AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF ARTICHOKES
                            Executive Summary
The globe artichoke, Cynara scolymus, is a thistle-like
herbaceous perennial.   The adjective "globe," which describes
the immature flower head, is used to differentiate this true
artichoke from the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.)
and the Japanese or Chinese artichoke (Stachys sieboldii Miq.),
both of which are grown for their edible tubers.
Virtually all U.S. commercial artichoke production, about 9,000
acres, is located in California.  Of the 67 U.S. farms reporting
artichoke production in 1992, 63 were located in California.  The
value of the California crop was $58.5 million in 1994, a record
high.
The United States produced 109 million pounds of artichokes in
1994, down from the peak output of 134 million pounds in 1985. 
Domestic production follows a distinct seasonal pattern, peaking
between March and May, and remaining relatively low during the
remainder of the year.  In addition to domestic production, the
U.S. imported nearly 71 million pounds of artichokes in 1994,
mostly canned and brined products from Spain.  
Artichokes are a minor vegetable in the American diet.  Although
consumption is rising, U.S. consumers use less than one pound of
artichokes annually.  Consumption of fresh artichokes closely
follows the seasonal availability of domestic shipments, cresting
in the spring when California s production peaks.
Artichoke prices vary substantially from month-to-month, largely
due to the highly seasonal nature of production.  The highest
prices usually occur from November through February, when the
quality of fresh artichokes is relatively high, but volume is
low.  The lowest prices occur during March, April, and May, when
high volumes drive prices down.
Because its cool, foggy summer climate and frost-free winters are
ideal for artichokes, the coastal areas of central California (in
particular, Monterey County) account for a large share of U.S.
artichoke production.  The Desert valleys in southern California
and western Arizona have emerged as minor commercial areas since
1990.  An estimated 450 acres of artichokes were grown in
California's Imperial County in 1993, with about 200-300 acres,
in total, in the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, California
and in Yuma County, Arizona.  In addition, nominal acreage is
planted to artichokes in Oregon's Willamette Valley for late
summer and fall harvest.  
Due to the lack of homogeneity in seed-propagated populations,
artichoke varieties traditionally have been propagated
vegetatively to maintain the genetic consistency needed to assure
uniformity among artichoke buds.  A high degree of uniformity is
needed for commercial acceptability.  In recent years, several
seed-propagated varieties have been released that produce uniform
buds.  One of these, "Imperial Star," was released by the
University of California and is grown commercially in the coastal
regions of southern California and in the Desert areas of
California and Arizona.  
Vegetatively-propagated perennial artichokes are grown almost
exclusively in coastal California, while seed-propagated annual
artichokes are grown mainly in the low Desert areas of southern
California and in western Arizona.  Coastal California's mild
winters permit the production of artichokes as a perennial crop,
and the cool spring, summer, and fall promote artichoke quality. 
Perennial culture has been desirable because it allows spreading
the high costs of establishing vegetatively-propagated artichokes
over time.  Vegetative propagation was at one time necessary to
maintain commercially-acceptable uniformity.
The development of seed-propagated varieties that have
commercially-acceptable uniformity permit production of
artichokes as an annual crop.  Growers can now afford to
establish a planting for a single season because seed propagation
is less expensive than vegetative propagation.  Annual production
of seed-propagated artichokes is adapted commercially in the low
desert areas, where summers are too hot for artichokes.  Desert-
grown artichokes are seed-planted in late summer and harvested
during the winter and early spring.  Desert production ends when
the on-set of hot weather lowers quality in the spring.
Some growers in the California's coastal areas are currently
experimenting with annual culture, but at this time, most
continue following perennial culture practices.
Artichokes are a comparatively hardy plant that produce over an
extended harvest period.  They can withstand severe stress and
yet survive to produce a considerable crop later in the season. 
A hard freeze in December 1990, for example, appeared to have
destroyed the California artichoke crop, but the plants recovered
and produced a typical-size crop the following spring.  
Although recovery appears less complete than following the 1990
freeze, a substantial amount of California's artichokes survived
flooding during the winter of 1995, and produced a crop later in
the season.  As of the end of November, 1995, artichoke shipments
for the year to date from California were about 55 percent of the
shipments at the same time in 1994. 
Our assessment is that there is a fairly limited potential for
artichoke crop insurance, particularly at the buy-up coverage
levels, because growers are likely to view artichokes as
relatively free of production perils.  Most growers reportedly
feel they can manage the production risks associated with
artichoke pests by following recommended cultural practices,
particularly in California's coastal areas.  Hard freezes,
excessive rains, and flooding are the greatest production perils,
and damage from these hazards occurs rather infrequently.  
Large growers account for the bulk of artichoke acreage in the
Salinas Valley and are often not eligible to receive benefits
under the Non-Insured Assistance Program (NAP) because their
annual gross incomes (and hence, qualifying gross revenues)
exceed $2 million.  In addition, these growers are likely to
quickly reach the $100,000 payment limit in the event of
disasters.  
These growers may want to see artichokes become an insurable crop
so that they may buy catastrophic insurance coverage, which they
could do at a negligible cost.  The director of the San Mateo
County Farm Bureau indicated that his organization is currently
working with USDA to establish an artichoke policy.