If you like onions and have had the opportunity to give the Simply Sweet onion a try, you'll no doubt understand what all the excitement is about. The Pennsylvania Simply Sweet onion has proven itself to be a popular choice among consumers and a profitable agricultural alternative for Butler County producers.

There is still an opportunity for farmers to become involved in the production of the Simply Sweet onion in Butler County and Western Pennsylvania. A training session for prospective commercial growers will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Penn State Extension Office of Butler County. The Extension Office is in Building 10 in the Sunnyview Home complex in Butler. Anyone who is interested in becoming a grower of Pennsylvania Simply Sweet onions is encouraged to attend.

Bob Pollock, Indiana County Extension Director, will lead the training and will discuss cultural practices, onion diseases and insect control.

The Pennsylvania Simply Sweet onion is a branded crop and production is regulated by the Pennsylvania Simply Sweet Onion Marketing Committee of the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association.

Art King from the Butler Onion Network, a cooperative of 18 onion growers based in Saxonburg, will review licensing, grading, marketing, and other details associated with the production of Simply Sweet onions.

For additional information, contact the Penn State Extension at 724-287-4761 or Art King at 724-816-0853.

This material is submitted by Donna Zang, Extension director, and the staff of the Penn State Extension office at the Sunnyview Home complex.