Planning for the Advocates for industries by Kristine Thomas
W
hatever the challenges or celebrations happening in their individual industries, both John Coleman and Matt Schuster know they each have a priceless partnership to help their industry remain vibrant now and into the future. A hop farmer, Coleman counts on the Oregon Hop Commission for assistance while Schuster, who farms hazelnuts, turns to the Oregon Hazelnut Industry Office. “The Oregon Hop Commission is similar to having another partner at the table looking out for our best interests,” John said. “The Oregon Hazelnut Industry Office is an advocate for our industry,” Matt shared. Here are their stories of how the farmers and the associations work together to plan for the future.
“Our overall goal is to provide support to Oregon’s hop farmers whether it’s answering questions or facilitating projects,” Michelle said. Hops are grown commercially only in Marion and Polk counties by about 25 families, many who are third, fourth, or fifth generation hop growers. While the Oregon hop industry has a rich history, Michelle said, “this is not your grandfather’s hop industry.” “Technology, market conditions and regulation have resulted in an ever changing hop industry and our growers have embraced the changes,” she shared. The Oregon Hop Commission works closely with Oregon State University on research programs. “I am very passionate about agriculture and want the hop industry to thrive in Oregon,” Michelle said.
Oregon Hop Commission
Coleman Farms
Michelle Palacios’ workdays are as varied as the hops grown and the craft beers created in Oregon. As the administrator of the Oregon Hop Commission, Palacios shared she recently helped organize the first ever Hop/Barley/Brewing Tailgate at Oregon State University, where guests toured the college’s hops and barley breeding facilities, pilot malting equipment, fermentation science research labs, and the college’s new pilot brewery. Next up on Michelle’s “to do list” was writing a letter to the Oregon Department of Agriculture about a product farmers may need to control voles and deer mice in hop yards. Whatever her day brings, her goal is consistent: to lend her support to Oregon’s hop growers. “Every day is a little different but I appreciate that the size and concentration of our industry allows me to know all of the commercial hop growers in Oregon,” Michelle said. Since 1964, the Oregon Hop Commission has been a valuable resource for the Oregon hop industry by expanding growth opportunities through research, education and promotion. SEDCOR Marion County Business Retention and Expansion Manager Nick Harville serves on the Oregon Hop Commission. To maintain economic stability of hop production in Oregon, OHC’s main objective is to provide sufficient research through agricultural and financial evaluations. Meeting once month, the commission is grower-funded and is facilitated by seven growers, one dealer/handler and one public member. 4 Enterprise Winter 2018
As a sixth generation Oregon hop grower, John Coleman guides his team as they string hop vines to a wire trellis system using a similar technique that his great, great, great grandparents used. In 1847, James and Frances Coleman along with their daughter left Iowa for Oregon, becoming one of the first families to settle in the Willamette Valley near the St. Paul Mission. While how they farmed differs from today’s sixthgeneration modern farmers Tom and Melissa Coleman, Ben and Jen Coleman, and John and Liz Coleman, their family’s legacy lives on. The current generation focuses on honoring the past while putting forth significant planning and hard work to secure their farm’s future. Headquartered in St. Paul, Coleman Agriculture specializes in growing hops, hazelnuts, seed crops and a variety of vegetables on their farms in Marion and Polk counties. As the largest hop grower in Oregon, the Colemans raise 23 varieties of aroma and alpha hops. During a recent Hop/Barley/Brewing Tailgate at Oregon State University this fall, the first Coleman Agriculture “Union” IPA– a collaborative effort with OSU’s fermentation team — was brewed using Strata, Crystal and Chinook hops grown on the Coleman Alluvial hop farm near Independence. Coleman Agriculture feels fortunate to benefit from the resources and expertise of their partnerships with Oregon State University and The Oregon Hops Commission. Planning for the Future