Onion World January 2025 by Columbia Media Group

ONION WORLD Voice of the Industry • OnionWorld.net • January 2025

Del Christensen & Sons

Advertiser Index BASF Nunhems...........7 Bejo............................9 BW Packaging...........13 Chinook Equipment..22 Clearwater Supply....17 Cora Seeds................23 Ecorobotix..................3 Gearmore.................22 Gowan Seed.............11 Kerian.......................13 L&M..........................16 NOA..........................21 Noffsinger...................7 Redwood Empire......11 Seed Dynamics.........24 Seedway...................17 Top Air......................13 Verbruggen...............15

A Work in Progress

Testing Technology Employee Management Precision Ag Essentials

Table of Contents

ONION WORLD Volume 41, Number 1

January 2025

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

OnionWorld.net Onion World Contacts

4 A Work in Progress

Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

Del Christensen & Sons

8 Testing Technology

Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference

14 Creating and Managing an Effective Farm Team

Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

Research-Backed Tips for Improving Employee Relations

Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

18 Precision Ag Essentials

EDITORIAL INFORMATION 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.

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. Email address changes/corrections to brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com or mail to: Onion World PO Box 333 Roberts, ID 83444

Employees work to unload onions. Find tips to help recruit and retain employees for your operation on page 14.

On The Cover Damon Christensen grows fresh-market onions in Mattawa, Wash., where small changes are making big improvements in his crop. Read about the progress on page 4. 2

Onion World • January 2025

DEPARTMENTS 11.... Calendar 12.... Disease Quiz 21.... New Products 22.... Advertiser Index

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 2025. 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.

Precise Spraying of Plant Protection Products & Fertilizers

Application of selective herbicides on weeds even close to onions.

Application of plant protection products on the onion only.

Application of non selective herbicides with an adjustable safety zone.

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In the row onion protection treatment.

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ARA‘s Scientific Results A study conducted in 2023 to review the effectiveness of weed control with ARA in onions showed a savings of 78.9% of herbicides compared to broadcast treatments. The treatments with ARA also showed an overall effectiveness of weed elimination of 92% with fewer applications compared to broadcast while simultaneously preserving the integrity of the crops. Weed control with ARA also showed higher yields compared to conventional applications. Where this study showed savings of herbicides of around 80%, other studies have shown savings of up to 98%. The savings depends on a variety of different factors like chosen treatment, weed density, and other field conditions. Anne, P., Gasser, S., Göttl, M., & Tanner, S. (2024). The reduction of chemical inputs by ultra-precise smart spot sprayer technology maximizes crop potential by lowering phytotoxicity. In Frontiers. Frontier. https://doi.org/10.3389/frevc.2024.1394315

Want to Learn More? Visit ecorobotix.com

Del Christensen & Sons

A Work in Progress Story and photos by Denise Keller, Editor

fter nearly a decade working on the farm where his family has grown onions for a quarter century, fourthgeneration farmer Damon Christensen is finally figuring the crop out. A series of small changes is helping him grow better onions than ever before – and yet, that isn’t stopping him from continuing to fine tune the program. Christensen grows 700 acres of freshmarket onions in Mattawa, Washington. Yellow onions account for 320 acres, with red onions planted on another 250 acres and whites making up the last 130 acres. In addition, the family grows 2,100 acres of potatoes, as well as wheat and beans when ground availability allows.

Always Adjusting

Since beginning to work with a new consultant in the last couple years, Christensen has been making subtle changes to his onion program that have resulted in noticeable improvements in the crop. For example, he has been carefully adjusting the amount and timing of fertilizer applications and has learned that he can grow onions with about half as much fertilizer as he had been using. Knowing that onions are sensitive to competition, he has adopted different weed control strategies, opting to lean more heavily on pre-emergent control tactics to reduce the reliance on the limited options available to knock down weeds. Christensen has also made changes to irrigation in the interest of cost savings. While he used to strictly use drip irrigation in onions, more acres are now under overhead irrigation than drip. Initially, bulb quality took a hit, but after adjusting inputs such as fertilizer and herbicides, overhead irrigation is the more cost effective option for certain cultivars, the grower says. However, drip is still used for varieties with thicker necks in order to keep water from 4

Onion World • January 2025

Damon Christensen looks for single centeredness in an onion bulb. A truck full of onions makes its way out of the field.

