Yearly Review of Vegetable Growing Issues Is Always an Eye-Opener

By Carol Miller|July 27, 2022

Many people see statistics as cold and soulless. When I’m reading through our State of the Vegetable Industry survey results, however, I’m seeing the faces of growers I know. Every production upturn or price increase tells a story.

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Before I share my viewpoint on what is happening in the industry, let me share a few behind-the-scenes factors.

We conduct the survey during February and March. So these numbers mostly reflect the 2021 season. While a few questions ask about intentions, it important to understand this aspect.

Much has happened since then, including the escalating impact of Russia invading Ukraine. That invasion has had a big impact on fuel prices and agriculture worldwide. But many of the issues that affect you and your operation were in place when we sent out the survey. Think of the increasing consumer demand for sustainable produce, a slowly unkinking supply chain, and a more digitally connected world that powers technological innovations.

Thankfully, although the U.S. is seeing a surge in COVID-19, this new variant is not as deadly as past ones. And it looks like the country is emerging from the pandemic.

So What’s Happening This Year?

We’re seeing what looks like a long-term-to-permanent shift in who the industry sells their crops to. Many U.S. vegetable growers who had never sold directly to consumers, or had left that behind them many years ago, began doing so during the pandemic. And most of those are still doing so.

Labor is still a major issue. Sometime back, I noticed the growers who told me they’re able to recruit and keep workers had something in common. They offer the type of benefits you might find in other labor sectors. So this year, we asked you about which benefits you offer employees for the first time.

The biggest story to me? How resilient and adaptive U.S. vegetable growers are. You came up with so many fresh ideas on how to overcome the challenges before you. You all have my deepest respect.

Scroll the gallery above for some interesting takeaways from this year’s State of the Vegetable Industry survey. And thank you for participating!