Hop Growers of America Records, 1956-2011

Predominant Dates: 1990-2004

The Hop Growers of America Records (HGA) document the functioning of the organization. The HGA was founded in 1956 in Washington State. Its mission is to create a healthier and more efficient United States hops industry for corporations and farmers through education, advocacy, promotion, and support for technical and scientific research.

Creators

ID: MSS HGA

Extent: 2.0 cubic feet

More Extent Information

Scope and Content Notes

Biographical / Historical Notes

The Hop Growers of America Records document the functioning of the organization. The HGA organization was founded in 1956 in Washington State. Its mission is to create a healthier and more efficient United States hops industry for corporations and farmers through education, advocacy, promotion, and support for technical and scientific research. As a trade organization and registered 501-C5 nonprofit, HGA also focuses on education, advocacy, promotion, and support for technical and scientific research.

Local, state, and regional hop growers associations were formed and dissolved with some regularity in the early decades of commercial production on the west coast. The first major nationwide association was the U.S. Hop Growers Association, founded in 1943 and based in San Francisco, California. The organization published the periodical magazine The Hopper from 1945-1954, though the California offices and organization closed in 1953.

Hops have deep roots in the United States. Early settlers to North America could pick native wild hops in the woods around their settlements. But by the turn of the 19th century, specific areas specializing in growing hops had formed in America. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and New York all became early hop growing regions. By the early 1800s, hop growing had declined in the northern New England states; New York had higher quality soil and was closer to large population centers, and as a result it became the major hop-growing region from the 1880s until the beginning of the 20th century.

Hop production shifted again, this time to the west coast. Hop growing arrived in 1850s and by the turn of the 20th century both Oregon and California produced more hops than New York. Early western farmers were also helped by the construction of the transcontinental railroad, which allowed them to transport their hops to the breweries in the midwest and east. Hops were still grown during Prohibition, but primarily for export; when the Prohibition was lifted in 1933, hop acreage rapidly increased. Oregon, Washington and California led in hop production, and soon Idaho joined the other three western hop producing states. Following World War II, the U.S. was the largest hop producing country in the world, and much of what was produced was exported.

Author: Tiah Edmunson-Morton and Mary Williams

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Arrangement

Preferred Citation: Hop Growers of America Records (MSS HGA), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Acquisition Note: The materials were received in 2014 from the Oregon Hop Commission as part of the Oregon Hop Growers Association Records and were separated at that time.

Acquired: 2014.

Languages of Materials

English

Other

Container List

Series 1: Administrative, 1956-2004 Add to Shelf

Series 1 contains annual reports, meeting minutes, organizational budgets and financial statements, correspondence, along with articles of incorporation and by-laws. The bulk of the records are arranged chronologically by year.

