| Michigan ranks among the top five asparagus producing states in the United States; ranking forth in production, and second in its seasonal group. As of 1970, the five leading states in asparagus were: (1) California, (2) New Jersey, (3) Washington, (4) Michigan, and (5) Illinois. Although the total acreages employed for asparagus production has been decreasing -3,800 acres between 1969 and 1970 -Michigan's has been increasing - 900 acres for the same period. The marked decrease in asparagus production over the past decade may be explained by strong foreign competition, especially from Taiwan since 1964; and from competing enterprises in certain areas and from asparagus farms sharing in the natural attrition of all farms in the U.S. The objective of... |
