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Pennsylvania's Simply Sweet Onion™

The Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association holds the trademark for the "Pennsylvania Simply Sweet Onion", a premium brand of Pennsylvania-grown sweet onions.  The Association licenses growers to grow certain varieties under specified conditions (plastic mulch with drip irrigation).  Onions grown by licensed growers under these terms and which meet certain quality standards are allowed to be marketed as "Simply Sweets".   Over the last several years, demand for the "Simply Sweets" in supermarkets has far exceeded the available supply.

Over 40 growers are growing about 38 acres of the "Simply Sweets" in 2005. Groups of growers in Lancaster County and Butler County have banned together to establish cooperative drying and packing operations to handle the "Simply Sweets".

The licensing procedures for the "Simply Sweets" are determined by the Association's "Simply Sweet Onion" Committee which is composed of four growers, one Penn State University representative and one representative of the Board of Directors.

For further information on how to obtain or grow "Simply Sweets"; contact PVGA at 717-694-3596 or pvga@pvga.org

Special Local Needs Labels

The Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association administers the Special Local Needs labels for the use of Dual Magnum herbicide on transplanted peppers, transplanted cabbage, and spinach.  Growers who wish to use Dual Magnum on these crops must sign a waiver of liability and indemnification agreement with the manufacturer (Syngenta).  Copies of these agreements are available from PVGA by calling 717-694-3596 or e-mailing pvga@pvga.org.  The signed and notarized agreement must then be returned to PVGA which will approve the agreement and send the grower a copy of the requested label.  There is a $25 fee to the pepper or cabbage label.