Michigan Asparagus Sprouts Success With Several Tasty Products
In partnership with: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
The Lake Michigan shoreline region has moderate temperatures and sandy soils, perfect for growing asparagus. Dubbed the Asparagus Capital of the World, Oceana County has proudly hosted the National Asparagus Festival each June for more than
50 years.
“One thing that drew me to the industry is how much skill it takes to grow asparagus,” says Jamie Clover Adams, executive director of Michigan Asparagus. “Unlike traditional crops where growers have more time to make decisions, asparagus growers need to be two steps ahead of the crop.”
With 20 million pounds of asparagus produced annually, Michigan ranks first in the nation for asparagus production. More than 100 multigenerational asparagus growers harvest approximately 9,500 acres annually, with Oceana County producing about 80% of the state’s asparagus.
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A Nugget of Innovation
Since the Andean Trade Preference Act of 1991, offering duty-free access to U.S. markets to combat drugs entering the U.S., the domestic asparagus market has been severely damaged.
“There is significant competition from Peru and Mexico,” Clover Adams says. “We’re working with policymakers because this problem is caused by U.S. government decisions, and it’s hard to compete with their labor advantage and longer growing seasons.”
This market share loss inspired Michigan asparagus grower Joe Prado to do something new and innovative.
Growing up in a migrant family, the Prados journeyed from Florida to Michigan each year, picking crops along the way, until they decided to call West Michigan home when Prado was 9.
In their early 20s, Prado and his brother, Dan, started their asparagus operation after buying 20 acres in Oceana County.
“It’s an expensive crop to put in the ground, and my brother said I was crazy,” Prado says. “It was a small farm, but we had to make money with a commodity that was worth it.”
Nearly 30 years later, Prado Farms owns 120 acres of asparagus with plans to expand to 220.
In 2021, Prado Foods created the Original Asparagus Nuggets and partnered with Hansen Foods owner and friend Dave Hansen, who started selling them in his Michigan grocery stores. Asparagus nuggets are delicious breaded and frozen products that are sure to be a hit with the kids while still providing important nutrients.
This new product expands the asparagus market in western Michigan by allowing the vegetable to be enjoyed year-round instead of just seasonally and also utilizes the entire asparagus stalk.
Asparagus nuggets may not be in everyone’s kitchen yet, but Prado is working hard to make them a household staple. With their delicious taste, 12-ounce bags of asparagus nuggets are making their way into more of the retail market, with sales growing daily.
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A Jar of Family Tradition
National consumption of asparagus is also on the rise, with Americans consuming more than 500 million pounds each year. West Michigan growers fulfill this need by selling asparagus for fresh and processed markets.
Dmitri Safie, a farmer looking for ways to preserve his crops, launched the Safie Brothers Pickle Company in 1929, later passing the business down to his three sons, Louis, Charles and George.
George’s daughter, Mary Safie, now runs the family business with the tradition of hand-packing superior quality products with fresh herbs and vegetables. Well over 50% of Safie Specialty Foods’ asparagus is from Michigan, with the rest from other areas of North America.
“My dad and my uncles didn’t pack asparagus, so to learn, I went to the farms to see how farmers grow asparagus,” says Mary Safie, owner of Safie Specialty Foods.
Safie Specialty Foods started packing asparagus in the late 1990s, and now it’s their No. 2 item after their German-style sweet pickled beets. They pack 3 to 4 million pounds of asparagus annually with no added color, preservatives or additives.
“Michigan asparagus is unbelievable in taste and quality with a sweet flavor and tenderness,” Safie says.
With its mild and buttery flavor that pairs beautifully with any meal, Michigan asparagus is not only one of the most nutritious vegetables but a crop that keeps the region thriving.