NOA's promotion program has two main goals:

• Increase domestic onion usage in consumer and foodservice channels nationwide.
• Generate as much publicity and awareness about onions, to produce the best return on the dollars donated to the program.

NOA's promotion program is funded through voluntary donations. All growers, shippers, and brokers are asked to participate by sending their donation payable to the NOA.

Donations of one cent per hundred pounds of onions shipped or processed are encouraged.

Publicity & Promotion Activity

The Director of Public and Industry Relations for NOA is responsible for handling questions and concerns from the public, securing publicity, and planning a variety of promotion activities each year.

Here are a few of the project results as well as a few of those planned for the current year. For a complete list, email info@onions-usa.org.

Consumer:

Editorial feature in SAVEUR magazine.

Superior print media coverage achievement award from NAPS for NOA's French Onion Soup feature.

Developed “Onions Have Layers” lesson plan series for teachers of 4-6 grades, available online.

Retail:

Conference with Registered Dietitians from 20+ retail grocery chains.

Foodservice:

Promote six new onion side dish recipes created to increase produce offerings in casual dining locations.

Media Relations:

"Appetite for Health" featured onions in two public television segments this fall. Estimated reach = 7 million.

Stay tuned for details about a radio release coming soon!

Social Media:

Follow the Onionista on Twitter @Onionista

Fall 2011 - Second successful Twitter Party estimated 1.3 million.

Recent Activity

• Advocated for dedicated onion research via Specialty Crop Research Initiative
• Prepared for the Food Safety Modernization Act with the writing and adoption of national voluntary commodity specific food safety guidelines.

The Association has a long history of engaging the American political process. This is accomplished via discussions with political leaders on lobbying trips to Washington D.C., by written and digital correspondence with appropriate responsible parties, and by engaging grass-roots efforts to inform, educate, and persuade elected and appointed officials, as well as government career professionals regarding issues affecting the dry bulb onion industry.