Applications are available for the 2026-27 Nut Growers Society Scholarship open as of Sept. 14. The scholarship supports college students involved in ag who have an interest in the nut growing industry and its future. Applicants must be current college students with at least one year remaining toward an associate or undergraduate degree. Preference will be given to Oregon residents and students pursuing ag-related fields of study. Applications are due Nov. 24. Recipients will be selected and notified Dec. 15, with funds disbursed to the college financial aid office Jan. 1. Click here to learn more.
Tag: Oregon Agriculture
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Hazelnut Growers Achieve First-Ever 100,000+ Ton Crop
For the first time in the 100-plus year history of the United States commercial hazelnut industry, farmers harvested more than 100,000 tons of hazelnuts in 2025. Preliminary totals estimate the yield to be more than 121,000 tons—a massive increase from the 96,000 tons harvested in 2024. Final harvest numbers are expected later this spring. Prior to 2020, the peak U.S. hazelnut harvest was 51,000 tons in 2018.
Much of the sharp rise in production is due to the orchard planting boom of the 2010s. From 2010-2019, hazelnut acreage in Oregon climbed from approximately 29,000 acres to approximately 81,000 acres. This acreage has since stabilized at around 96,800 acres. New, better-yielding hazelnut cultivars, advancements in farming technology and growing global demand for hazelnuts all contributed to an influx in new plantings throughout Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Escalating production soon followed the expansion in acres. Oregon is home to 99% of U.S. hazelnut orchards, with farms in Washington contributing to make the Pacific Northwest the epicenter of country’s hazelnut production.
Hazelnut trees typically take four to five years to produce enough kernels to harvest; they continue to
produce more nuts as they mature to 10-12 years old. At full maturity, it is now common for an acre of hazelnut trees to produce 3,000 pounds or more of hazelnuts. With thousands of acres of trees planted in the 2010s now reaching this stage, production is anticipated to rise precipitously over the next several
years.About the Hazelnut Marketing Board
Nestled between the grandeur of the Cascade Mountains and the scenic Pacific Ocean lies the Willamette Valley — one of the world’s premiere agricultural regions. Over 99% of American hazelnuts are grown in this fertile valley. The rare combination of volcanic soils, moderate temperature and ample precipitation makes this the optimal region for hazelnut orchards. These thriving groves yield hazelnuts renowned globally for their unparalleled size, consistent quality and distinct flavor. U.S. hazelnuts boast a robust, buttery smooth flavor and are the ideal accent for exquisite entrees or delicious desserts. They are also great by themselves as a healthy and flavorful snack. U.S. hazelnuts come in many forms–including kernels, meal, flour, sliced, diced, paste and oil–making them easy to eat and use.
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Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective Demonstrates Early Market Momentum with USDA Funding
With a USDA Organic Market Development Grant (OMDG) award totaling less than $200,000, the Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective (OOHC) has delivered a remarkably productive six-month period of market expansion activity, demonstrating how far strategic, low-budget promotional efforts can go in elevating a specialty crop with strong potential.
Consumer sampling supported by a USDA Organic Market Development Grant revealed that many participants were experiencing whole hazelnuts for the first time, beyond familiar uses in coffee creamers or chocolate spreads. From June through November 2025, OOHC—working collaboratively with grant partners Oregon Organic Coalition and Hummingbird Wholesale—executed a coordinated campaign designed to increase awareness and stimulate demand for Oregon’s organic hazelnuts among chefs, consumers, trade, and international audiences.
OOHC introduced Oregon organic hazelnuts to influential professional chefs through a strategic partnership with the Maitres Cuisiniers de France-USA (French Master Chefs-USA). Several chefs subsequently are reporting adding Oregon organic hazelnuts to their menus—an extremely strong indicator of long-term adoption and momentum for a nut that is familiar in French culinary tradition, but relatively new to most of the United States outside of the Pacific Northwest.
OOHC participation and sampling at consumer events in Oregon and California provided additional exposure at events drawing more than 175,000 attendees, many of whom reporting that they had never tasted a whole hazelnut before, highlighting the market opportunity for education and product trial beyond coffee creamers, candies, and spreads.
OOHC’s promotional campaign, branded as OOH!, has quite literally drawn “OOHs” and “AHHs” from consumers tasting natural Oregon organic hazelnuts for the first time. The bright, clean flavor profile continues to surprise newcomers and reinforce the crop’s culinary value.
OOHC has completed and published comprehensive Supplier Lists for both wholesale and consumer buyers, now accessible at organichazelnuts.org. This addresses a persistent challenge voiced by consumers and manufacturers seeking reliable sources for organic hazelnuts.
Despite having no paid advertising, the OOHC website https://organichazelnuts.org/ attracted nearly 23,000 unique visitors between June and November 2025. More than half arrived through direct searches, demonstrating rising name recognition and sustained interest in Oregon’s organic crop. Significant traffic also originated from Asia and Europe—two of the world’s strongest tree-nut import regions—reflecting meaningful international curiosity.
Oregon organic hazelnut grower Sue Chen shares a video tour of her farm with Chef Christian Têtedoie, President of the international Maîtres Cuisiniers de France. OOHC’s social media content generated tens of thousands of views across Instagram (OrganicHazelnutGrowers) and Facebook(Oregon Organic Hazelnuts), supported by exceptionally high engagement rates. Independent benchmarks show that the average Instagram engagement rate across all industries is approximately 0.44% per post (RivalIQ¹), while nonprofit organizations average 0.62%². Facebook brand page engagement often falls between 0.06% and 0.20%³. OOHC’s engagement rates, consistently several times higher, demonstrate extraordinary audience resonance. Hootsuite reports OOHC’s Instagram average engagement rate at 17.86% and Facebook at 15.48%.
“The organization’s new Instagram and Facebook accounts logged nearly 24,000 post views in the first six months,” said Judy Hirigoyen, marketing consultant to the OOHC. “Those are small numbers compared to the big tree nut commodity groups, but the fact that they achieved that with no paid advertising is very encouraging.”
“In just six months we’ve seen Oregon’s organic hazelnuts earn attention from Michelin-starred chefs, curious consumers, industry professionals, and international markets,” said OOHC Chair Lori Stole. “Achieving this level of traction on such a modest budget shows what is possible through strategic partnerships, strong storytelling, and a product with genuine culinary, nutritional, and environmental value.”
OOHC will continue its work in 2026, furthering chef engagement, consumer education, and expanding opportunities for Oregon’s organic hazelnut growers.
Grower Sue Chen showcases Oregon’s organic hazelnuts to French Master Chefs at their annual conference. The Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective promotes the environmental, culinary, and economic value of Oregon-grown organic hazelnuts. Supported in part by the USDA Organic Market Development Program, OOHC works to expand market access, strengthen grower opportunities, and increase consumer awareness of this distinctive Oregon specialty crop.
¹ RivalIQ 2024 Social Media Benchmark Report — Industry Instagram engagement average: 0.44%.
² RivalIQ 2024 Nonprofit Social Media Benchmark — Nonprofit Instagram engagement average: 0.62%.
³ Hootsuite/Meltwater 2024 Global Social Media Benchmarks — Facebook brand engagement norms 0.06%–0.20%.
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Pros & Cons of Trunk Guards vs Painting Young Hazelnut Trees
Many new acres of hazelnut trees are being planted in the Pacific Northwest, and growers may be wondering whether they should protect these young trees by painting the trunks or using trunk guards. Oregon State University Extension is currently conducting some research on the topic, as shared back at the Nut Growers Society Summer Tour. Watch this brief interview with Heather Andrews as she shares some of the pros and cons of using trunk guards vs. painting tree trunks.