ONION WORLD Voice of the Industry • OnionWorld.net • January 2019
Commitment to Quality Heritage Farms
PLUS: Nitrogen Needs Irrigation Essentials New NOA Executive VP
Table of Contents Magazines For Maximum Yield
ONION WORLD Volume 35, Number 1
January 2019 6 10
PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Telephone: (208) 520-6461
www.O n i o n W o r l d .n e t Onion World Contacts Publisher / Advertising Manager Dave Alexander dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com
Commitment to Quality Heritage Farms
Nitrogen Needs
Estimating Nitrogen Fertilizer Needs for Fresh-Market Onion Production
14
PNVA Covers Keys to Crop Health
18
Irrigation Essentials
21
Five Minutes With...
Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference Buyers' Guide
Greg Yielding, Incoming National Onion Association Executive VP
Editor Denise Keller editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Director of Operations Brian Feist brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com
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, or call (509) 697-9436.
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Attendees enjoy the banquet at the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference. See the story on page 14.
On the Cover Dan Christensen shows off a sample of the onions grown at Heritage Farms in Royal City, Wash., about a month and a half before harvest. See the story on page 6. 4
Onion World • January 2019
Departments
17 20 22
Calendar From the NOA In The News
Subscribe online at: www.OnionWorld.net or call (503) 724-3581. Email address changes/corrections to brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com or mail to: Onion World PO Box 333 Roberts, ID 83444 Onion World magazine (ISSN 1071-6653), 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 2019. 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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Commitment to Quality Story and photos by Denise Keller, Editor
T
he Christensen and Bergeson families have always measured the success of their onion crop by the size of the bulbs. But since becoming a grower-packer, the perspective and priorities at Heritage Farms have expanded. As the growers balance size and yield with storability and pack-out, they combine four generations of farming know-how with a willingness to adapt.
Redefining a Niche
Two sets of brothers – Dan and Aaron Christensen and their cousins Chad and Ian Bergeson – manage the family farm,
Dan Christensen checks the leaves of a plant for any signs of nutrient deficiencies.
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Onion World • January 2019
which includes 300 acres of onions. The Royal City, Washington, farm produces yellow and red onions mainly for the processing market, although smaller bulbs are skimmed off for the fresh market. “We’re known for growing really large onions,” Dan says, explaining that size has long been the farm’s niche. About five years ago, the growers started packing their own onions, first packing out of the cellar and steadily growing the operation each year. In 2018, they built the farm’s first onion storage shed. The building will allow for expansion and let Heritage Farms store onions until late spring or early summer. This will give the farm more control over sales and allow the growers to take advantage of ups and downs in the market. With the consolidation in the industry, the growers say venturing into the packing business was part of the natural progression of producing a commodity crop and seemed necessary to stay in the game. Previously, as a producer, Heritage Farms focused on yield and bulb size. But since adding storage and packing to the business, the growers have begun to choose varieties that yield large bulbs to meet processing demand but also deliver storage quality and pack-out, in some cases giving up bulb size to gain storability. “It has changed the farm a little bit. We’re growing some varieties that we wouldn’t have considered in the past because there wasn’t a purpose to sacrifice yield,” Dan says What the growers won’t sacrifice is quality. Throughout the season, they take pride in caring for their crop. Recently, yellow nutsedge has been posing one of the greater threats to many local crops, able to choke out and reduce the size of an onion crop. While chemicals are available to stunt the vigorous weed, the growers say they lack an effective product to kill it.
