![\"Asparagus](\"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/files\/2010\/12\/Asparagus-CG.jpg\")
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I\u2019d like to make the case that asparagus<\/a>, as a crop, is a prophetic vegetable.\u00a0 How the global asparagus industry has changed gives us a window on how the rest of the US fresh produce market is likely to change over time.<\/p>\n As you can see in the graph above, \u00a0Americans doubled our per capita consumption of asparagus between 1997 and 2008. \u00a0 That is a good thing because this delicious vegetable is\u00a0high in <\/a>nutrients\u00a0like vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, vitamin A… and also contains healthy phytochemicals like glutathione and rutin. \u00a0Asparagus is still a relatively small part of our vegetable consumption at 1.2 lbs\/person compared to broccoli at 5.9 lbs, sweet corn at 9.2 lbs, or fresh tomatoes 18.5 lbs (USDA data). \u00a0But what is interesting is that during the same time period that we doubled our consumption, the acres of asparagus grown in the US has dropped in half. \u00a0Why the disconnect? \u00a0There are several factors involved and many of them represent trends and drivers that will probably effect many other categories in the future.<\/p>\n We seem to be unable to have a civilized conversation about immigration policy in the US let alone actually institute a sane guest worker system for the people who do so much to tend our fruit and vegetable crops. \u00a0Because of this, labor is sometimes scarce, sometimes costly and fraught with potential legal issues for farmers. \u00a0This is increasingly problematic for all labor-intensive crops, but particularly so for asparagus. \u00a0During asparagus harvesting season in the spring, the shoots have to be carefully selected and cut as they emerge from the ground. \u00a0No one has perfected a mechanical harvester that can do the job, so relatively skilled pickers are needed 7 days a week. \u00a0Asparagus is a perennial crop which means that to start a new block, a grower needs to be confident that he\/she will be able to find and pay for all that labor for many years (10-20) to justify the commitment of time and money to a new planting. \u00a0Our political dysfunctionality is a big component of the uncertainty that is undermining farmer’s confidence and thus their decision about planting. \u00a0Combine that with demographic trends<\/a>, and look for a food future where only crops that can be harvested mechanically will prosper.<\/p>\n The US government funded research and support to develop asparagus as a crop for South American farmers with the goal of giving them alternatives to growing drug crops. \u00a0They also created an Andean Trade Preference<\/a>. \u00a0This was quite successful in the 1980s with relatively small growers selling to processing companies that exported canned and frozen product. \u00a0The industry stagnated in the 1990s as those processed markets shifted to China. \u00a0To survive, the asparagus industry started to shift to fresh exports and this tended to favor larger players as is always the case for fresh produce that is sold to distant customers with strong leverage. \u00a0Consolidation is already a long-term trend in US fresh produce, and it will continue both here and at our import sources. \u00a0Sourcing from China will be a continuing trend as it is now for many organic commodities that are not perishable.<\/p>\n The most successful asparagus cultivation has been in special micro-climates in the “rain shadow” of the Andes mountains, particularly in Peru<\/a>. \u00a0Here there is land for planting where there is NEVER any rain. \u00a0There is irrigation water available. Some sources have been in elaborate irrigation systems for thousands of years.\u00a0However, there are concerns about its sustainability because of climate change<\/a> or excessing pumping from some aquifers \u00a0In any case, it turns out that asparagus can be tricked into going dormant most times of the year by inducing drought stress. \u00a0This allows the Peruvian growers to have different fields set up to be harvested at different times. \u00a0There are not places in the US, Mexico or Canada that have the right combination of dryness and temperature to do this, so Peru supplies our market for most of the year when North American pickings are not available. \u00a0 Many people are advocates of “seasonal” produce consumption, and it is important, but the reality of consumer behavior is that we learn to eat things in greater quantities when we can count on them being available. \u00a0This and retail marketing tendencies will continue to favor year-round offerings.<\/p>\n Asparagus is actually a vegetable that is better suited than most<\/a> to local production. \u00a0It can grow even in relatively cold places as long as it has a good summer to store energy in its underground “crowns” that then enable it to push up as new shoots for the several week harvest window. \u00a0 Many states used to be significant producers of asparagus including places like New Jersey, Michigan, Washington, Illinois and Indiana. \u00a0One of the most advanced asparagus breeding efforts in the world was at Rutgers in New Jersey. \u00a0Asparagus will be an important test of the strength of the “Local” and “Seasonal” food movements. \u00a0There are many factors that will militate against these goals for asparagus, not matter how good it sounds (and it would be really great and fresh).<\/p>\n First of all, agricultural labor supply is even a bigger uncertainty in many of these regions. \u00a0 Also, who would make a 15-20 year commitment to a piece of land near a city that could have development potential? \u00a0Asparagus would not be a good candidate for a U-Pick because you really need to know what you are doing when harvesting or you compromise the life-span of the crowns.<\/p>\n People like to blame “Big Ag” or “Industrial Farming” for the trends in our food supply. \u00a0Asparagus is a good example of how what really happens is driven by forces such as economic realities, consumer behavior, retailer leverage<\/a>, politics and weather. \u00a0Farmers, at any scale, must simply respond to these drivers or go out of business.<\/p>\n Here is a challenge for a grocery retailer \u00a0that wants to make a public commitment to local production. \u00a0Give someone the financing and long-term contract that would allow them to devote some land to the production of local asparagus. Set the contract pricing in such a way that the labor will be available and affordable.<\/p>\n Graphs of trends from USDA-ERS and USDA-NASS made by Steve Savage<\/a><\/p>\n You are welcome to comment here or to Email me at feedback.sdsavage@gmail.com<\/p>\n Looking for a unique gift for loved one? Consider something made from hemp<\/a>… take a look at our current listing of hemp backpacks<\/a>, clothing<\/a>, jewelry<\/a>, and body care products<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019d like to make the case that asparagus, as a crop, is a prophetic vegetable.\u00a0 How the global asparagus industry has changed gives us a window on how the rest [ … ]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":110,"featured_media":9586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60,21],"tags":[4297,133,4715,4716,4717,3105,4718,1198,4423],"yoast_head":"\nWe Americans Love Asparagus, but…<\/h2>\n
Asparagus Is A Labor-Intensive Crop and We Americans Can’t Seem to Rationalize Our Farm Labor Policy<\/h2>\n
Politics Have Influenced Where Asparagus is Grown<\/h2>\n
![\"Asparagus](\"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/files\/2010\/12\/Asparagus-Trends.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe Peruvians Have Learned How to Cultivate Asparagus Year-round<\/h2>\n
Growing Asparagus Local Sounds Like A Great Idea, But…<\/h2>\n
A Challenge<\/h2>\n