Rising demand for grafted vegetables related to methyl bromide phaseout

Nine years after the phaseout of the use of methyl bromide as a soil fumigant was phased out in Jan. 1, 2005, pursuant to U.S. obligations under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer and the Clean Air Act. Until recently, the 100 percent phaseout allowed variances such as critical use exemptions agreed to by the Montreal Protocol Parties. As pressure tightens to do away with these exemptions, agricultural demand for grafted vegetables with rootstocks that naturally resist soil-borne diseases is skyrocketing. Ironically, this agricultural demand may be surpassed by interest from home vegetable growers.

As the nation’s gardeners begin a clamor for organic and local sources of food, many have opted to grow their own. While the downturn in the economy has encouraged this as a practical consideration, additional stimulus has come from health concerns over GMO’s and toxins found in the average American diet. Throw in the impetus from the superior taste of homegrown veggies and the trend to grow-your-own vegetables is quickly becoming a movement.