At harvest, the growers minimize handling of the bulbs by topping and loading onions in a single step. The streamlined process, left over from the farm’s previous experience with fragileskinned sweet onions, helps produce a superior product, according to Dan. But at the end of the day, it’s a combination of factors that determine the outcome of the season. “When you look at all the decisions you have to make, it’s hundreds of decisions. So to grow large, quality onions, a lot of it comes from the knowledge of our dads. They’ve done it for the past 30 years so they know what to do and what not to do, when to apply a certain chemical – even a given hour of a day can make a difference. Timing is a big component,” the grower explains. “You have to be able to put all of those decisions in the right sequence to optimize the growth of the plant to its maximum capacity, if that’s your goal.” Looking ahead, the growers are considering using onion transplants to get an early jump on the market and would like to build a brand around the farm. “We’re known for growing really large onions and high quality, so we’re going to focus on that, keep growing steadily and hopefully get our products directly to stores with the Heritage Farms label,” Dan shares.
Four Generations and Counting
In addition to onions, Heritage Farms grows 700 acres of carrots, as well as wheat, beans and corn as rotational crops and another 120 acres of apples. The farm has dabbled in the production of other crops during its four-generation history. Dan, Aaron, Chad and Ian say their great-grandfather raised cattle and grew grains, hay and potatoes in Kittitas, Washington. Their grandpa and his three brothers moved to Royal City in the late
Two sets of brothers – Aaron and Dan Christensen and their cousins Chad and Ian Bergeson – manage Heritage Farms in Royal City, Wash.
1950s after the Columbia Basin Project brought irrigation to the Royal Slope and were among the first families to farm there. The farm began growing onions in the mid-1980s. Shortly after, they took onions out of the rotation, but started growing them again in the mid-1990s. About that time, their fathers took the reins. After growing up on the farm and attending college, Chad returned to the farm in 2002, Ian came home in 2012, Aaron followed the next year, and Dan joined the operation in 2017. Today, the four growers manage the family farm, combining what has worked in the past with what will be necessary to be profitable in the future. “I don’t think you can totally discount things that previous generations have done that have been successful,” Chad says. “You have to take into account that experience, and it helps when they acknowledge that there are things that come along to help a process be more efficient or effective.” “For any decision you’re making, whether you’re going to change a process or the way you grow something, there has to be a reason to do it,” Dan adds. “In
Aaron Christensen peels an onion to inspect its quality.
OnionWorld.net
7
Heritage Farms
From left, Aaron Christensen, Dan Christensen, Chad Bergeson and Ian Bergeson discuss the quality of the 2018 onion crop.
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the end, you’re trying to make money, so hopefully that decision either makes you more efficient or increases yield or gives you a better quality product.” The growers say there’s still value in today’s ag market for quality products. This plays well for family farms. While large conglomerates focus on scale, efficiency and control of the market, Dan says small farms are all about quality. “We have to concentrate on quality and doing it right. As long as we can control our costs, I think we can survive,” he adds. In addition to quality, Heritage Farms’ diversification and the growers’ commitment to family are key to thriving as a family farm. “You have to want to remain a family farm,” Ian comments. “Family is important to us.” The growers want to be able to pass on land and a legacy to the next generation. They’re working to teach their children about farming and responsibility. With some of the growers’ oldest kids starting to help more on the farm, the next generation is taking its baby steps in becoming the fifth generation of Heritage Farms.
Onion World Buyers Guide_Sept2018_Layout 1 9/25/2018 9:17 AM Page 1 Heritage Farms grows 300 acres of onions, mostly for the processing market.
130 Years Of Combined Knowledge Dan Christensen slices an onion he pulled from the ground in early August, about a month and a half before harvest.
