6 Farm Facts About Tennessee Tomatoes

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| Originally Published: May 21, 2018

Farm Facts: Tomatoes

Tennessee knows its tomatoes. In fact, tomatoes were designated as the official state fruit in 2003. Here are a few more fun facts you may not know about tasty Tennessee tomatoes:

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1. In 2018, tomatoes contributed $54 million to the state’s economy.

Though Tennessee ranks seventh in the U.S. for acres planted and harvested, the state comes in third nationally for production value with $54 million, behind California and Florida.

See more: Tennessee Tomatoes Star in Fresh Summertime Recipes

tomato tips

2. Tennessee farmers harvested 4,000 acres of tomatoes in 2018.

Snap beans have historically ranked highest for production acreage of vegetable crops in Tennessee, and pumpkins and yellow squash usually are in the top 10 for U.S. production of vegetables by state. But tomatoes consistently lead vegetable crops in Tennessee for value of production.

3. The tomato is the fourth most popular fresh-market vegetable.

It falls behind potatoes, lettuce and onions. But yes, tomatoes are classified as vegetables, even though botanically they are actually fruits.

tomato farm facts

4. The USDA counts some 25,000 different tomato varieties.

Tennessee tomatoes run the gamut from hybrids like Early Girl (which ripens early in the season) to heirlooms like Cherokee Purple. Other favorites include Beefsteak, Celebrity, Mortgage Lifter, Park’s Whopper and San Marzano.

Ugly Tomato Photo Contest

5. On average, Americans eat about 31 pounds of tomatoes per person per year.

Tomatoes fall behind potatoes (49.4 pounds per person per year) but way ahead of onions, head lettuce and sweet corn, each of which fall below 10 pounds per person per year.

tomato sauce

6. More than half of U.S. tomatoes are consumed as canned tomatoes in the form of ketchup and tomato sauce.

In fact, pizza sauce is most common way that Americans eat tomatoes. Fresh-market tomatoes account for less than half of total tomato consumption.

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