Growing from agriculture in Glenn County

With nearly 1,200 operating farms and 500,000 cultivated acres, Glenn County grows a wide range of agricultural products. In addition to the produce itself, support industries thrive as well. One example is North State Hulling Cooperative, which expanded to Hamilton City in 2020 after over 50 years in Chico. The 50-acre industrial-zoned site in Glenn County allows area growers access to high-quality hulling and shelling operations.

The California Olive Ranch manages and operates five ranches and 2,260 acres while supporting as much as 13,000 acres. Annually, the company produces three to three-and-a-half million gallons of retail products like olive oil. 

Agribusiness is an expansive segment, from small entrepreneurial ventures to large corporate entities. The same present advantages supporting the production of agricultural products also benefit agribusiness. Small businesses like Kiss of Culture result from bright, local entrepreneurs. On the other end of the spectrum, numerous sources of biomass present Glenn County as a prime location for a biomass facility or cogeneration plant. Examples include:

• Nutrien Ag Solutions purchased and renovated a Holly Sugar facility in Glenn County and began operating a state-of-the-art retail agriculture plant in 2019. Focused operations include fertilizer blending.
   
• Rumiano Cheese Factory has been in Glenn County since 1918 as California’s oldest family-owned cheese company.
   
• Sierra Nevada Cheese Company

Glenn County’s historical knowledge and dedication to hard work based on agriculture lend itself well to manufacturing companies. The local workforce understands mechanical operations, from production through engineering and design. Examples include:

• Johns Mansville, the international insulation, commercial roofing and fiber manufacturing company, has an insulation systems plant in Willows. 
   
• Kraemer & Company Manufacturing focuses on custom agricultural equipment manufacturing and servicing at its Orland location.