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9
Nitrogen Needs
Estimating Nitrogen Fertilizer Needs for Fresh-Market Onion Production By Andre Biscaro and Richard Smith, University of California Cooperative Extension
O
ptimal nitrogen (N) management of vegetable crops requires understanding the crop’s N uptake pattern for the right amount and the right timing of fertilizer applications. When crop uptake and N fertilization differ significantly, soil N levels can be too high or too low. While insufficient levels will decrease yields, exceedingly high soil N is conducive to nitrate leaching to groundwater, which can result in groundwater wells with nitrate concentrations above drinking water standards. Because of this concern, growers in some areas of California have been required to submit fertilizer use reports to regional water quality control boards. Ultimately, restrictions in the use of fertilizer N may result from regulatory activity. Most vegetable crops have minimal N uptake in the early growth stages, which in many cases can be met with the residual soil N from the previous crop or with modest applications at planting (e.g. 10-20 lb N/acre). After a few weeks when the crop is established, crop N uptake proceeds at a constant rate until crop maturity. A study conducted in three fresh-market onion fields in the High Desert of Southern California in 2013 estimated crop N uptake of about 15 lb/acre at 70 days after planting. Following this time, the crop took up a steady rate of 2.2 lb N/acre/day which
continued until just before maturity (Fig. 1). Based on this information, once the crop is established, a reasonable fertilizer program might be a weekly application of 15 lb N/acre (2.2 lb N/acre/day x 7 days). However, there are other sources of N for crop growth that can be measured with a nitrate test and taken into account.
Measuring Residual Soil Nitrate-N Knowing how much residual soil nitrate-N is available is important in making decisions regarding adjusting the fertilizer program. Many factors can affect the amount of residual N in the soil, including fertilization practices of the prior crop, residual nitrate-N from previous crops, irrigation management, rainfall, soil type, soil organic matter content, temperature, crop growth rate, as well as crop N uptake. Since all those factors can vary within and among fields, it’s important to test the soil before each fertilization event and add sufficient fertilizer N to supplement the residual soil N to carry the crop until the next fertilization. Soil nitrate-N values of 20 ppm are equivalent to about 80 lb N/acre and are sufficient to supply the crop for a number of weeks, if leaching of nitrate beyond the root zone by over-irrigation or rainfall
Nitrogen Uptake 200
does not occur. Sampling for nitrate can be repeated prior to each fertilization event to determine residual levels of soil nitrate-N. A benchmark of 20 ppm nitrate-N indicates sufficient N in the soil, and a fertilizer application can be skipped. However, to get familiar with using soil nitrate measurements, experimentation is necessary (given your soil type and irrigation practices) to develop your expertise and comfort with relying on soil testing to guide fertilizer applications. Soil nitrate-N values less than 20 ppm nitrate-N are trickier to respond to. For instance, nitrate-N values of 15 ppm nitrate-N may require a normal fertilizer application, or a half rate may be sufficient. Values at and below 10 ppm nitrate-N indicate low residual soil nitrate-N and require a normal fertilizer application.
Soil Sampling
The soil sample needs to be representative of the entire field for an accurate estimation of its soil nitrate content. Approximately 10 soil cores from throughout the field will suffice, depending on the uniformity of the field. The sample depth needs to be equivalent to the active root zone. Since root depth varies based on several factors including soil type and irrigation management, digging trenches with a shovel throughout the season is a practical and effective way to estimate that. Maximum root depth measured in a study conducted in Lancaster, California, varied from 16 to 22 inches.
lb/ac
160 120 80 40 0 20
70
120
170
Days after planting Figure 1. Fitted curve of cumulative aboveground biomass nitrogen uptake measured on three fresh-market onion fields in Lancaster, Calif. in 2013.
10
Figure 1. Fitted curve of cumulative aboveground biomass nitrogen uptake measured on three fresh-
market onion fields in Lancaster, Calif. in 2013. Onion World • January 2019
In case pre-plant fertilizer is used, it’s crucial to know where it is located to avoid sampling close to it. Also, removing the top 1 inch of soil before inserting the probe is a good practice to avoid sampling that portion of soil that doesn’t have active roots and usually accumulates nutrients including nitrate. Thoroughly mix the soil cores in a bucket and keep the sample cool until the test is performed. Remember that the usefulness of a test depends on how well the sample represents the field.
Soil Nitrate Quick Test Nitrate is the primary form of plant-
available N found in the soil during the summer growing season. Measuring soil nitrate concentrations with the quick test (Fig. 2) can be an efficient way to assess soil N and is faster and cheaper than sending a sample to a commercial laboratory. Although test strips are not as precise as analysis performed in commercial laboratories, their resolution is sufficient to guide fertilizer decisions.
