliver visibility on the size, shape and mapping variability of crops as they are lifted.

Initially functioning with potatoes, HarvestEye announced its 2.0 system in 2023 with refreshed software and hardware to deliver faster crop measurement and more accurate data collection. HarvestEye brings to the onion market an advanced harvest monitoring tool for growers and packers that can help to make decisions during harvest to get the most from their crop, reduce waste and increase profit.

Industrial Ventilation, Inc. (IVI) • ivi-air.com Imperium Storage Control Panel

IVI’s Imperium storage control panel directs optimal conditions for stored onions. Users can precisely control airflow, carbon dioxide, humidity and more and easily retrieve valuable historical data to aid in setting parameters. This powerful system for onion storage protection offers straightforward operation right at the user’s fingertips. The IVI app allows for off-site monitoring and control.

The Imperium storage control panel is made in the U.S.A. under the supervision of the engineers behind the innovations. The company’s eye is always on improvement and technological advances, driven by growers’ needs in working with IVI’s service and sales team.

L&M Specialty Fabrication • turbotopharvester.com TT-248 Turbo Top

Turbo Top’s TT-248 is a self-propelled two-bed onion harvester. Green onions are one of Turbo Top’s specialties, allowing growers to start harvesting earlier and control their curing. Day or night harvest? Turbo Top is capable of both. Adverse conditions? Turbo Top can work through the toughest of conditions. The TT-248 has dual 48-inch-wide pickup elevators for a total harvest pickup width of 150 inches, allowing onions to be picked up how they are grown without windrowing to reduce damage.

Turbo Top can be equipped with John Deere Greenstar Precision GPS to allow the harvester operator to follow planter tracks and reduce operator fatigue.

TT-248 is powered by a 330-HP John Deere Tier IV Final Package engine.

It has infinite cab control of fan speed, primary chain speed, ground speed, load boom speed/movement, cutter bar height and front elevator depth. A large topping area eliminates weeds/debris and allows even the greenest tops to be sorted before topping.

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Onion World • January 2024

Micro-Trak • micro-trak.com SprayMate Plus

SprayMate Plus rate control console is a plug-and-play replacement for out-of-date and discontinued rate controllers of most major brands.

Customizable options and advanced features let users manage inputs with absolute peace of mind. Micro-Trak has adapter cables available to connect SprayMate Plus to existing systems, no matter the brand. Micro-Trak stands behind its products with a three-year limited warranty and is committed to providing repair service for consoles past the warranty period.

Symach • symach.nl/en Palletizing Equipment

Symach has a long history of palletizing onions and innovating to provide customized modular designs to guarantee a high stacking rate with maximum flexibility. From 50-pound bulk onion bags to complex Octabins, Symach handles all customers’ palletizing needs.

The company also offers options to stabilize the pallet at the end of the line, including wrapping and double stacking, and palletizing within the margins of the pallet to ensure ease of loading during the shipping process.

Unisorting • en.unitec-group.com Onions Sort 3 and UNIQ Onions

Unisorting is a brand of Unitec, an international group specialized in designing and manufacturing innovative solutions for processing, sorting, quality selection and packing of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Onions Sort 3 and UNIQ Onions are technological solutions in the company’s sorters that allow for external and internal quality selection, entirely conceived by the Unitec research and development team and manufactured 100 percent in house. The technologies offer significant cost savings at the defect detection stage and reliably classify products according to homogeneous quality characteristics so that they can be routed to the most suitable trade channel.

With its technological solutions dedicated to onions, Unitec wants to be close and strongly connected to the improvement objectives of U.S. packing houses. The company is also supported by four operating branches located in Washington, California and Oregon.

Verbruggen Palletizing Solutions •

verbruggen-palletizing.com/ palletizer-machines/vpm-14

Palletizer VPM-14

When it comes to reliability, speed, consistent stacking and secure pallet wrapping, Verbruggen’s VPM-14 has all of the bases covered. Specializing in stacking difficult products like onions, the VPM series of palletizers offer four-sided electric compression collars, articulating in-feed conveyors for maximum efficiency, and an enclosed stacking chamber with top and bottom compression to ensure a perfect stack every time.

Verbruggen’s VPM-14C allows for high-speed stacking of boxes and bags with the same machine. Users can switch between products with the touch of a button. Automatic pallet de-stacking and slip sheet placing, inline high-speed wrappers and standalone wrappers are all available options. Each machine is designed specifically for each individual application.

Verbruggen also offers stateside service, parts and after-sales support. Engineering, installation and commissioning are all performed directly by Verbruggen specialists.

