Shuman Farms is partnering with the Idaho Potato Commission and Georgia Southern University Athletics to bring an appetizing new event to fans: Rooted Rivalry: Onions vs. Potatoes. 

This unique mash-up took place in Statesboro, GA, on Aug. 31 at the Eagles’ football home opener against the Boise State Broncos and celebrated two beloved root vegetables and gameday staples: sweet onions and Idaho potatoes. 

Bland Farms' Vidalia sweet onions will be available through early October for the first time in years. This extended season is a rare opportunity for consumers to enjoy these coveted sweet onions well beyond the typical season, just in time for Labor Day grilling and fall recipes.

Peruvian sweet onions play a crucial role in the onion category by providing a consistent supply of high-quality, flavorful onions during the fall and winter months when Vidalia onions are not available.

Plus, their mild, sweet taste and versatility in cooking make them a popular choice among consumers, driving sales and enhancing the overall appeal of the produce department.

For more than three decades, third-generation, family-owned Shuman Farms has been a top grower of Vidalia onions. However, while Vidalia sweet onions are what the company originally hung its hat on, the crop only runs from about mid-April to late August.

G&R Farms, a third-generation family farm specializing in sweet onions, is a leading supplier of sweet onions year-round. The company brings in onions from Peru from late September through March to have sweet onions available before and after the Vidalia season begins to avoid any gaps in supply. 

The company has been growing in Peru for a long time and knows what it takes to be a success.

The deadline for onion buyers to apply for the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee’s yearly VIP Tour is Aug. 21, with the event set for Oct. 3-5 in Onion Country USA.

Applicants who are selected for the expense-paid event will be notified by Sept. 3.

The VIP Tour includes airfare, lodging, meals, ground transportation and entertainment. Group stops will be at fields being harvested as well as at onion-packing operations, where the sales staff will be ready to answer all questions.