Irrigation
Fine-tuning irrigation scheduling can help with improving the efficiency of nitrogen management. The use of reference
evapotranspiration data from nearby weather stations can help avoid excessive irrigation and decrease nitrate leaching. In addition, soil moisture sensors are an important tool for estimating the right time to start the irrigation and avoid water stress. Account for N in irrigation water. Nitrate present in groundwater needs to be accounted for in the total N budget. To convert NO3-N concentration in the water to lb N/acre, the following equation can be used: mg/l NO3-N x 0.227 = lb N per acre inch of water.
Figure 2. The soil nitrate quick test: A) nitrate test strip, B) 50 ml centrifuge tube with clear solution on top, ready for strip reading, and C) colorimetric strip reading equals to approximately 50 ppm NO3.
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OnionWorld.net
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Nitrogen Needs
Performing Soil Nitrate Quick Tests Supplies needed: •50 ml centrifuge tubes (as many tubes as the number of samples tested at the same time; only one tube necessary per test/field) •0.01 M CaCl2 solution: 5.6 grams of calcium chloride dihydrate (from Fisher Scientific. Fisher Chemical: C70-500) to be added to 1 gallon of distilled water •MQuant colorimetric nitrate test strips •2mm sieve
Procedure: 1. Sieve a portion of the soil sample by uniformly placing all soil on the top of the sieve and shaking it. When soil is wet and clayey, pinching the soil sample through the sieve with a spatula or spoon may be necessary to obtain enough soil for the test. 2. Fill the centrifuge tube to the 30 ml level with the 0.01 M calcium chloride solution. 3. Add sieved soil to the tube until the level rises to 40 ml. Cap tube and shake vigorously. Let sit until particles settle out and the solution at the top is clear. The more clay-like the soil, the longer it will take. 4. Dip test strip into the solution for one second, shake off excess, and wait 60 seconds. Compare color with color chart outside the strip container.
Result interpretation: The test strips measure ppm of NO3 in the solution. To convert the reading to ppm NO3-N on a dry soil basis, divide the strip reading by a correction factor based on soil texture and moisture. Test strip reading (ppm NO3) ÷ correction factor = ppm NO3-N in dry soil
Correction Factors: Soil Texture Moist Soil Dry Soil Sand 2.3 2.6 Loam 2 2.4 Clay 1.7 2.2 For example, a strip reading of 50 ppm NO3 for a moist loam soil equals to 25 ppm NO3-N in a dry soil basis.
Converting soil analysis results from ppm of NO3-N to lb N/acre: This calculation is based on volume of dry soil contained in 1 acre by the depth sampled. For simplification, multiply the test result in ppm of NO3-N by 2 or 4 according to the depth sampled: •0-6 inches sample: ppm NO3-N x 2 = lb N/acre •0-12 inches sample: ppm NO3-N x 4 = lb N/acre For example, a soil sample collected at 0-12 inches that has 25 ppm NO3-N indicates that the field has approximately 100 lb N/acre. That is enough nitrogen to carry an onion crop for more than one month during peak N uptake until more fertilizer is needed. 12
Onion World • January 2019
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13
PNVA Covers Keys to Crop Health P
roper disease management is crucial to a healthy onion crop and a successful outcome of the growing season. This was one of the important reminders given at the annual Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association (PNVA) Conference and Trade Show held Nov. 14-15 in Kennewick, Washington. In addition to presentations sharing tips for irrigation and thrips control, several sessions detailed some of the most pressing disease management issues facing onion producers today.
Proper Diagnosis
James Woodhall, a plant pathologist at the University of Idaho, set the tone with a talk about the importance of properly diagnosing bacterial and fungal pathogens.
