Wholesale Vidalia Onions, Vidalia Onion Retailers
History
VIDALIA® ONIONS CELEBRATE THEIR 75TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2006!
1931
The Vidalia onion story began over 70 years ago in Toombs County, Georgia. In 1931, a farmer by the name of Mose Coleman discovered the onions he had planted were not hot; they were sweet! It was a struggle to sell the concept of a "sweet" onion, but like all true innovators, Coleman persevered. He managed to sell those first crops for $3.50 per 50-pound bag, which in those days was considered a premium price.
1940s
In the 1940s the state of Georgia built a farmer's market in Vidalia which greatly aided in spreading the word about "those vidalia onions".
1950s & 1960s
Through the 1950s & 60s production grew at a slow but steady pace, reaching some 600 total acres of Vidalia Onions harvested annually by the mid 1970s. With the consumer momentum generated by Piggly Wiggly and the growing acceptance of this unique agricultural product by south Georgia farming community, Vidalia onions were set for distribution throughout the nation.
1986
Georgia's state legislature defined the 20-county Vidalia® production area as follows: Emanuel, Candler, Treutlen, Bulloch, Wheeler, Montgomery, Evans, Tattnall, Toombs, Telfair, Jeff Davis, Appling, and Bacon counties in their entirety, along with portions of Jenkins, Screven, Laurens, Dodge, Pierce, Wayne, and Long counties.
1989
Vidalia onion growers united to establish Federal Marketing Order No. 955. This USDA program extended the definition of a "Vidalia onion" to the Federal level. It also established the Vidalia® Onion Committee as a way for producers to fund marketing and research for the Vidalia® onion.
1990
Georgia's state legislature passed a resolution declaring the Vidalia onion as Georgia's official state vegetable.