OnionWorld.net

19

MARKET UPDATE

Making Sense of the Spring Market

By John Harris, Founder, Paradigm Fresh Inc.

T

here are a lot of items to unpack as we head into 2024 and the back half of the storage season. Many factors are in play that will influence the market going into the spring. I talk to many people daily and weekly and have tried to put it all together and give my opinion about the factors driving this market as we enter the spring shipping season.

Canada Canada has a short crop this year. There was a lot of rain during harvest time, and a lot of product was left in the field. Canada should be buyers of onions earlier than usual – possibly January or February on yellows this year, which will strain U.S.

supplies that usually aren’t there this time of year.

Texas The Rio Grande Valley, even more so than Mexico, has a severe water shortage.

There is enough water to start the crop; the big question mark is will there be enough water to finish the crop. There is great risk in planting such a high dollar crop as onions and not being able to finish the growing season after most input costs have been put into the crop. It appears that Mother Nature will need to come through with rainfall to get a lot of this crop to the finish line.

Mexico Mexico had some timely rains that likely got this crop back on track from the early predictions that it was going to be short. There are three main growing

regions in the Tampico area. The northern and middle regions, which are the first two harvest regions, look to be fully on track for normal harvest and acreage. The southern region, the third harvest district, has more concerns of being off acreage, putting late March and April imports up in the air as what to expect.

The Netherlands The Netherlands also has a short crop this year. We don’t talk about the Netherlands very often, but generally, it’s a pretty good-sized exporter into the U.S. However, with its short crop, the country may become an importer from the U.S. I’m not super familiar with this market, but this is certainly not a normal circumstance. The Netherlands’ government subsidizes freight costs to the U.S., and its onion imports strain the U.S. markets. It doesn’t appear that this will be the case this year.

Peru and Chile Sweet onions have been short from this region all year. Sweets are almost an entirely separate category from conventional onions; however, U.S. supplies are compensating this year for the imports that are usually more prevalent on the U.S. store shelves this time of year.

Washington Washington had a typical crop in terms of acreage. The state had an excellent growing year and has a bit more size on its crop this year, which probably accounts for the increase in more stocks on hand reported from last year to this year.

Quality in Washington has been, overall, very good thus far, and I expect that to continue.

Idaho and Oregon The Treasure Valley of Eastern Idaho and Oregon felt the effects of Hurricane Hilary in August in terms of poorly timed heavy rain during harvest. It couldn’t have come at a worse time for crop health and long-term storability. The concerns about

20

Onion World • January 2024

ONION INSECT QUIZ ANSWERS (FROM PAGE 8)

the amount of shrink this region will see as the season progresses will be in full effect this spring. Stocks on hand probably don’t accurately reflect the number of bags that will be packed and shipped out of the area this spring. I know members of the industry are working diligently in the area to manage the storage sheds appropriately and to ensure they are putting together the type of pack people expect to receive.

So, where does this leave us with expectations on what to prepare for regarding the onion market for the next three to five months? On paper, all things are lining up for a strong spring onion market. It’s hard to put a dollar amount on what to expect, as strong economies are central to strong onion markets. This may be unpopular opinion, but my take in poor economies is that retailers are driven toward margin above volume. There is a tipping point where volume will begin to fall if price points get too inflated. The state of our U.S. economy may have a very large dictation in just how far and how strong this spring onion market is able to become.

Anybody reading this knows that the crystal ball for interpreting markets three to four months out is tough. I have often been wrong on both sides of the market with my expectations at this point in my career. I am not a grower, and I don’t have a dog in this fight or a monetary reason to press up or press down my expectations for this market. I’ve taken the information I’ve been following and tried to do more listening than speaking when talking to different people in different areas that know more than I do. With my years of experience on the sales desk, I can reasonably deduce that based on all the information we have and know is true, the chances of having a solid U.S. domestic onion price in the spring is bullish. This article was a bit intimidating to write as there is a lot of information to sort through, especially on a global scale this year. I hope that the information being provided is sound and helpful in any decision making that comes along for you and your company as we go forward into this new year. I wish you a very successful and blessed 2024.

The damage was caused by grasshoppers (Melanoplus sp.). A major outbreak of grasshoppers occurred in parts of Utah in summer 2023.

Outbreaks occur sporadically when good food quality and warmer temperatures in the fall allow female grasshoppers to lay more eggs.

