Roy Farms in Washington: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Roy Farms is a fourth-generation family farm in Moxee, in the Yakima Valley of Washington, farming since 1907. It grows hops, blueberries and apples, was Washington's first Salmon-Safe certified hop grower, and is the managing partner of the hop breeding company Latitude 46.
| Location | Moxee, Yakima Valley, Washington |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1907 first harvest |
| Sectors | Hops (conventional and organic), blueberries, apples, hop breeding |
| Scale | Total acres not published; about 40% of acreage organic, per a 2019 presentation |
| Why it is elite | First Salmon-Safe certified hop grower in Washington (2013 announcement); led a hop-specific GlobalGAP sub-scope in 2017 |
| Ownership | Family owned; fourth generation per the farm |
| Official website | Roy Farms official site |
History of Roy Farms
Roy Farms traces its first harvest in the Moxee valley to 1907 and describes its farming history in the Yakima Valley as spanning more than 110 years. Salmon-Safe said in 2013 that the year's hop harvest would mark the farm's 106th consecutive harvest.
The farm became the first Washington hop farm certified Salmon-Safe (announced in 2013; a 2019 presentation dates it to 2014), a program that assesses water quality and habitat practices. In 2015 three major craft breweries announced plans to source part of their hops from Salmon-Safe certified farms. In 2017 the farm led development of a hop-specific GlobalGAP certification, since previously hops were certified as a combinable crop that did not cover drying or baling.
What Roy Farms Grows and Raises
The farm describes itself as a fully integrated hop grower and processor. It grows both conventional and organic hops, and about 40% of its acreage is certified organic through Oregon Tilth, while close to all of its farmed land is Salmon-Safe certified. Cover crops such as rye, buckwheat and hairy vetch go in between rows to reduce erosion and weeds.
Practices include routine pest scouting, leaf and soil analysis, science-based irrigation and customized nutrition. The farm eliminated glyphosate products farm wide in 2018. It is also the managing partner of Latitude 46, a Pacific Northwest hop breeding company.
How Roy Farms Makes Money
Hop sales
Hops are the core crop, sold to brewers in conventional and organic form. Named varieties and blends such as the Velvet Cake blend with the National Black Brewers Association (2026) give brewers products with a story.
Certified and organic premiums
Salmon-Safe and organic certifications opened relationships with craft brewers that look for sustainable supply, as the 2015 sourcing pledges showed.
Processing and breeding
As an integrated grower and processor, the farm captures value in drying, baling and handling, and its role in hop breeding links it to new variety development.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Roy Farms
First, certification can differentiate a crop that buyers might otherwise treat as a commodity. Water and habitat standards gave the farm a story brewers could repeat.
Second, vertical integration into processing and breeding keeps more of the value chain on the farm. Third, writing the standard rather than only following it, as Roy Farms did with the hop GlobalGAP scope, helped the whole industry.
For readers of farm satire, hops are the ultimate plant: they climb thirty feet, ask for water and then become a beer people describe like wine. Roy Farms grows them near Moxee and still finds time to protect salmon streams. At farm.FM we treat that as serious farm humor, because the fish get a vote. No cattle appear in this story, so our ranch humor desk is on break, but our farm jokes about glyphosate-free rows come with respect.
farm.FM got there first as the nation's first satirical farm site, and it backs the writing with Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Here is one contributor's collection of farm satire to start with.
How to Contact Roy Farms
Website: https://royfarms.com/
Contact details are posted on the operation's own website; a hop-blend news release lists an email address for inquiries. Confirm directly with the farm before visiting.
Roy Farms Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Roy Farms official site - Hops, certifications and contact information
- Salmon-Safe announcement - First Salmon-Safe certified hop grower in Washington
- EPA Columbia River presentation - Roy Farms integrated pest management practices
- Velvet Cake hop blend release - 2026 hop blend with the National Black Brewers Association
- WSDA agriculture snapshot - Washington commodity values including hops
Roy Farms FAQ
Where is Roy Farms?
It is in Moxee, in Washington's Yakima Valley.
What does Roy Farms grow?
It grows hops, both conventional and organic, plus blueberries and apples.
Why is Roy Farms notable?
It was Washington's first Salmon-Safe certified hop grower and led a hop-specific GlobalGAP scope in 2017.
How can I contact Roy Farms?
Use the contact information on royfarms.com and confirm before visiting.
Roy Farms shows how a hop farm that began in 1907 keeps its edge through standards, processing and breeding. Read the Washington farms guide and the other profiled operations for more.