In the Pacific Northwest, onions can be affected by a range of pathogens. These pathogens can cause soil-borne diseases such as pink root, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Pythium damping off, as well as various bulb diseases including blue and black mold caused by Penicillium and Aspergillus species, respectively. Onions also can be affected by neck rot caused by Botrytis species, in addition to bacterial diseases such as slippery skin, bulb decay, center rot and various soft rots. With this long list of possible culprits, correct diagnosis is essential for successful disease management, Woodhall pointed out. To assist with diagnosis, he encouraged growers to consult with their local extension services as well as their
Washington State University displays dozens of onion varieties from various seed companies.
Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference attendees make their way through the trade show during a conference break.
Bill Dean checks out the onion varieties on display at the Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference.
Derek Williamson with Precision Planting listens to feedback from conference attendees about the company’s planter row unit.
OnionWorld.net
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Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference local university diagnostic labs, which can often utilize a range of diagnostic tests to identify the causal agent. The samples sent to university labs form a vital part of surveillance for crop disease issues, he said, allowing early detection of any pathogen population changes and informing the future direction of research.
Center Rot
Bhabesh Dutta, a plant pathologist at the University of Georgia, brought the latest information on the bacterial disease center rot, which has been impacting onion production in Georgia. The disease is caused by a complex of Pantoea species, namely P. ananatis, P. agglomerans, P. alli and P. stewartii subsp. indologenes. Among them, P. ananatis is prevalent in Georgia, resulting in economic losses every year both in field and storage. The pathogen has multiple sources of inoculum: seed, weeds and thrips. P. ananatis has been known to survive in onion seed and can potentially introduce pathogen in the production field. The
pathogen can also survive as an epiphyte in more than 20 weed species in Georgia. One particular weed species, Florida pusley (Richardia scabra), has been consistently associated with carrying P. ananatis as an epiphyte. It was observed that P. ananatis can survive as an epiphyte on Florida pusley under conditions (temperature, relative humidity and precipitation) that prevail in Georgia’s Vidalia onion production region. Onion thrips and tobacco thrips can also acquire and transmit P. ananatis in onion seedlings. Research indicated that the mode of bacterial transmission in onion is via contaminated thrips feces. Thrips tend to feed and defecate near feeding sites, thereby contaminating onion plants. Further investigation also indicates that thrips can acquire natural pathogenic populations of P. ananatis from Florida pusley and can transmit it to onion seedlings. Overall, a link between two different inoculum sources, namely weeds and thrips, was found to be important in disease epidemiology, Dutta concluded.
Seminis sales rep Richard Navarrete (right) talks shop with a Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference attendee.
Chip Hesse and Kyle Niehenke man the Suberizer booth.
James Woodhall with the University of Idaho discusses common diseases of onions in the Pacific Northwest.
16
Onion World • January 2019
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Idaho-Malheur County Onion Growers Association Annual Meeting Four Rivers Cultural Center Ontario, Ore. Contact Cindy Pusey (208) 888-0988 or cindy@amgidaho.com
Feb. 12
Utah Onion Association Winter Meeting Bridgerland Technical College Brigham City, Utah Contact Dan Drost (435) 797-2258 dan.drost@usu.edu
June 10-12
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Irrigation Essentials Buyers’ Guide
Water Treatment Resources • www.watertreatmentresources.com AgriTec Copper Algaecide
AgriTec, offered by Water Treatment Resources, is designed for use in drip and other agricultural and aquaculture applications. It is so highly concentrated and effective that only a low application rate is necessary. This prevents algae and metal buildup, keeping drip lines free and clear of obstruction. AgriTec does not fall out of solution and sink to the bottom. There is no pre-mixing or pre-testing required. The unique dispersion qualities of this liquid copper formula get the copper where it is needed most. The product goes instantly into solution and stays there, preventing overtreatment.