Damon Christensen removes imperfect onions as they come into the storage shed.

entering the bulbs through the necks and causing bacterial problems. To manage diseases and pests, Christensen has been using more biological products and composts as part of his effort to dial in on sustainability. The farm also took part in three chemical trials last season including testing a peptide product in onions. “It’s mostly for stress tolerance, but also overall nutrient efficiency. We’re getting in a realm where we’re trying to maximize productivity. We’re hoping the peptides come in and help us use less fertilizer in the end and maximize the effect, and we hopefully see that in a size and quality difference in the end,” the grower says. “It’s still pretty new technology. There are a lot of studies being done right now. I kind of want to get in on the front of that and see how it goes.”

Aerial Applications

Christensen also utilized new technology by making chemical applications via drones last year, applying crop protection products, fertilizers and peptides, mostly in potatoes. In onions, he used drones to apply herbicides and

learned how not to do things, he says, as strips of weeds emerged in areas the chemicals missed. He found that making two half-rate applications and staggering the drones could help achieve more even coverage. This year, he plans to apply herbicides via ground rig, but might use the drones for cover sprays and chemical trials in onions. Overall, the first year of drone spraying was a good learning experience, and Christensen is working to find the best way to incorporate the technology into the program. While a crop duster still has the advantage in terms of speed and efficiency – covering a 120-acre circle in 45 minutes compared to three hours with two drones – its usage can be limited by the field’s location and the plane’s availability. “Drones bring the control to me. The timing is my timing. When we have a problem, instead of calling and asking when an airplane can come spray, it’s ‘hey, we have a problem, the chemical is in the barn, let’s go out there now and go spray,’” Christensen says. In some cases, he adds, drones provide better spray coverage and also offer a greater ability to customize applications.

Family Farm

Through all the changes, Del Christensen & Sons has remained a family farm for four generations. After Damon Christensen’s great-grandparents lost their dairy in Idaho during the Great Depression, they moved to Kittitas, Washington. They then followed the Columbia Basin irrigation project’s expansion south, moving to Royal City in the 1950s and settling in Mattawa in the ‘70s. Christensen’s dad, Del, started farming in the early ‘80s, added onions to the rotation in the late ‘90s and started packing onions in the early 2000s. Christensen was always involved on the farm, but was encouraged to try other things. After working for a hay farmer, going to college and getting married, he moved home and began working on the farm in 2012. Realizing that he enjoyed agronomy, he went back to school the next year before returning to the farm in 2016. “I realized I liked the science side of farming, being able to make a plant grow. There’s a balance in all things; it’s not just putting a seed in the dirt and letting it grow and watering it. There are 10,000 different things you can do to that thing OnionWorld.net

Del Christensen & Sons

A harvester picks up yellow onions in mid-September. Damon Christensen stands in a storage shed on his family’s farm.

– maybe even 10 million. It’s fun trying to find which one works and which one doesn’t. I’ve had plenty that don’t work and plenty that do work, and sometimes you sit there and scratch your head and wonder why did that work and this one didn’t,” Christensen says. “It makes you want to keep trying.” Today, Christensen farms with his dad and three brothers. A pair of brothers manages the packing operations, with Alex taking the lead on onion packing and Dexter running the potato sheds. Meanwhile, the other two brothers run the farm, with Dallon managing the people and Damon handling agronomy. “I love doing it. There’s something about putting that onion seed in the dirt and watching it come out in the end,” Christensen says. “It’s a fun game. The biggest gamble you can make in life, but it’s a fun game.”

Onion World • January 2025

Damon Christensen slices an onion to inspect the internal bulb quality.

