Grower Perspective: Why Asparagus Fields in the U.S. are Disappearing
May 28, 2026 Across the U.S., asparagus fields are disappearing at an alarming rate. According to vegetable grower Shay Myers, CEO of Owyhee Produce in Parma, ID, there has been an 85% reduction over the last 15 years in the number of acres of asparagus grown in the U.S. But why?
Myers, who also is a social media farming influencer, says the startling story of domestic asparagus production aligns with an unfortunate growing trend. “There’s a tragedy in farming in the United States. Forty acres are lost to development every single hour,” he says in a recent post on LinkedIn.
The bottom line: Many farmers can no longer afford to keep growing asparagus, forcing them to sell farmland that once helped feed America.
Myers goes on to say in the video clip: “If I’m a farmer and I can’t make money doing what I love to do, and a developer comes to me and offers to buy my land … Am I going to grow something that makes no money, or am I going to sell the land and cash out?”
What would you do? Check out the entire clip below and leave a reader comment.
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