Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 40 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE › Chapter 40-7 - FOOD DIVISION REGULATIONS › Subject 40-7-8 - ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO VIDALIA ONIONS › Rule 40-7-8-.03.1 - Vidalia Onions Varieties Allowed to Be Grown

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(a) Upon recommendation of the Director of
				the Experiment Stations of the College of Agricultural and Environmental
				Sciences of the University of Georgia, the Commissioner will authorize onion
				varieties to be included as a "
Vidalia onion variety
" as
				defined in Rule
40-7-8-.02(g)
and to be planted and marketed as Vidalia onions or Vidalia green
				onions. The authorized onion varieties will be listed and published online at
http://agr.georgia.gov
, as well as
				on the Vidalia grower/packer application, and will be updated as
				necessary.
(b) Any and all onion
				varieties not included on the published list referenced in paragraph (a) above
				are specifically limited and excluded from being planted and marketed as
				Vidalia onions or Vidalia green onions.
(c) No onion variety shall be listed as an
				authorized variety until it shall have completed three years of testing by the
				College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the University of Georgia
				to evaluate shape, color, pungency, sugars, and other factors characteristic of
				Vidalia onions and is recommended for inclusion as a Vidalia onion by the
				Director of the Experiment Stations of said College.
(d) In addition to the criteria established
				by the Director of the Experiment Stations of the College of Agricultural and
				Environmental Sciences of the University of Georgia for making his/her
				recommendation, the following guidelines will be considered by, but not limit,
				the Commissioner in reviewing the recommendations of the Director for the
				authorization of additional varieties or limitation of existing varieties:
(1) Any proposed new variety must be
				registered by the seed producer with the Department prior to commencement of
				any official test trials by a seed producer, onion grower, or the Director;
				such registration shall include, without limitation, the proposed name and test
				identification number, results of seed producer tests, and other relevant data;
				in the case of varieties being tested at or before the effective date of this
				rule, such registration shall be within sixty (60) days of the effective date
				of this rule.
(2) The seed producer
				shall furnish the Director with a representative quantity, as determined by the
				Director, of the new variety and of any existing approved variety for testing
				by an annual deadline set by the Director.
(3) The test period shall be three
				(
3
) consecutive years in University test trials. Test plots on
				individual farms (
either by the seed producer, an onion grower or the
				Director
) shall be limited to 0.07 acres (
approximately 3,000
				square feet
) for each variety, which shall be clearly identified and
				segregated from plantings of approved Vidalia varieties and reported in writing
				by January 15th of the harvest year to the
				Department with appropriate lay-out maps showing the location thereof. At the
				completion of each test trial from an individual farm, the test plots must be
				completely destroyed and under no circumstances may any onions from said plots
				be introduced into the marketplace or sold as Vidalia onions or Vidalia green
				onions.
(4) Prior to planting test
				plots, seed producers shall furnish, in writing, to the Department the names
				and locations of all growers where test trials are to be conducted.