C unt on Us Every Step of the Way BASF | Nunhems experts are committed to providing you with support and guidance when and where you need it

#VegetablesPeopleLove

Individual results may vary. Nunhems USA, Inc. (“Nunhems”) strives to provide accurate and complete information, descriptions, content, illustrations, images, and data (“Information”) on its websites, social media sites/posts, and printed materials (“Publications”) as such Information is reasonably available to Nunhems at time of compilation. When the Information is based on experiences with tests, trials, or practices, such Information is provided by Nunhems as closely as commercially possible to such experiences. Information may also be based on general observations. However, Nunhems cannot guarantee the Information in any form whatsoever; therefore, the Information is provided on an ‘AS IS’ basis and without any guarantee, either express or implied, including, without limitation, that the Information is accurate or complete. Under no circumstances is the Information to be considered as advice or as a recommendation. Buyer is solely responsible for seed selection and purchasing decisions, including whether to rely upon the Information and for determining suitability of the seed for the intended growth and use under buyer’s local conditions. The Publications are intended to help buyer identify plant diseases that may or could affect his/her crops. The images may give a distorted image of reality and may otherwise not be an accurate portrayal of the disease.

Nunhems USA 1200 Anderson Corner Rd. Parma, ID 83660 nunhemsusa.com

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Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference

Testing Technology Story and photos by Denise Keller, Editor

esearchers at Oregon State University (OSU) are integrating newer technology into their research systems in ways similar to what growers might use on their farms and are working to measure the impacts. Kristie Buckland, a vegetable and specialty seed crop specialist with OSU, outlined a short list of projects being tackled by a large team of colleagues during her presentation at the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference, held Nov. 13-14 in Kennewick, Washington. This list includes a precision seeding and weeding trial OSU is working on with FarmDroid, a Denmark-based company. The company’s solar-powered field robot performs autonomous seeding and weeding. The machine was delivered to Oregon in May, and the crew at OSU has been learning the nuances of its operation. Through the use of RTK GPS, the FarmDroid records the location of each plant at seeding within 8 mm accuracy. This allows it to then perform Greg Yielding, executive vice president of the National Onion Association, visits with other attendees of the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference.

Magika onions from Cora Seeds add to the display at the Keithly-Williams Seeds booth.

Onion World • January 2025

Ryan Johnson works the Crookham Company booth.

Chad Compton describes the features of Monosem planters.

Bruno Quanquin with Stevens Water Monitoring Systems explains the technology behind Dyacon weather stations.

Zane Beams fields questions at the Seedway booth.

Exploring nature never stops

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Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference

Washington State University Extension displays onion cultivars.

inter-row and intra-row weed control without relying on cameras or AI to distinguish plants from weeds. “We were really interested in figuring out the chances that it’s going to work and that we’re going to get seeds where we want them and also ‘what’s the efficacy of the weeding? Are we going to be taking out plants or doing damage to the plants with the weeding arm?’” Buckland said. “That was really our question on top of the ‘could we actually farm a vegetable field and not put a hand crew through it?’ For us in the Willamette Valley, especially in organics, that would be a game changer.” OSU will continue the project in cooperation with FarmDroid for another two years. An Oregon State Department of Agriculture specialty crop block grant will fund replicated trials to measure the efficacy of the robot versus hand weeding. Researchers will also calculate the associated costs of each method to determine the impact on a grower’s bottom line. Moving on to another project, Buckland shared an update on a drone spray trial. In this project, researchers are looking at how effective is it to aerially apply fungicides to control 10

Onion World • January 2025

Samantha Moradel represents Keithly-Williams Seeds at the show.

blackleg in an overwintering turnip seed crop planted this fall near Corvallis, Oregon. Researchers will spray fungicides throughout the winter with a drone and with a tractor-driven boom. At harvest, they will measure yield and disease ratings on harvested seed. Buckland did note that the drone is providing significantly less coverage on the plants than a typical boom. “Generally, you think that means it’s not going to be as effective,” Buckland said. “The particulates move in a different pattern than a boom going across the field, so one of the questions is ‘are we getting product under the leaves, around the leaves in a different way than we would with a tractor-driven boom,’ and we don’t know that yet. There is some literature out there about that. But we will hopefully make our own with this project.” With OSU’s Cindy Ocamb leading the plant disease work and Pete Berry leading the drone applications, this project will continue during the next couple years and might include evaluation of spray applications made from a drone flown at various heights and speeds.

