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Nestle, who owns 85 percent of the pumpkin canning crop, apologized last week for a looming shortage on the classic Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin and Libby’s Pumpkin Pie Mix filling. This year’s harvest was smaller than expected thanks to heavy rains and saturated farm fields in the Midwest.

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While you should be able to find what you need for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays this year–no need to panic about a table without pumpkin pie–there likely won’t be any more canned pumpkin to ship after the holidays to hold consumers over through next fall when the 2010 crop is harvested. Bad news for year-round pumpkin lovers who praise the health benefits of pumpkin.

There is a silver lining though, organic pumpkin producers on the West Coast didn’t experience the same crop-damaging rainfalls. While organic pumpkin accounts for just 3 to 4 percent of the market, this is their chance to shine. Farmers Markets Foods in Oregon, the country’s biggest organic canned pumpkin producer has had a thriving season and they’re taking a record number of calls to fill Libby’s void.

Photo by SEPpics on Stock.xchng

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