Lindsay Corporation • www.zimmatic.com NFTrax 2.0 Airless Wheel Assembly
The next evolution of Lindsay’s airless wheel design is now available. Like the company’s original patented design, the NFTrax 2.0 will never go flat and keeps wheel ruts to a minimum, saving time, labor and replacement costs. The updated version provides more traction and more even weight distribution. Built with maximum durability, NFTrax 2.0 has a heavy-duty, vulcanized rubber belt with a steel cable core that is tensioned over 10 newly-designed, winged drive points that apply even pressure across the entire belt surface. This forms a larger surface area to evenly distribute the machine’s weight, resulting in improved performance over varying terrain and field features. Also available is the optional Z-Tread, a new aggressive, alternating tread pattern that is designed for slopes, low spots and other areas where more traction is required.
Skone Irrigation • (509) 545-8420 in Pasco, WA, or (509) 349-7364 in Warden, WA Reinke GPS Guidance
Reinke has released a new application for its GPS guidance system. Skone Irrigation, a Reinke dealer in Pasco and Warden, Washington, is now able to install Reinke’s GPS guidance on any Valley corner machine. This is a very reliable system and is a great option for systems that are encountering issues with buried wire guidance. This system can replace a current pathway or allow a user to realign the pathway to accommodate a newer structure or circle design. A simple download from a zip drive program and even in-field realignment is possible with this system. With a new install of the guidance system, irrigators can fix longstanding areas of concern, and the system can be moved onto machines purchased in the future.
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Onion World • January 2019
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Valley Irrigation • www.valleyirrigation.com X-Tec Motor, Valley Scheduling
High-value crops require high-tech irrigation solutions. The Valley X-Tec motor is the perfect combination of speed and power, allowing pivots to complete a circle in half the time. Use it to apply pesticide and fertilizer through the pivot or to create a cooling canopy, protecting crops from heat and maintaining surface moisture during germination. Plus, eliminate erosion and prevent leaf damage in early stages. Valley Scheduling advanced management software provides easy-to-understand irrigation recommendations based on real field data. Save resources by applying water and nutrients most effectively; reduce crop stress from over- or under-watering; improve crop health and reduce disease; and increase yield potential, quality and profitability.
Jain Irrigation • www.jainsusa.com Turbo Tape
Turbo Tape by Jain Irrigation is a new innovative drip tape with built-in filtration to handle the most difficult water quality challenges. Each filtering inlet is engineered and designed to help block out contaminants and reduce the chances of clogging. With an array of emitter spacing and flow rates, Turbo Tape was built with growers in mind to match water requirements of onion crops everywhere. With its close emitter spacing, Turbo Tape can provide a wall of water and nutrients directly to the root zone of the crop. Manufactured in the U.S. with state-of-the-art equipment, Turbo Tape is an excellent choice for onion growers looking to gain a competitive edge in production and quality.
Jain Monitoring & Control • www.jainsusa.com/monitoring-control Jain Logic
Utilizing the combination of a robust software platform and field-rugged hardware, Jain Logic field monitoring technology has been trusted by growers since 2006. Jain Logic delivers real-time data from sensors in the field to any internet-connected mobile device, tablet or computer in an easy-to-use and intuitive interface. From soil moisture monitoring, evapotranspiration forecasting and irrigation scheduling, Jain Logic is designed to help farmers achieve more crop per drop. Jain has spent over a decade going beyond simply providing data. The Jain Logic platform analyzes the data, then puts it in a format that helps customers better manage resources and increase crop yield. Understanding when and how long to irrigate to meet crop needs while managing inputs to the root zone saves water and nutrients.