Calendar

Feb. 4

Idaho-Malheur County Onion Growers Association Annual Meeting Four Rivers Cultural Center, Ontario, Ore. office@amgidaho.com

July 9-12

NOA Summer Convention

Holiday Inn Richland on the River, Richland, Wash. www.onions-usa.org

Editor’s note: To have your event listed, please email Denise Keller at editor@ columbiamediagroup.com. Please send your information 90 days in advance.

Attendees check out irrigation supplies from Irritec.

Paci�c Northwest

San Joaquin Valley

Brian Haddon Area Manager (971) 282-2884

Russ Brown Area Manager (559) 799-0799

Texas

Clegg Smith, Area Manager

Imperial Valley & Yuma, AZ

Scott Richards Area Manager (928) 580-2484

Florida, Georgia & the Carolinas

(956) 340-0022

Derek Levy, Sales Rep. (912) 433-4752

Northeast / Midwest

New Mexico

Josh Heller, Area Manager (717) 940-5440

Greg Patti, Sales Rep. (575) 202-2250

(831) 679-1900 • www.gowanseed.com P.O. Box 190 • Chualar, CA 93925 | 25445 Chualar River Road • Chualar, CA 93925

OnionWorld.net

Onion Disease Quiz

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

A couple of onions had been purchased at a store. They had some mechanical damage, and a small spot of white mycelium (fungal growth) was seen around the wound. One bulb was cut and the outer scales had a water-soaked appearance. Bulbs were left on the counter for several days, and the mycelium started producing blue-green spores. Answers on page 22

What is wrong with these onions?

Figure 1 Figure 3

Onion World • January 2025

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Creating and Managing an Effective Farm Team

Research-Backed Tips for Improving Employee Relations By Alexandra E. Hill, Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Berkeley

gricultural employers across the country are reporting too few qualified workers to meet their employment needs. There are no quick fixes for this problem. But in this article, I offer a variety of operational changes aimed at improving your ability to recruit, satisfy and retain an effective farm team. I will start with a few recommendations for effectively choosing and implementing these changes.

One Thing at a Time

Nearly all business owners and operators have laundry lists of possible changes that could increase profits, enhance social impacts, or contribute to other business and personal values. My first suggestion is to narrow this list. Choose one area to focus on and one to three specific changes within that area

Onion World • January 2025

that you can commit to implementing. You can repeat this process once those changes are integrated in your operation. Implementing fewer changes at once is less burdensome and simplifies evaluating their effects. This will also help you prioritize your laundry list and take a strategic approach to improving your operation.

Know, Articulate Reasons for Change

Next, for each change you identify, understand and convey why the change is important. Is the change addressing a perceived or reported shortcoming of your operation? Are you hoping the change will reduce turnover? Making any change requires effort and perseverance, so it’s important to continue reminding yourself, management and employees why the effort is worthwhile.

After you have selected your changes, there are many actions that can improve their success. In general, I recommend that you train, reinforce, evaluate and troubleshoot. Most changes require trainings to ensure a smooth transition to the new system or norms. When possible, I recommend piloting the change with a small group of workers to inform your training needs. Next, you can encourage acceptance and support of the change with positive reinforcement or financial incentives. These might be bonuses or recognition for participating in trainings or exhibiting desired behaviors. Next, you should regularly evaluate the impacts of the changes on outcomes linked with your reasons for the change. Be sure to communicate your successes, identify shortcomings, and troubleshoot and adapt to address challenges along the way.

Armed with some ideas for effective change management, you might now want some inspiration for changes to support one of your business’s greatest assets – your team. I suggest three change areas for targeting your efforts and offer specific changes within each.

Communication

Effective communication is a key predictor of job satisfaction and retention. Communication is broad and involves different forms (for example, face-to-face, calls, texts or emails), different systems (for example, binders or online platforms) and different strategies (ranging from quietly listening to yelling). Accordingly, there are many potential communication changes that could streamline processes and operations, improve employee satisfaction and safety, and generally create a more enjoyable work environment. Suggestions for new systems of communication include: pre-shift “huddles” to clarify daily objectives; post-shift “debriefs” to discuss daily challenges and identify solutions; direct grower-worker communication channels; shared task lists for management and teams; and systems for workers to file anonymous grievances or suggestions. Suggestions for improving communication strategies include: trainings for management on conflict resolution and effective communication; no-yell policies; including communication policies and norms as part of the onboarding process; and when assigning employees with a new task, ensure they understand the importance and value of the task for their team, the business or broader society.

