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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #411178
Research Project: Water and Nutrient Management for Sustainable Production of Small Fruit and Nursery Crops

Location: Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit

Title: Assessment of industry priorities and management practices on US-grown tea

Author
item CHEN, YAN - Louisiana State University
item NAKAMOTO, STUART - University Of Hawaii
item SPAKES-RICHTER, BRANTLEE - University Of Florida
item BURNETT, KATHARINE - University Of California, Davis
item COLONNA, ANN - Oregon State University
item RATHINASABAPATHI, SALA - University Of Florida
item HARDESTY, SHERMAIN - University Of California, Davis
item Scagel, Carolyn
item GERVAY-HAGUE, JACQUELINE - University Of California, Davis
item ADELBERG, JEFFREY - Clemson University
item ZHANG, DONGLIN - University Of Georgia
item BEASLEY, JEFF - Louisiana State University
item BI, GUIHONG - Mississippi State University
item PEMBERTON, BRENT - Texas A&M University
item LIU, ZHIJUN - Clemson University

Submitted to: Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/19/2022
Publication Date: 10/20/2022
Citation: Chen, Y., Nakamoto, S.T., Spakes-Richter, B., Burnett, K.P., Colonna, A., Rathinasabapathi, S., Hardesty, S., Scagel, C.F., Gervay-Hague, J., Adelberg, J., Zhang, D., Beasley, J., Bi, G., Pemberton, B., Liu, Z. 2022. Assessment of industry priorities and management practices on US-grown tea. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.57.9S.S1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.57.9S.S1

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Consumer demand for US-grown tea has increased over the past few decades because of concerns for more transparent and sustainable production practices, and increased availability of US-grown tea. Two grower listening sessions and a US Tea Industry Prioritization Survey were conducted in 2021 under a USDA NIFA SCRI planning project. Results indicated that tea is commercially grown in AL, CA, FL, GA, HI, LA, MD, MI, MS, NC, NY, OR, SC, TX, and WA, and 56% of the tea farms established their planting in the last ten years. However, the industry faces many challenges regarding future development. Top concerns from the growing, processing, and marketing sectors of the industry all significantly focus on the processing quality of the final tea products. Management practices in field production, processing, and marketing were also surveyed, and most US tea growers are aware of the environmental and social impacts of their practices and are using some sustainable practices to enhance soil fertility and conserve natural resources. Interests in beginning or adding tea as a new crop to current production are high as indicated by the specialty crop growers participating in the survey as prospective tea growers. Regional research and extension team efforts to address the top priorities identified from these assessments are important for the US tea industry to advance and meet the consumer demand for quality tea.