DONALD, Ore. — The hazelnut is Oregon's state nut for a reason.
It plays a big role in the state’s economy, bringing in more than $250 million every year.
Now Oregon's brand new hazelnut processing facility in Donald, Oregon is up and running. The new space is expected to make everything more efficient.
“We have some of the leading technology in the nut industry,” said Jason Costa, the plant manager with Hazelnut Growers of Oregon.
The facility is centrally located just off Interstate 5, in the center of all the hazelnut farms that stretch from south of Eugene up to the Washington border, in the heart of hazelnut country.
While the world leaders in hazelnut production are Turkey, Italy, and Georgia, Oregon produces 99 percent of the U.S. hazelnut crop and this year, the crop is expected to be especially excellent.
Last year, 31,000 tons of hazelnuts were harvested. In 2018, the prediction is that the crop will be 56,000 tons. In 2025 that number goes up to 90,000 tons.
The new 120,000-square-foot space is an upgrade from the multiple buildings that formerly made up the facility in Cornelius. The new location will be able to process more product in a shorter amount of time.
“More mechanized, there's more automation here but will handle much more volume,” said Patrick Gabrish, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Hazelnut Growers of Oregon.
The anticipated increase in hazelnuts is mainly because more crops have been planted.
The first hazelnut tree in Oregon was planted in 1858. Today more than 800 families in Oregon grow hazelnuts.
China is the largest consumer of Oregon hazelnuts. Costa said there is concern over how China will handle its tariffs of American-made goods. He said it’ll be at least a couple more months before they get a better idea of the tariff impact.