Total, Fair Compensation

A total compensation package consists of wages, salaries, bonuses, and benefits like health insurance or paid time off. Ensuring that total compensation packages are internally and externally equitable, and that workers perceive them as such, is vital for successfully recruiting, retaining and motivating high-performing workers. Are packages competitive with those offered by others in the industry and area? Are workers motivated to perform better or remain

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Managing a Farm Team

with your company longer by their potential for a better package? Suggestions for creating attractive total compensation packages include: use structured pay and benefit scales that clearly link compensation to performance, experience or company tenure, and ensure workers understand them; create and explain pathways for

Onion World • January 2025

raises and promotions; offer bonuses for behaviors that are valuable to your operation like individual or team productivity, company performance, retention (return, rehire or end of season) or making employment referrals; offer partial reimbursements for costs from commuting, childcare or work attire; and provide paid vacation and sick

days for permanent and more tenured employees.

Work Environment

Many farm workers express appreciation for working outdoors, working alongside friends, feeling like their bosses care about their well-being and having flexible working arrangements

so they can meet familial obligations. Improving the work environment can thus play an important role in attracting and retaining workers. Many aspects of the work environment are regulated, and while ensuring compliance with the ever-evolving legal landscape is critical, this should be the starting point. Striving to make your work environment stand out will bring you closer to becoming an employer of choice. Suggestions to improve the work environment center around safety, organizational culture, flexibility and education. Develop safety trainings and procedures that address potential issues specific to your operation or workforce; coordinate teambuilding and worker appreciation events; offer workers reasonable flexibility in their scheduling so they can fulfill regular and emergency family needs; promote opportunities for learning at local community centers or community colleges; and offer workers incentives or vouchers to participate in educational activities.

SEEDWAY_Onion World_Oct2021_Layout 1 10/4/2021 2:52 PM Page 1

Your Acres. Your Livelihood. Our Priority.

Consider Unique Needs of Your Workforce

Finally, the suggestions I have offered reflect what I have learned from my own lived experiences, research, teaching and conversations. The best advice I can offer you is to identify and implement changes based on your own experiences and understanding of the specific needs of your operation. A vital starting point is conducting an honest personal assessment of your operation and using a survey to identify shortcomings from the perspective of your team. I highly recommend using anonymous surveys, structured and semi-structured focus groups, and regularly engaging in conversations with employees across your operation to identify areas for potential improvement. Of course, if you keep collecting information and never act, employees will become understandably frustrated. So be sure that you are able and willing to not only make changes, but to effectively communicate what they are and why they are being made, including explaining how employee feedback was used to identify appropriate changes.

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Precision Ag Essentials Buyers' Guide Ecorobotix • ecorobotix.com ARA Sprayer

Minimize phytotoxicity, increase yield, reduce manual labor and save up to 95 percent on inputs with the Ecorobotix AI-powered ultra-high precision sprayer. The ARA sprayer precisely applies plant protection products and fertilizers in a wide range of different crops. A 2023 study to review the effectiveness of weed control with ARA in onions showed a 78.9 percent savings on herbicides compared to broadcast treatments. The treatments with ARA also showed an overall effectiveness of weed elimination of 92 percent with fewer applications compared to broadcast while simultaneously preserving the integrity of the crops. Weed control with ARA also showed higher yields compared to conventional applications. While this study showed herbicide savings of around 80 percent, other studies have shown savings of up to 98 percent. The savings depend on a variety of factors like chosen treatment, weed density and other field conditions.

Fox Packaging • foxbag.com Bags

Fox Packaging delivers innovative and sustainable packaging solutions tailored to the precision agriculture needs of onion growers. Designed to enhance operational efficiency and resource optimization, these packaging options integrate seamlessly with advanced automation technology. The Fox Fresh Mesh Bag supports optimal respiration for extended shelf-life, while the Fox Leno Bag ensures durability for bulk packing. The Fox Fresh Mesh Wicketed Bag, also compatible with automated wicketed baggers, combines high breathability with precision-engineered materials, guaranteeing consistent performance and excellent merchandising potential. Fox Packaging’s solutions, paired with automation-ready designs, support the goals of precision agriculture by reducing waste, improving efficiency and maintaining product quality.