Eggs are deposited in the soil, especially in non-tilled areas such as pastures, ditches, etc. The female surrounds the eggs with a liquid that hardens and sticks to soil as an initial insulation layer. Winter survival of the eggs depends on snow density and depth. The more snow, the better the survival of eggs. Spring temperatures determine when egg hatch starts, and it can extend for several weeks. The nymphs feed on the same plants as the adults do. Grasshopper nymphs usually reach adulthood five to six weeks after hatching.

Management of grasshoppers is difficult. Nymphs are most susceptible to insecticides. Bait containing carbaryl can be applied on the ground along field edges with little vegetation (to make it easy for the grasshoppers to find) in the spring before grasshoppers arrive in the field. The bait needs to be re-applied after rain events.

If the onion grower owns adjacent pastures, they could be treated with insecticides in the spring before grasshoppers mature and fly to adjacent fields.

OnionWorld.net

21

FROM THE NOA

Meet Jared Gutierrez

An Old Onion Friend and NOA’s Newest Powerhouse Leader

By René Hardwick, National Onion Association Director of Public and Industry Relations

Y

ou could say Jared Gutierrez is driven to succeed.

Watching his career catapult from being raised on a small family farm, to managing produce facilities, to becoming general manager of Volm Companies’ Pasco, Washington, office over the last 30 + years, one could say he’s a natural born leader, rising to the top wherever he goes.

But Gutierrez harkens back to his roots.

“I am a farmer at heart and I can talk farmer,” Gutierrez said. “I know how to farm, store, cure, manage a warehouse, and sell it. I understand which equipment and packaging to use, etc.”

He knows the onion and potato market; he knows its quirks, where to fill gaps, and to build sustainability. What he’d like to do is cement American onion farmers’ role in regaining their share of the global onion industry.

“We used to be a net exporter of onions and now we’re a net importer. How do we regain our share in the world?” he asked. “The onions grown here in the U.S. comprise from all varieties to all sizes. We grow bigger onions here with excellent quality. We can produce, we know how to farm.”

Yet, somehow, America has become a net importer of foreign onions.

“We need to convince retailers and consumers to purchase more of our U.S. grown onions,” he said.

As the National Onion Association’s new president, Gutierrez promises advocacy for the American farmer and the onion industry. He promises to continue to teach politicians the plight of American farmers and fight to help them survive, especially the small family farm.

“I have dirt in my veins,” he said. “I love farming, I love being a part of an organization that gives us a voice, and that is the NOA. I’ve learned to advocate, especially when I go to Washington D.C. and talk with politicians and agricultural agencies to fight for the farmers of America and helping them understand the challenges that they go through.”

From his experience in the agriculture world, his industry knowledge continues to launch him forward. After serving several years as general manager of Columbia Basin Onion, this past summer, he was named general manager of Volm Companies’ Pasco, Washington, office.

There, he plans to work with Washington and Oregon farmers, supporting their growing efforts. He credits the move to his great networking ability and his industry knowledge.

Advertiser Index Bejo .................................... 23 Chinook Equipment .............. 7 Clearwater Supply .............. 11 Gearmore ........................... 13 Gowan Seed ....................... 12 Gwillamdale Farms ............... 3 Kerian ................................. 17 L&M ...................................... 6 Nate Vandenberg.................. 9 NOA .................................... 11 Noffsinger ........................... 20 22

Onion World • January 2024

Nunhems .............................. 7 Parrish ................................ 16 Redwood Empire .................. 6 Seed Dynamics ................... 24 Seedway ............................. 14 Spudnik ............................... 11 Top Air ................................ 23 Van Doren ............................. 3 Verbruggen ........................... 7 Western Labs ...................... 17

That well-roundedness will no doubt help him as he continues to advocate in Washington D.C. as a member of the NOA. He’s been priming himself for the role for the last couple of years, serving as secondand first-vice president.

As president, he wants to continue laying a strong foundation for all American onion farmers to join, so we can unite and have a much larger voice in our nation’s capital. He points to the NOA’s recently created food safety committee, comprised of several industry members and farmers throughout the country, to address possible looming issues that could involve foodborne illnesses and to work to ensure industry-wide best practices.

As a lifelong volunteer with his church, Gutierrez has learned what it feels like to help others.

“You just feel good when you are able to help someone. And it’s the same feeling of helping people come together,” Gutierrez said. “I have so many friends I’ve gained in the NOA and furthered friendships and created new friendships. I really enjoy the camaraderie.”

As for the future, “I’ll probably be right here where I’m at fighting the good fight and still advocating for farmers. I only see myself becoming stronger, more finetuned, with increased knowledge, and continuing to be an ambassador for the industry. Hopefully, I can continue the pace that I’m on and instill that passion with others.”

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