Growing Hazelnuts in the U.S.: Breeding, Pollination, and Profit Potential

Are hazelnuts the next big specialty crop for the Midwest and East Coast? In this episode of Tim’s Take, we sit down with Dr. Ron Revord (University of Missouri) and Dr. Tom Molnar (Rutgers University) to discuss the cutting-edge research behind hybrid hazelnuts. From chocolate and confections to orchards and agroforestry systems, discover what makes hazelnuts unique, how they flower in winter, and why quality and freshness are changing the hazelnut game.

In the second half of Episode 45 of Tim’s Take, hazelnut experts Dr. Ron Revord, Director of the Center for Agroforestry, and Dr. Tom Molnar, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Rutgers University, discuss key factors that influence hazelnut orchard success. Host Tim Reinbott continues the conversation with Dr. Revord and Dr. Molnar, focusing on research-based guidance for hazelnut production. Topics include orchard establishment, site and soil considerations, cultivar selection, pollination strategies, and long-term management for sustained productivity.

Additional information on hazelnut research, cultivar development, and production recommendations is available through the following Extension and research resources:

Rutgers University Hazelnuts Research Program https://research.rutgers.edu/agricultural-products/hazelnuts

University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry – Hazelnut Resources https://centerforagroforestry.org/working-to-build-a-hazelnut-industry-for-family-farms-across-the-midwestern-and-eastern-us/

Episode 45 Podcast YouTube Video Part One: https://youtu.be/-_39VL5yrVA

Episode 45 Podcast YouTube Video Part Two: https://youtu.be/vQ6Um_lb144

Learn more about the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station (MOAES) and its research programs: Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station official website https://moaes.missouri.edu/

#Mizzou #PlantNutrition #Hazelnuts #CropHealth #AgScience #AgriculturalResearch