Fox Solutions • foxbag.com Baggers

Fox Solutions’ Single and Dual Wicketed Baggers, paired with Newtec weighing and checkweighing technology, revolutionize precision in packaging for onion growers. These systems have demonstrated improved labor efficiency by reducing workdays from six to four per week, achieving a 33 percent savings in labor hours while maintaining high throughput. With speeds averaging 60 bags per minute on 5-lb onion bags, the baggers ensure consistent, precise filling across various weights and sizes, reducing bottlenecks and optimizing operations. Integrated checkweighers further enhance performance by minimizing product giveaway, reducing waste and increasing profitability – all while preserving resources. Whether packing 5-lb or 10-lb bags, these automated systems deliver reliable and consistent results, making them an essential tool for precision agriculture.

Onion World • January 2025

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 Turbo Top TT-248 Harvester

Turbo Top can be equipped with John Deere GreenStar Precision GPS to allow the harvester operator to follow planter tracks and reduce operator fatigue. Turbo Top’s TT-248 harvester is a self-propelled twobed onion harvester. Green onions are one of Turbo Top’s specialties, allowing growers to start harvest earlier and control curing. Turbo Top is capable of both day and night harvest and can work through the toughest of conditions. 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. Turbo Top comes in different models and has many options to fit growers’ needs.

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.

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Precision Ag Essentials Buyers' Guide Tristeel Manufacturing • tristeelmfg.com Automatic Dual Tote Bag/Bin Filler

The Tristeel automatic dual tote bag or bin filler saves labor and increases plant efficiency by utilizing programmable logic controls (PLC) and filling with no or limited operator involvement via weight with floor scales or product height in the bag or box. Put two empty bags on the machine, turn it to automatic, and the machine will fill both stations. The machine can be run in manual mode, as well. Tristeel has been making these machines for 50 years and has enjoyed an excellent track record.

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 • Palletizer VPM-14

verbruggen-palletizing.com/ palletizer-machines/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.

Onion World • January 2025

new products

BW Flexible Systems Presents New Palletizer BW Flexible Systems recently launched the Symach 3500S. This push-type palletizer is designed to deliver high-speed stacking and palletizing performance for bags, bales, crates and cases. Its stacking cage is built to contain bags within the specified dimensions, reducing and preventing product overhang for a sturdy and stable pallet. According to the company, the machine is intuitive to operate and has a more compact footprint than a robotic palletizer, making it a good fit for tight spaces. Visit www.bwflexiblesystems.com/ machine/bag-palletizing/3500s-palletizer.

Rivulis Rolls Out New Drip Line

Rivulis has unveiled its new thin-wall pressurecompensated D4000 drip line. With the power of pressure compensation, this new micro-irrigation product is designed for uniform water distribution across varying landscapes, including hilly terrain with slopes, and enables longer run lengths with a reduced diameter. Constructed from fully recyclable materials, the D4000 PC offers flexibility with customizable dripper spacing and flow rates of 0.16gph and 0.23gph. Visit www.rivulis.com/product/products/d4000-pcdrip-line.

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The voice of America’s onion industry in Washington D.C.

https://bit.ly/JoinNOA OnionWorld.net

PRECISION VACUUM PLANTERS

Tਈਅ ਐ਌ਁ਎ਔਅ਒ ਕਓਅ਄ ਂਙ ਓਕਃਃਅਓਓਆਕ਌ ਏ਎ਉਏ਎ ਇ਒ਏਗਅ਒ਓ ਉ਎ ਔਈਅ Wਅਓਔਅ਒਎ U਎ਉਔਅ਄ Sਔਁਔਅਓ ਁ਎਄ Cਁ਎ਁ਄ਁ ਆਏ਒ ਏਖਅ਒ 25 ਙਅਁ਒ਓ 3 Modules - 24 Lines Model # AI-640-SNT Shown

Edp Electro-bagger model EB 2218 DF

This model now has the ability to do bags as well as cartons with the new touch screen controls. It also comes with pneumatic bag clamps as standard equipment.