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19
From the NOA
NOA Introduces New Executive Vice President
By René Hardwick, National Onion Association Director of Public and Industry Relations
P
eanut butter and chocolate. Peas and carrots. Or, how about onions and rice? When you get one of the world’s largest staple commodities paired with one of the top-consumed fresh vegetables in the world, you’re bound to come up with a blend that makes the perfect recipe. Here at the National Onion Association (NOA), we think we’ve done just that with the addition of Greg Yielding, who has spent the past 14 years traveling the world marketing rice, the staple food of more than half of the world’s population. Now, he’ll bring his global trade expertise and strong relationship-building skills to onions, the third-most consumed fresh vegetable in the United States. Yielding has officially assumed the executive vice president role at the NOA, taking over for the retiring Wayne Mininger, who will stick around through March to help bring Yielding up to speed on all things onion. Yielding emerged as the clear choice among more than 100 applicants for the job. “I was not surprised at the end of the day that Greg Yielding was the choice of the hiring committee,” said NOA President Doug Stanley. “Greg showed his professionalism and desire for the job
the whole way through the process and immediately began his 101 course on onions. His background with association work and his extensive legislative background should serve our association well.” The NOA officially introduced him to its membership in December at its annual convention in Maui, Hawaii. Yielding hails from Jackson, Missouri, where he has been serving simultaneously as the director of emerging markets and special projects for the U.S. Rice Producers Association, as the executive director of the Missouri Rice Research and Merchandising Council and as the executive director for the Arkansas Rice Growers Association. Though he came up the political route, Yielding has grown to know farmers and agriculture in the past 14 years advocating for rice. “I like representing the farmers and growers,” he said. “I believe that everyone needs to be represented, and representing farmers is important for the country.” He welcomes the opportunity to lobby and market on behalf of onions in Washington D.C., a role he finds fits nicely with his outgoing personality. He got his start in the business world as a reading clerk in the Arkansas State Senate, where he read the bills and recorded the votes. Prior to serving on the rice councils,
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he was the executive director for the Arkansas Cable Telecommunications Association for 10 years. Yielding is used to wearing many hats. While serving as constable in North Little Rock from 1994 to 2004, he also served on the North Little Rock City Council from 2000 to 2004. He’s been serving as the chairman of the Jackson Historic District Commission since last year. He said he is all about relationships — and he’s up to the task in the onion industry. “I enjoy helping people and trying to make things better,” Yielding said. “Just making contacts with people and building relationships with them whether they’re in the organization or government officials or in regulatory agencies. We need to make sure we have relationships with these people, so if we have problems, we can get them taken care or at least let them know how we feel about it.” He relocated to Greeley, Colorado, the NOA’s headquarters, at the end of December. Specifically, he’s readying himself to lobby for the industry’s interests in ag transportation, trade and labor issues. He’s also going to keep abreast of all the continued regulations plaguing the industry. He said he wants to work toward ensuring regulations are what the industry can live with and are actually making a difference. Yielding is married to Caroline; he has a 7-year-old son named Elisha and a 23-year-old son, Zachary, who is in the U.S. Marines. “We are very excited to have Greg on board and look forward to him representing our industry through whatever challenges come our way,” Stanley said. “I’d like to say ‘Thank you!’ to those of you who assisted on and off of the search committee during the process. Transitions like this don’t happen on their own, and I was blessed to have some great people helping make this happen.”
