Cracking The Hazelnut Sustainability Nut

Posted by Christina Herrick|November 10, 2010

Proactively positioning their industry for the future, the Oregon Hazelnut Commission and Hazelnut Marketing Board are launching an initiative led by SureHarvest to design and implement a sustainability program for hazelnuts, a $63 million dollar crop. “Hazelnut trees can live up to 100 years, so we take a long-term view. We’ve been integrating sustainability practices into our orchards for some time,” says Don Christensen, chair of the Oregon Hazelnut Commission Science Committee. “We are now ready to assess our farming practices and identify opportunities to maximize efficient resource use while benefiting the environment and society.”

“We decided that a grower-led program would best position us to be proactive on environmental issues and to demonstrate sustainability performance to regulators and our buyers,” adds Polly Owen, manager for the Oregon Hazelnut Commission. “We chose SureHarvest because of their leadership in developing sustainability programs for the winegrape and almond grower associations. They understand the economic and regulatory pressures on growers and the opportunities available to growers who take a sustainability approach to their farming operations.”

The Nuts And Bolts

The hazelnut sustainability program will be voluntary and include a self-assessment tool, benchmark reporting, and a continuous improvement program for responding to areas of highest priority with targeted outreach, research, and education. A committee of hazelnut growers and handlers, Oregon State University researchers and crop advisors, and environmental stakeholders will be led by SureHarvest to develop two modules aimed at Pest Management and Soil Management for pilot testing in early 2011.