Box-Folder 1.01: Correspondence, 1965-1999 Add to Shelf
Box-Folder 1.02: Meeting Minutes, 1956-1984 Add to Shelf
Box-Folder 1.03: Office Files, 1988-1989 Add to Shelf: Correspondence, meeting minutes and acreage reports.
Box-Folder 1.04: Office Files, 1990 Add to Shelf: Correspondence, U.S. Hop Promotion Committee meeting minutes, International Hop Growers Convention report.
Box-Folder 1.05: Office Files, 1991 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual report, meeting minutes, statistics, correspondence, reports from Japan trip and International Hops Conference, German brewery summary, and U.S. Hop Promotion Committee.
Box-Folder 1.06: Office Files, 1992 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual report, statistics, budget correspondence, International Hops Conference and Hop Growers of America meeting minutes, and articles.
Box-Folder 1.07: Office Files, 1993 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual report, International Hop Conference report, U.S. Hop Promotion minutes and updates, and board meeting minutes.
Box-Folder 1.08: Office Files, 1994 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual report, meeting presidential address, board of director's minutes, International Hops Conference report, correspondence, promotional updates, financial and budget information, and research articles.
Box-Folder 1.09: Office Files, 1995 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual report, U.S. Hop Promotion Committee minutes, International Hop Conference report, various trip reports, budget and financial information, correspondence, articles, and board of directors minutes.
Box-Folder 1.10: Office Files, 1996 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual report, annual meeting presidential address, board of directors minutes, International Hop Conference report, U.S. Hop Promotion Committee meeting, and correspondence.
Box-Folder 1.11: Office Files, 1997 Add to Shelf: Hop growers of America annual report, Hop Growers of America grower directory, Hop Growers of America board of director's minutes, U.S.A. hop tour participant profiles, International Hop Conference report, U.S. Hop Promotion Committee minutes, market report, financial information, and correspondence.
Box-Folder 1.12: Office Files, 1998 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual report, Hop Growers of America board meeting minutes, Hop Promotion Committee, International Hop Growers convention, Hop Growers of America convention, correspondence, budget and financial materials, and statistics.
Box-Folder 1.13: Office Files, 1999 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual report, statistics, correspondence, Yakima hops cost study, executive director search, Hop Growers of America board meeting minutes, budget and financial information, Hop Promotion Committee, International Hop convention, and U.S.A hop tour.
Box-Folder 1.14: Hop Growers of America Marketing Seminar, 1999 Add to Shelf: Presentation materials.
Box-Folder 1.15: Office Files, 2000 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual reports, Hop Growers of America grower directory, Hop Growers of America convention materials, International Hop Growers convention, correspondence, information on fruit and vegetable marketing orders, budget and financial information.
Box-Folder 1.16: Office Files, 2001-2002 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America reports, Hop Growers of America board of director's minutes, international travel reports, International Hop Growers convention, articles, and miscellaneous reports.
Box-Folder 1.17: Office Files, 2002 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America annual and statistical reports, Hop Growers of America board meeting minutes, international trip and market reports, event announcements, and research articles.
Box-Folder 1.18: Office Files, 2003 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America board meeting minutes, International Growers convention materials, and Hop Growers of America annual and statistical reports.
Box-Folder 1.19: Office Files, 2004 Add to Shelf: Hop Growers of America board meeting minutes, Hop Growers of America annual and statistical reports, and grower directory.
Box-Folder 3.01: Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, 1957-1987 Add to Shelf: Original documents and revisions.

Series 2: Publications, 1961-2001 Add to Shelf

The series is comprised of different publications throughout the years. Featured is the Hop Growers of America Bulletin and newsletters starting in the 1960s.

Box-Folder 2.01: Hop Growers of America Bulletin, 1987-2001 Add to Shelf: Bulletins for 1987-1991 and 2000-2001 are included.
Box-Folder 3.02: Newsletters, 1961-1987 Add to Shelf

Series 3: Events, 1962-2011 Add to Shelf

Series 3 is composed of different documents surrounding the Hop Growers of America Conventions throughout the years. Included are convention booklets, correspondence with advertisers and organizers, meeting notes and registration details.

