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.
About 45 growers will grow over 80 acres of the “Simply Sweets” in 2022. Growers in Lancaster County and beyond have banned together to establish a cooperative drying and packing operation to handle the “Simply Sweets” as have growers in the Centre and Clinton Counties.
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. You can also visit the committee’s own website at www.pennsylvaniasimplysweetonions.com.