For more information visit

chinookequipment.com or call 800-219-2245 or 208-331-1126

Advertiser Index BASF Nunhems........................ 7 Bejo......................................... 9 BW Packaging........................ 13 Chinook Equipment............... 22 Clearwater Supply................. 17 Cora Seeds............................. 23 Ecorobotix............................... 3 Gearmore.............................. 22 Gowan Seed.......................... 11 Kerian.................................... 13 L&M....................................... 16 NOA....................................... 21 Noffsinger................................ 7 Redwood Empire................... 11 Seed Dynamics...................... 24 Seedway................................ 17 Top Air................................... 13 Verbruggen............................ 15 22

Onion World • January 2025

Our proven accurate seed placement is why growers have continued to purchase our planters over these many years. Special inner and outer singulators removes doubles to insure placement of individual seeds. All planters are assembled and tested at our plant in Chino, California, to insure accuracy. 13477 Benson Ave. • Chino, CA 91710 Ph: 800.833.3023 • Fax: 909.548.4747 www.gearmore.com

ONIONWorld Disease Onion Ad QUIZ ANSWERS (from page 12) 1/3 page square - 4.875” x 4.875” The onions have blue mold, a fungal disease caused by several species of Penicillium. The fungus is found in the soil, senescing plant tissues or plant debris. Penicillium sp. are not host specific and can infect many different vegetables, fruits and seeds, (e.g., corn and bulbs such as onion and garlic). Infections occur through wounds (Fig. 1) or damaged tissue such as those caused by sunscald, frost or bruising during harvest. Symptoms usually do not appear until after harvest when onions are in storage. Penicillium colonizes a fleshy scale or scales, giving them a water-soaked appearance (Fig. 2) and then grows outward to produce spores on the bulb’s surface. The spore masses give the fungus the blue-green appearance (Fig. 3). The best management options are to minimize injury to the bulbs from insect feeding and to reduce wounds created by harvest practices, thereby limiting ingress sites for the fungus. After harvest, onions should be cured quickly and stored at temperatures of 41 degrees Fahrenheit or less and low relative humidity. There is no information available about resistance levels of onion varieties.

Quality ONIONS

MAGIKA

FUNDADOR

ANGELIKA

Long day bronze onion for long storage: • dual purpose: fresh market and processing • unique attractive bronze skin color • perfect for retailers and processors

Long day gold onion for processing: • jumbo size • high bulb uniformity • high single center ratio

Extra early long day onion for fresh market: • earliness • jumbo size • high bulb uniformity

CRX 2509*

Official distributor: Keithly-Williams Seeds Phone: (928) 329-7770 www.keithlywilliams.com  Washington, Oregon: Josh Carter, (509) 492-0408  Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah: Joshua Robertson, (208) 473-9437  Colorado, New Mexico: Todd Carter, (817) 881-1524

ATOMIKA

ZELDA

Long day bronze onion for long storage: • medium early maturity • jumbo size and high bulb uniformity • attractive bronze skin color

Long day pink onion for retailers: • low pungency • long storability • unique skin color

CRX 2475*

Cora Seeds s.r.l. • www.coraseeds.com

 California: Bill Rover, (831) 970-0783 Dillon Knight, (661) 868-9315 David Del Papa, (559) 960-1321  East Coast: Matt Dicori, (760) 427-7746

OnionWorld.net

Gowan Seed Company Chualar, California 831.596.1900

Seedway Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 717.367.1075

Clifton Seeds Moravia, New York 315.604.1098

Seedling Onions Need a Hero When onion seed and seedcorn maggots threaten young crops, our s heroes come prepared. FarMore FI500 and Spinosad/Lumiverd seed treatments provide early season disease and insect protection for young onion crops. Seed Dynamics applies the protectant to the seeds themselves, through a safe and controlled delivery. It works at the most critical time — during germination and seedling emergence — so your seeds can thrive, while fending off threats of early damage. Get a hero from Seed Dynamics , the Seed Preparation Professionals. Call us at 866.321.9747 or choose a dealer listed above.

Visit our Website at SeedDynamics.com!