overview
The United States is one of the world's leading producers and consumers of vegetables and melons. In 2002, the sale of vegetables and melons (including mushrooms) earned farmers $17.7 billion. Annual per capita use of vegetables and melons rose 7 percent from 1990-92 to 2000-02, reaching 442 pounds as fresh consumption increased and processed fell. ERS analyzes the U.S. fresh, canned, frozen, and dehydrated vegetable industries.

Choose a commodity link below for a brief economic snapshot:

contents

• Background

• Trade

• Market outlook

• Policy

features
Vegetables and Melons Outlook is an electronic report, issued every other month in newsletter format, featuring current intelligence and forecasts of changing conditions in the U.S. vegetable and melon sectors. Topics include production, consumption, prices, trade and more.

Food Traceability: One Ingredient in a Safe and Efficient Food Supply describes the results of an investigation into the amount, type, and adequacy of traceability systems in the United States, focusing on the fresh produce, cattle/beef, and grain sectors. The investigation finds that these systems vary across industries as firms balance the private costs and benefits to determine the efficient level of traceability. For the full report, see Traceability in the U.S. Food Supply: Economic Theory and Industry Studies.

European Trading Arrangements in Fruits and Vegetables describes the extensive participation by the European Union (EU) in regional and preferential trading arrangements. Over 70 percent of EU fruit and vegetable imports are from countries benefitting from preferential treatment for some portion of trade. Exports from countries without preferences, including the United States, are at a disadvantage in EU markets.

recommended readings
How Much Do Americans Pay for Fruits and Vegetables? uses ACNielsen Homescan data on 1999 household food purchases from all types of retail outlets to estimate an annual retail price per pound and per serving for 69 forms of fruits and 85 forms of vegetables. Consumers can meet the recommendation of three servings of fruits and four servings of vegetables daily for 64 cents. The data used in the report are also available in Excel (*.xls) spreadsheets.

Factors Affecting Spinach Consumption in the United States analyzes U.S. fresh-market and processed spinach demand, shedding new light on the distribution of U.S. spinach consumption across different market channels, geographic regions, and population groups. The analysis indicates that consumption is greatest in the Northeast and West and strongest among Asians, highest among women 40 and older, and weakest among teenage girls.

Organic Produce, Price Premiums, and Eco-Labeling in U.S. Farmers' Markets describes how the popularity of farmers' markets in the United States has grown concurrently with organic production and consumer interest in locally and organically produced foods. This research, based on interviews with 210 market managers, describes the significance of these markets as outlets for many organic farmers, and recent shifts in relationships between organic growers, market managers, and customers.

See all recommended readings...

recommended data products
Vegetables at a Glance contains a popular table summarizing key data on the vegetable industry.

Vegetables and Melons Yearbook contains 141 spreadsheet tables (.xls), detailing 25 years of annual and monthly data for U.S. farm acreage, production, prices, trade, per-capita use, and more.

U.S. Sweet Corn Statistics provides 100 Excel spreadsheets describing the U.S. fresh and processed sweet corn industries, including U.S. and state acreage, yield, production, price, and crop value. Additional statistics include per capita use, price indexes, shipments, arrivals, U.S. exports and imports by country, world production, world harvested acreage, world trade, and selected cost of production budgets.

See all recommended data products...

related briefing rooms
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Dry edible beans
Fruit and tree nuts
Food market structures
Organic farming and marketing

questions and answers
What is the U.S. per capita use of vegetables and melons? Find the answer to this and other commonly asked questions about U.S. vegetable and melon markets.

related links
Links to other sites with economic information about vegetables and melons.

for more information, contact: Gary Lucier
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: October 25, 2004