Box-Folder 2.02: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1966 Add to Shelf: Correspondence to advertisers, sponsors, and attendees.
Box-Folder 2.03: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1974 Add to Shelf: Financial documents; event information; correspondence with sponsors, advertisers, and attendees.
Box-Folder 2.04: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1978 Add to Shelf: Correspondence with donors and advertisers, financial documents, event notes.
Box-Folder 2.05: Hop Growers of America Convention Registration, 1978 Add to Shelf
Box-Folder 2.06: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1981-1982 Add to Shelf: Financial documents, advertising, registration information, and planning documents.
Box-Folder 2.07: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1983 Add to Shelf: Marketing policy meeting materials, hop production statistics, international production report, and event agendas.
Box-Folder 2.08: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1984-1985 Add to Shelf: Ladies lunch program, receipts, and agenda.
Box-Folder 2.09: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1985-1986 Add to Shelf: Registrations, agendas, hotel information, receipts, and budget documents.
Box-Folder 2.10: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1985-1986 Add to Shelf: Receipts, budget documents, correspondence, and donations.
Box-Folder 2.11: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1989-1990 Add to Shelf: Financial documents, tickets, receipts, hotel information, and correspondence.
Box-Folder 2.12: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1990 Add to Shelf: Conference program, "Ladies Lunch" activities, and planning documents.
Box-Folder 2.13: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1990-1991 Add to Shelf: Correspondence, activities, meeting notes, and advertisers.
Box-Folder 2.14: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1993 Add to Shelf: Advertisers, registration information, hotel receipts, meeting agenda, and correspondence.
Box-Folder 2.15: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1995-1996 Add to Shelf: Advertiser applications
Box-Folder 2.16: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1995-1996 Add to Shelf: Registration information, promotional materials, Oregon hop report newsletter, sponsorship.
Box-Folder 2.17: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1998-1999 Add to Shelf: Advertisers, sponsorship, and correspondence.
Box-Folder 2.18: Hop Growers of America Convention, circa 1999 Add to Shelf: Three photographs of Peter Coors and unidentified man.
Box-Folder 2.19: Hop Growers of America Convention, 1998-1999 Add to Shelf: Denver city guide, correspondence, hotel information, planning notes and financial documents.
Box-Folder 2.20: Hop Growers of America Convention, 2000-2001 Add to Shelf: Advertisers, sponsorship, and correspondence.
Box-Folder 2.21: Hop Growers of America Convention, 2001-2002 Add to Shelf: Door prizes.
Box-Folder 2.22: Hop Growers of America Convention, 2001-2002 Add to Shelf: Planning documents, correspondence, and draft of conference booklet.
Box-Folder 2.23: Hop Growers of America Convention, 2001-2002 Add to Shelf: Financial information, correspondence, and receipts.
Box-Folder 2.24: Hop Growers of America Convention, 2002-2005 Add to Shelf: Planning documents.
Box-Folder 2.25: Convention Booklets, 1962-1991 Add to Shelf
Box-Folder 2.26: Convention Booklets, 1993-2011 Add to Shelf

People, Places, and Topics

Forms of Material

Related Materials

The Hop Growers of America Records are complemented by the Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives Oral History Collection (OH 35), which includes interviews from industry professionals, journalists and community members.

Other related materials can be found in the Hop Research Council Records and Oregon Hop Growers Association Records. Also of note are the research reports in the Crop Science Department Records (RG 095) and the College of Agricultural Sciences Records (RG 158).

The Brewing and Fermentation Collection (MSS BFRC) consists of materials collected by the OSU Special Collections and Archives Research Center pertaining to the history, growth, and culture of the Pacific Northwest brewing industry, including regional hops and barley farming, commercial craft and home brewing, and craft cider and mead. The Oregon Hop Grower / Pacific Hop Grower (1933-1940) and The Hopper (1945-1954) are periodicals that supported the growers, brewers, and related industries with articles about crop forecasts and yields, mechanization and technological advances, pests and diseases, research, health, and membership information. They also contain minutes and reports from various state and national grower associations.

The Hop Press: A Memorandum of What's Brewin' newsletter was prepared by Hop Specialist G.R. Hoerner and issued monthly by the Oregon State College Extension Service to provide information on hops and brewing to County Extension Agents in Oregon. This informal publication provides a detailed view of hops growing and production in Oregon and the northwest for this period, as well as information about hops growing in Washington, Idaho, and California. Included are a variety of news items, such as statistics on hop acreage, the costs of production, number of growers, information about industry organizations, summaries and preliminary reports of OSU hops research, news items from newspapers and other publications in Oregon and Washington, agendas for Hop Growers Conferences, and summaries of presentations at these conferences.

Collections linked to Oregon State University research, as well as other manuscript collections are described on the Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives research guide. More information pertaining to the history of hop growing and brewing in Oregon can be found on the Oregon Hops and Brewing Archives website.

Information and Credits