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Green Chief

Green hop cones pouring off conveyor belt into kiln
Driving continuous improvement in hop quality and farm efficiency

Green Chief® Quality Program 

A collaborative effort to support long-term goals in daily farm operations. 
Quality Begins in the Field

Our pioneering grower-owners originally created the Green Chief® internal farm quality and sustainability management program in 2008 as a collaborative effort to achieve long-term goals in day-to-day farm operations. The Yakima Chief Hops Best Practices Team was then formed to establish strong baselines, guidelines, and practices for traceability, harvest food safety, data collection, and reporting. Green Chief provides a standardized, point-based framework that evaluates growing practices, facility performance, and sensory outcomes, while encouraging innovation and continuous improvement across our grower network. The Green Chief program is further strengthened by working collectively with Yakima Chief Ranches’ Footprints® program, a comprehensive brand management program that ensures the highest level of attention to the cultivation and harvesting of our hops. 

Bine Line SVG image
Raising the Benchmarks for Quality Standards
Aerial view of hop yards alongside river

Best Harvest Practices

Modeled after Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), the Yakima Chief farm quality plan and best-practice checklist ensure consistency across each of our farms. Growers are audited before and during harvest to assess facilities, identify potential improvements, and provide feedback. This collaborative approach supports continuous improvement that brewers can rely on.
Core sample from bales wrapped in Yakima Chief Hops label

Quality & Food Safety

Food safety is integral to harvest and processing, with strict standards applied to every lot received. Yakima Chief evaluates moisture, brewing values, oil content, and other values to ensure quality and consistency. Products that do not meet these standards are rejected, reinforcing a commitment to excellence and brewer trust.
Grower writing on clipboard in front of computer screen with kiln data

Data Collection & Reporting

The Green Chief Program collects extensive data, from harvest timing to kiln metrics, and inputs such as water use and spray applications. The data is shared with growers to support informed farm management.
Hop farmers gathered in meeting

Grower Knowledge Sharing

Yakima Chief collaborates with farms across the Pacific Northwest. Growers from all growing regions come together for meetings held throughout the year. Providing opportunities to share insights and ideas and to foster discussions on food safety, sustainability, and best practices. These forums strengthen our growers’ relationships, elevating hop quality overall.
Aerial image of the Yakima Chief Hops factory
A close up image of a budding hop plant
Image of the Yakima Chief Hops logo
Man presents in front of a full classroom of employees
Group of farmers gathered and holding their Top Cut Award plaques

Yakima Chief Top Cut Awards

Excellence doesn’t happen by accident; it’s cultivated, evaluated, and earned. Each year, Yakima Chief proudly recognizes the growers whose commitment to precision, consistency, and quality stands out. The Top Cut Awards celebrate the farms that set the standard for what exceptional hop growing looks like.
Related Resources
Blog
Top Cut Award Winners stand side by side
Jan 19, 2024 | Cat Wiest

2024 Top Cut Award Winners

The Top Cut Awards are an annual tradition, where growers who deliver hops to Yakima Chief are evaluated based on our Green Chief® scoring model and recognized for outstanding growing practices.
Blog
Growers holding an award are shown in front of a yakima chief hops background
Jan 27, 2025 | Yakima Chief Hops

2024 Top Cut Award Winners!

The Top Cut Awards are an annual tradition, where growers who deliver hops to Yakima Chief are evaluated based on our Green Chief® scoring model and recognized for outstanding growing practices.

Meet the Growers Behind the Hops

Discover the family farms growing world-class hops.