Vidalia Honors Bejo Breeder, Grower of the Year

Four members of the Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame gather at the banquet. Pictured from left are R.T. Stanley Jr., Roy Kreizenbeck, Buck Shuman and Bob Stafford.Four members of the Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame gather at the banquet. Pictured from left are R.T. Stanley Jr., Roy Kreizenbeck, Buck Shuman and Bob Stafford.

April 23, 2019

Story and photos by Dave Alexander, Publisher

The Vidalia Onion Committee had its annual awards banquet March 15, inducting retired Bejo breeder Roy Kreizenbeck to the Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame and naming McLain Farms as Grower of the Year. With more than 200 people in attendance, the event featured a live band and buffet with southern favorites and more dessert choices than an off-strip Vegas casino.

Cliff Riner with G&R Farms and Chelsea Blaxton with the Vidalia Onion Committee catch up during the annual meeting.
Cliff Riner with G&R Farms and Chelsea Blaxton with the Vidalia Onion Committee catch up during the annual meeting.

Hall of Fame

A breeder since 1970, Kreizenbeck started breeding dehydrator onions, but moved in to fresh market varieties. Kreizenbeck’s specialty became short-day onions, grown in the lower latitudes.  Though a resident of California, Kreizenbeck developed some of the first hybrids for the Vidalia industry, starting in 1984. He went on to develop some of the most popular and highest-yielding varieties in Vidalia, including Sweet Vidalia, Mr. Maxx, Rio Bravo, Nirvana and Sweet Caroline. But it is the Sweet Vidalia that makes him most proud.

“One of the growers here, R.T. Stanley, was talking to me today about the Sweet Vidalia and what a tremendous onion it was and how it changed things here,” he said.

Kreizenbeck retired three years ago but continues to work every day, consulting for Bejo, looking at trials, gathering information and making recommendations for new breeders in the company.

Megan Haygood and Dianne Stanley visit before dinner.
Megan Haygood and Dianne Stanley visit before dinner.

Grower of the Year

From left, Rusty and Brett McLain with McLain Farms receive the Grower of the Year award from Lee Lancaster with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Bob Stafford, manager of the Vidalia Onion Committee.
From left, Rusty and Brett McLain with McLain Farms receive the Grower of the Year award from Lee Lancaster with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Bob Stafford, manager of the Vidalia Onion Committee.

Vidalia Grower of the Year for 2018, McLain Farms, also won the award in 2014. Run by brothers Brett and Rusty McLain, Brett gives the credit for McLain Farms’ success to his staff. The McLain family and their employees filled three tables at the ceremony.

“The Grower of the Year award is truly a team effort,” Brett said. “I could never accomplish what we have done on my own. It’s an honor to stand out and be recognized when there are so many good growers in this industry.”

Brett dedicated the award to his father, James, also a recipient of the Grower of the Year award, who passed away last year.

The emphasis of the award is on quality and production, and Brett said the 2019 harvest is looking really good.

For more information about McLain Farms, check out TheOnionPodcast.com.

Jan Slot with Bejo, Kayce and Mitchell Herring with Seedway LLC and Jorge Jimenez with Bejo visit before dinner.
Jan Slot with Bejo, Kayce and Mitchell Herring with Seedway LLC and Jorge Jimenez with Bejo visit before dinner.
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