Fun Facts

Fun fact! Canada is the largest export market for U.S. sweet cherries, followed by South Korea. The United Kingdom is the largest export market for U.S. dried cherries.

Fun fact! Potatoes were first cultivated by the Incas in Peru around 200 BC. The Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the 16th century where people were initially reluctant to adopt it. However, over time, due to its practicality, Europeans widely accepted and consumed the crop.

Fun fact! The United States produces 24% of the world’s pistachios, making it the second leading producer and exporter behind Iran.

Fun fact! Between 2016 and 2019, corn farms using organic techniques increased to 16,585 from 14,217, and the number of certified acreage grew to 5.5 million from 5 million.

Fun fact! The pomegranate belongs to the Punicaceae family, which has only two genus and two species.

Fun fact! Sugarcane has been cultivated for over 4,000 years. Methods for manufacturing sugar from sugarcane had been developed in India by 400 BC. Europeans were introduced to sugar during the crusades, and by the 11th century AD, sugar was being imported all over Europe. Christopher Columbus likely brought sugarcane to the West Indies.

Fun fact! Pear trees are very susceptible to Fire Blight, a bacterial disease cause by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora.

Fun fact! Since 2008, the number of farmers’ markets in the U.S. has increased 76 percent. The most recent data from 2014 shows that there are 8,268 farmers’ markets currently operating in the United States.

Fun fact! In Jewish culture, lentils are an important food to serve during mourning ceremonies because their round shape symbolizes the cycle of life. In Italy and Hungary, lentils are consumed on New Year’s Eve to bring about wealth and prosperity because lentils are shaped like coins.

Fun fact! In the U.S. only 5% of the cranberries produced are sold fresh, while the remaining 95% are processed, mostly for juice and juice blends.

Fun fact! Avocados contain 60% more potassium than bananas, and are also rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin K, and folate.

Fun fact! About 63% of potatoes are sold to processors who make French fries, chips, dehydrated potatoes, or other potato products. The rest goes to fresh market, are fed to animals, or reused as seed tubers for the next growing season.

Fun fact! On average, eating a cup of cooked dry beans provides 264 micrograms of folate, accounting for 66% of the recommended daily requirement.

Fun fact! Quinoa sees optimal growth at temperatures below 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Above that temperature, the pollen goes sterile.

Fun Fact! Carrots are rich in beta carotene, and contain vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium.

Sugar from sugarbeets accounts for 55-60% of the 9 million tons of sugar produced by the U.S. each year.

Fun fact! One cup of asparagus contains three grams of protein.

Fun Fact! Celery was first cultivated in the Mediterranean region 3,000 years ago. Early plants were primitive and used predominantly for medicinal purposes, such as sedatives. The first culinary usage of celery was as a flavoring, and the earliest record of the use of celery as food comes from France, dating back to 1623.

Fun fact! The Anacardiaceae family of flowering plants, also known as the cashew or sumac family, includes genera such as cashew and mango, but also poison ivy and poison oak.

Fun fact! The Comanche would use pecan to treat ringworm by pulverizing the leaves and rubbing them into the infected part of the ringworm.

Fun fact! Because there are no registered herbicides for buckwheat in the United States, growers must rely on sensible field selection, pre-plant weed control, and a uniform, dense crop canopy to shade out weeds from the late season rain.

Fun fact! Carrots are a member of the Apiaceae family of plants, which includes celery, anise, dill, and cilantro.

Fun fact! Honey collected from bees feeding off buckwheat has been found to contain levels of antioxidants such as vitamin C and E that is 20 times higher than that of other honey tested.

Fun fact! Buckwheat is highly nutritious, with 74% of its protein being available to the human body, making it one of the best sources of plant-based protein. It also contains eight essential amino acids, vitamin E, and nearly the entire vitamin B complex spectrum.

Fun fact! Sunflowers have deep root systems. Therefore, during crop rotation, a fallow period is typically recommended following sunflowers as to replenish depleted soil water reserves.

Fun fact! In a 2-ounce serving, pistachios contain 12 g of protein which is more than a similar-sized serving of halibut, 6 g of fiber which is three times more than a similar-size serving of broccoli, and 570 mg of potassium which is greater than one large banana.

Fun fact! The United States is the second largest consumer of turkey, behind Israel.

Fun fact! While the kernel and oil of macadamia nuts are the main products, macadamia shells have a number of uses as well, such as mulch, fuel (think charcoal), as a planting medium for anthurium cultures, for plastic manufacture, as well as a substitute for sand in sandblasting.