Five Minutes With…
Greg Yielding, Incoming National Onion Association Executive Vice President
The
National Onion Association (NOA) has hired Greg Yielding as the new executive vice president to replace Wayne Mininger, who will retire in April. We caught up with Yielding at the NOA Annual Convention in Maui, Hawaii. What are you currently doing? Currently, I work for the U.S. Rice Producers Association, the Missouri Rice Council and with the Arkansas Rice Growers Association. So, both Missouri Rice Council and the Arkansas Rice Growers Association are part of the U.S. Rice Producers Association, the national association for rice farmers. What is your background? I have a lot of experience in politics in Washington D.C. and advocating for farmers and agriculture, and I want to use that for the onion industry. What about that political experience? We heard that you are from Little Rock? Yeah, I’m from North Little Rock. Since you’re from Little Rock, do you know the Clintons? Yes, I actually worked in the campaign, one of the gubernatorial campaigns as a state staff. So you know him personally? Yes. So you could call him and say “hey, I have a problem?” (Laughs) Well, I don’t know if I could call him, but he’s a person that if he saw me, he would say, “Hey Greg, how are you doing?” He has that gift to be able to do that. Share with us something about yourself that others may find surprising. I’ve been with the U.S. Rice Producers Association as the director of emerging markets and
special projects. So, I’ve been all over the world promoting and trying to open up markets for rice. Actually, since 2005, I’ve spent over a year of my life in China getting that market open, getting the phytosanitary regulations taken care of, doing promotions, doing surveys to see if the Chinese wanted to buy U.S. rice and then going forward with the phytosanitary agreement. So, now we got a little hiccup with the trade with China, so everything is ready for it to occur, but now we’re at that situation. But that will change, and there’ll be U.S. rice in China. So, I’ve been there, I’ve been to Egypt, I’ve been to Korea, I’ve been to Taiwan, I’ve been to Kazakhstan, I’ve been to the Middle East. Where did you go to school? I went to school at the University of Arkansas. So, you’ve done a lot of exciting things in your travel and in your career, it sounds like. What’s left on your bucket list that you would like to do? You know, I don’t know exactly what that would be. I’m going to enjoy living in Colorado, and enjoy hunting and fishing and being in the outdoors. I’ve traveled to Colorado several times doing that, so I’ll enjoy that. Maybe Alaska, that’s someplace I’ve never been. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? To represent people, try to help them out, try to make life better for people, to let people know about the freedoms we enjoy in this country and that sort of thing. What would you like to be famous for? Opening new markets and making whatever industry that I advocate for be successful and having the farmers be successful and helping feed the people of this country.
You know, that’s food security, and food security is national security. Food is very important. I mean, everybody eats three times a day. It’s very important to do that. What’s your motto? I think you need to be proactive on stuff. You don’t need to wait until something happens and then go ahead and try to solve it. You can do that in a lot of ways, but politically you definitely can do that. Don’t wait to have to react to a piece of legislation that you don’t like; that’s not good for your industry. But try to be proactive, and see something coming and deal with it. That’s what I think you need to do. Be proactive, and reach out to your legislators; we’ve talked about that on the podcast before. Or any issue. It could be a marketing issue that you do that. But always be looking for the next place that you’re going to sell your crop. Don’t get lulled into “oh, everything's okay” with our domestic market, or even certain export markets. Be looking for something new in order to help the farmer. For the full interview, go to TheOnionPodcast.com. OnionWorld.net
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In the News
APE Picks up New Supplier
Automated Produce Equipment (APE) has a new alliance with CMI Equipment and Engineering. CMI is a metal fabrication company specializing in manufacturing industrial food processing equipment. Located in Minnesota, the company fabricates conventional and specialized equipment including an onion peeler that tops, tails and peels in one operation. Users can expect the machine to handle up to 120 onions per minute.
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New FieldNET App Earns Innovation Award
Lindsay Corporation’s new FieldNET mobile app, released in 2018, has been selected as an AE50 award winner for 2019. Presented by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, the award recognizes the year’s most innovative designs in engineering products or systems for the food and agriculture industries. FieldNET technology offers remote monitoring and control of irrigation systems. The new FieldNET app includes additional precision variable rate irrigation functionality, new endgun control options and the ability to enable or disable auto-restart and autoreverse. It also allows users to check soil water depletion and irrigation recommendations from FieldNET Advisor.
Onion World Launches Podcast Onion World has a new podcast. You can listen to The Onion Podcast on the Onion World website or download it to listen to in the field or on the road. The podcast discusses a variety of topics relevant to the onion industry. So far, the following episodes are online: • Meet Rene Hardwick
Committed to onion advocacy, education, family
Join Today
• The Allium Leafminer is the Onion Industry’s Newest Pest • Crookham Company’s New Offerings • Stuart Reitz Discusses Malheur New episodes will be added often. To sponsor or participate in a podcast, contact dave@onionworld.net. To listen to the podcast, visit theonionpodcast.com.
www.onions-usa.org To apply online, hover smart phone over this quick response code.
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