Hazelnut Growers of Oregon celebrates grand opening of state-of-the art processing facility in Donald, Oregon
Hazelnut cooperative is "growing for the future" with new facility poised to meet highest level of food safety standards and record-setting industry growth
Hazelnut Growers of Oregon (HGO), a farmer-owned cooperative of more than 180 co-op members, celebrated the grand opening of its new 120,000 square foot hazelnut processing facility in Donald, Oregon. When HGO merged with Wilco Farmers Cooperative in 2016, they immediately started on plans to build a new processing facility designed to meet rigorous new FSMA food safety requirements. Included in the new plant is the latest in nut processing technology and is the only hazelnut processing facility in the Pacific Northwest that uses steam pasteurization – a growing requirement by many customers, and a value to growers who deliver their crop to HGO.
Today, there are more than 800 family farms growing hazelnuts on over 70,000 acres in the Willamette Valley. The value growers received for their hazelnuts has averaged just over $100 million per year during the last five years. This translates into a total economic impact of more than $250 million for the state. Source: http://oregonhazelnuts.org/about/fun-facts/