Founded in 1901 in Riverhead, NY, the Long Island Cauliflower Association was formed by a group of Long Island farmers who were keenly aware of the need to obtain a good supply of cauliflower seed and to then market the product grown. Early records show trading in Dutch guilders to obtain cauliflower seed from the Netherlands.

Early shipments of cauliflower from Long Island were packed in barrels, each head with paper over it and the top of the barrel sealed with burlap. Much of the early production was sold through agents, with local contact people securing the cauliflower and arranging shipment to New York City by trucks or the special cauliflower train called “The Scoot”!

LICAIn 1914 the leaders of the Long Island Cauliflower Association started an auction on Hallet Street in Riverhead, NY. Their goal was to provide all growers with an outlet for their cauliflower and receive the best price possible.

In 1917 the Long Island Cauliflower Association lead the industry to change from packing cauliflower in barrels to packing it in crates. The changing from packing cauliflower in barrels to crates led the Long Island Cauliflower Association to become a supplier of crate materials and kegs of nails. Thousands of kegs of nails, as well as hundreds of thousands of wooden crate parts, were sold to local farmers to build their own crates. This continued until the 1950’s when the wire-bound crate, which is still used today, was introduced. It was during these years that the auction moved first to the old fairgrounds in Riverhead, NY, and then to Mill Road where the property is still owned by the Long Island Cauliflower Association today.

As the production of cauliflower declined on Long Island other crops became a source of income for farmers and also an opportunity for the Long Island Cauliflower Association to continue to serve the needs of the local farm industry. Potatoes, beans, cucumbers, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, brussel sprouts and strawberries, among other crops, were now being grown and marketed. Providing packaging for all these crops became a major source of income for the Long Island Cauliflower Association . As insects became more of a problem, growers looked to the Long Island Cauliflower Association for chemicals to control them. As the twentieth century ended and potato production declined substantially, the Long Island Cauliflower Association remained at the front of the industry, supplying needed items for all the local growers.

The birth of the twenty-first century has seen many changes in Long Island agriculture. The Long Island Cauliflower Association is Long Island’s last remaining full-service farm supply company. Today, like the founders in 1901, the Long Island Cauliflower Association’s goal is still to serve the needs of all growers. In doing so, it has greatly expanded its products and services. Now, the Long Island Cauliflower Association serves not only potato and vegetable growers, but sod growers, wine grape growers, nurserymen, landscapers, greenhouse growers, municipalities, school districts, and yes, even homeowners. A line of over five hundred products and services is available to meet these industries’ needs.

The officers, directors and management of the Long Island Cauliflower Association, some of whom are descendants of its founders, are still committed to the success of the Long Island Cauliflower Association and to serving the growers of Long Island. Today, the Long Island Cauliflower Association serves all its customers from two locations in Riverhead, NY. It is run by a Board of Directors and managed by a staff of dedicated employees. As it continues to grow, the Long Island Cauliflower Association looks forward to being a leader in the industry for the next one hundred years.