Welcome to the NJ Hazelnut Initiative's Website!
New Jersey, with its fertile soil, favorable climate, and strategic location, stands at the cusp of an agricultural renaissance. It is uniquely poised to nurture small hazelnut farms, leveraging its agricultural legacy while embracing innovation. By supporting these ventures, we're not just investing in a crop but in a future that values sustainability, supports local economies, and preserves the heritage of family farming for generations to come. Let's embrace the potential of hazelnuts and ensure New Jersey remains at the forefront of this exciting agricultural evolution.
THE CORE TEAM
Ozgur Tunceli, Ph.D.
Gregg Loboda
Edward Clerico, PE
We share a vision and recognize the benefits of commercializing hazelnuts in the region:
Advances a sustainable crop
Can be grown on marginal soils not suitable to tillage
Meets a growing demand for healthy protein and fat
Improves biodiversity
Provides additional means for flood mitigation
Creates economic benefits
Uses less water and are drought resistant
Captures carbon emissions
The Collective Team
We're a collaborative group of hazelnut farmers, enthusiasts, hobbyists, researchers, propagators, university personnel, legislators, companies, cooperatives, and private parties all striving to achieve a common goal:
The commercialization of hazelnuts in NJ and surrounding areas.
