The farmland, packing and storage facilities and other assets formerly used by Gerrald's Vidalia Sweet Onions will be sold at a bank-ordered auction May 25 and May 26, with Weeks Auction Group marketing the assets and conducting the auction.

The auction will include 323 acres of cropland, approximately 150 acres of which is irrigated. The land is suitable for onions, carrots, watermelons, cotton, peanuts and other crops. Approximately 27 acres are used for a pecan orchard. The land also includes ponds, established hayfields and pasture.

"This is a rare opportunity to own a state-of-the-art, fully integrated Vidalia operation, with irrigated cropland and packing facilities such as an 85,000-square-foot packing facility with 40,000 square feet of cooler area, 100,000-pound underground truck scales, grain storage for 47,000 bushels, ponds, irrigation wells, and equipment," said Mark Manley, president of Weeks Auction Group. "The auction is the result of an lengthy bankruptcy proceeding and subsequent foreclosure which occurred in December," he said.

The land is in Bulloch County, which is included in the tightly defined area where growers are allowed to grow Vidalia sweet onions and market them under the Vidalia onion brand. "Vidalia sweet onions used to be mainly a southern phenomenon, but today they are in demand by discerning chefs nationwide," said Manley.

Also selling will be late model John Deere equipment and row crop implements, packing equipment and more than 3,500 produce field bins.

Online bidding on the real estate and equipment will begin on May 11, with the real estate bidding closing May 25 and the equipment bidding closing May 26.

Any announcement made on the date of the sale will supersede any previously announced terms and conditions.

Weeks Auction Group representatives will be onsite at the packing facility, 5591 Clito Road, Statesboro, Georgia the week prior to the auction. Individuals seeking additional information may visit WeeksAuctionGroup.com or call 229-890-2437.