A cloud of dust kicked up from the gravel road as Chuck Weaver piloted a six-rotor drone over rows of leafy hop plants at BC Hop Ranch near Woodburn, Ore.

About 90 people watched from the ground as the drone dispensed its payload, airdropping tiny predatory mites known as Neoseiulus californicus that feed on a host of crop-munching pests, including the nefarious two-spotted spider mite.

The demonstration, part of the Oregon Hop Commission’s annual field day event on July 15, was meant to show how some growers are embracing biological controls to manage harmful insects, while relying less on chemical pesticides.

“Biocontrol is not a new thing, but it’s seeing a revitalization,” said Tyler Leidig, regional sales representative for Biobest Sustainable Crop Management, which led the demonstration. “There’s no more chemicals coming into the market. Growers are running out of options.”

Founded in 1987, Biobest originally provided bumblebees on farms to improve pollination before expanding into other types of beneficial bugs. The company now has 1,800 employees working in more than 70 countries, with U.S. headquarters in Michigan.

Using drones to release the predatory mites ensures even coverage throughout the field, Leidig said. He recommended three applications to control spider mites in hops — once in late June at the first sign of the insects’ presence, followed by a second four weeks later, and third three weeks before harvest.

“Preventative is the way to go with biocontrol,” he said. “It’s another tool in the toolbox.”

The visit to BC Hop Ranch was one stop during the daylong tour that featured several farms along the Mid-Willamette Valley.

Michelle Palacios, Oregon Hop Commission administrator, said the theme of this year’s gathering was to spotlight how growers are improving their operations by investing in new facilities, equipment and technology.

“It’s all about quality and consistency,” Palacios said.

At Scenic Valley Farms north of Salem, farm manager Brian Zielinski showed off their mechanical hop picker and dryer that sat idle inside a converted hay shed, awaiting next month’s harvest when the behemoth system will spring to life.

Zielinski said the farm only began growing 100 acres of hops in 2016, adding to their diversity of crops. Scenic Valley Farms is perhaps most noted for its vineyards and winery.

“The learning curve has been steep, but it’s been awesome,” Zielinski said of producing hops. “I feel less nervous every year we go in (to harvest).”

Once hops are harvested from the field, they are fed into the automated picker, carried along a twisting maze of hooks, conveyors and trommels that separate cones from the bines. From there, the cones are sent to one of four kilns for drying.

While Zielinski said the farm will remain a relatively small producer of hops, he estimated the equipment could allow them to double their acreage.

Another significant upgrade was recently completed last summer at Crosby Hop Farm in Woodburn, where the fifth-generation family farm built a new 18,000-square-foot cooling and baling facility to accommodate increased acreage.

Blake Crosby, farm president and CEO, said the facility can handle up to 1,000 acres. The farm currently grows 600 acres.

“Having too much space is never a bad thing,” he said.

Overall, hop acreage strung for harvest this year is down 2% across the Northwest compared to 2021, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. That includes decreases in Washington, from 43,783 acres to 42,428 acres, and in Idaho, from 9,694 acres to 9,440 acres.

Oregon, however, is experiencing a slight bump in acres, from 7,395 to 8,028. Palacios said Oregon actually had more than 8,000 acres in the ground in 2021, though it takes an extra year for the crop to become established due to a cooler climate.

A cooler, wetter spring than normal could delay the start of this year’s harvest, Palacios said, though it appears the plants are looking healthy.

“We expect a quote-unquote normal harvest,” she said.