Idaho Eastern Oregon Onion deal solid despite weather challenges
Idaho and Eastern Oregon comprise a great deal of the onion supply in the United States. Idaho farmers regularly grows more than 10,000 acres of onions, while Oregon is above 21,000 acres annually.
“The 2023 onion crop in Idaho-Eastern Oregon was a crop that had its share of challenges,” said Corey Maag, who along with his father Doug, grows 300-400 acres of onions annually, and operates the packingshed Jamieson Produce. He’s also the Malheur County onion grower president and the Idaho-Oregon Marketing Oregon chairman. “Some of these were a wet spring, that led to later planting. A moist, cooler spring slowed the crop’s growth. Then in August we were hit with some very abnormal rain events that dumped approximately five inches of rain. This is about half of our annual rainfall.”
However, the producers were able to manage these challenges and put a high-quality crop into storage.
“Our summer temperatures were milder this year and we avoided the extreme heat we had the previous two years,” Maag said. “This helped our crop catch up and produce close to average yields.”
Marc Bybee, co-owner and manager of Eagle Eye Produce’s Nyssa onion packing facility, manages about 900 acres, with the majority being yellow, red and white Spanish Sweet onions.
“While the bulk of Eagle Eye Produce’s onion production is in Eastern Idaho and Oregon, with an additional 1,200 acres packed out of another facility in Payette, Idaho, we also have growing and shipping locations all over the Western United States,” he said. “This allows us to offer a true year-round consistent supply for our customers across the U.S., Mexico and Canada where they are used in foodservice, retail and by processors.”
The past season was Eagle Eye’s biggest yet, as it shipped millions of pounds of onions all over North America, offering a range of packaging options from 2-pound small packs to 50-pound mesh bags, bins and sling totes to meet customers’ needs.
“To be successful in this category, integrity is everything,” Bybee said. “Our operation in Nyssa stands out because we go the extra mile to meet specific customer needs, down to the finest detail. I think this meticulous approach ensures the delivery of a high-quality product that’s not just reliable, but also shows our commitment to integrity at every step. When we say we’ll do something, we do it. It’s as simple as that.”
The crop this year, he noted, has seen an abundance of good quality, even if the un-characteristic heavy rains just prior to harvest have contributed to some variability in quality.
“This is yet another example of how unpredictable farming can be,” Bybee said. “Even though we stick to our tried-and-true methods, Mother Nature is always the great equalizer and has the final say.”
Jarom Jemmett, a producer in the Idaho Eastern Oregon region, part of a third-generation family farm and current president of the Idaho Onion Growers Association, noted this season had a more normal growing season except for the Hurricane Hillary rains that were untimely.
“Because of the mandatory inspections of packed produce that take place in the packingsheds, quality and consistency are the goal,” he said. “Yields were better this year than last year which helps us meet the demand. I’m hoping 2024 is even better.”
Maag is looking forward to the 2024 crop and believes it will be strong.
“Our reservoirs have a good carryover supply of water so irrigation water should not be a huge concern,” he said.
“As always, producers have to deal with Mother Nature. We are the world’s biggest gamblers.”
