Although almond trees are at rest and dormant for the winter, growers were reminded at the recent Tree & Vine Expo that their work isn’t finished regarding the fight against Navel Orangeworm. Watch this brief interview with David Haviland from the UC Cooperative Extension, as he shares year-round tools and practices to stay on top of managing the number one insect pest in the tree nut industry. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
Meeting with the Chair of the Almond Board of California, watch this brief interview with Alexi Rodriguez as she shares what they are doing to grow the worldwide demand for California almonds. Read more about it in the December issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
The California almond industry relies heavily on the export market, and navigating logistical challenges and trade barriers has become quite complicated in recent years. Watch this brief interview with Julie Adams from the Almond Board of California as she shares their role and progress in keeping the exports flowing. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
California’s almond acreage decreased for the first time in more than 25 years, according to a new report from Land IQ to the Almond Board of California (ABC). Total standing acreage as of Aug. 31 was estimated at 1.64 million acres, compared with 1.66 million acres at the same time in 2021. Bearing acres – orchards producing almonds and planted in 2019 or earlier – increased slightly to 1.34 million from 1.31 million last year. But non-bearing acres – new plantings going back to 2020 but not yet bearing almonds – dropped to 294,000 acres from 353,000 acres in 2021.
In addition, the Land IQ 2022 Standing Acreage and Removed Acreage Final Estimate said approximately 30,000 acres are either classified as stressed or abandoned. They were included in the standing acreage total because the orchards “may have the ability to recover,” Land IQ said.
Removed orchards contributed to the drop in total acreage and continued a trend from 2021. Total orchard acreage removed was about 60,400 acres as of Aug. 31 this year compared with 56,900 removed acres in 2021.
“Land IQ’s report may indicate a possible trend towards lower California almond acreage in the year ahead,” said Richard Waycott, ABC president and CEO. “This acreage estimate was based on data collected through Aug. 31, so it does not reflect any additional removals that may have occurred as the harvest and post-harvest seasons progressed this fall. Those data will be incorporated in the next acreage estimate to be published in April 2023.”
The estimate comes from multiple lines of evidence, including extensive examinations on the ground and advanced remote sensing analytics. Land IQ said the 2022 standing acreage estimate is 98.8 percent accurate.
Land IQ’s Final Acreage Estimate in November, along with USDA-NASS’s April Acreage Report, May’s Subjective Estimate and the Objective Report in July are all commissioned by ABC to provide statistical transparency and a robust picture of California almonds to industry stakeholders around the world.
In 2018, ABC first commissioned Land IQ, a Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental scientific research and consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive, living map of California almonds. The map is the result of more than a decade of research. — Caption: Photo Courtesy of the Almond Board of California
After undoubtedly one of the most difficult years almond growers have faced in decades, Almond Board of California (ABC) president and CEO, Richard Waycott, and Board of Directors chair, Alexi Rodriguez, discussed the reality of current industry challenges, while offering hope and a plan of action during the State of the Almond Industry presentation at the 50th annual Almond Conference.
Between water scarcity, high product carry-in, logistical and supply chain issues, and rising interest rates, the almond community’s resiliency was certainly tested over the past 12 months, and “the combination has created this perfect storm that’s really had a profound impact on our industry,” Rodriguez said.
To provide an overview of current supply and demand trends, David Magaña, senior analyst at RaboResearch Food and Agribusiness, reiterated that almonds are becoming an increasingly popular product among consumers. While this development is certainly welcomed, inflation is also the highest in four decades, pinching the pockets of consumers, driving up production costs for growers and increasing costs throughout the supply chain.
Reassuringly, experts predict demand-driven inflation will subside within the next two years, and because container shortages have diminished, transportation logistics are improving, Magaña explained.
Almond Acreage and Production Down
It’s no secret that production numbers for the current harvest year are estimated to decrease and acreage numbers have decreased for the first time in more than a quarter of a century. However, Bryce Spycher, ABC senior manager of marketing order services stated that as a whole, we continue to see massive increases by the millions about every nine years.
So, where are all these pounds going? Spycher explained that 70% of all production is exported to more than 100 different countries, while 30% is consumed domestically. In recent years, there’s been a spike in domestic consumption, he said, particularly in mechanically-altered almonds – sliced, diced, blanched or otherwise not in-shell.
Partnering to Combat Issues
The Almond Board is fortunate to have a unique partnership with the Almond Alliance of California, which advocates on behalf of the industry in public policy arenas. Under the leadership of president and CEO Aubrey Bettencourt, the Alliance’s commitment to supply chain issues has leveraged relationships with five major carriers in negotiating how product can move faster and more efficiently across all ports.
Almond Alliance CEO Aubrey Bettencourt and ABC Chair Alexi Rodriguez discuss the efforts to address challenges facing the industry.
Additionally, the Alliance has partnered with Western United Dairies and the California Department of Water Resources to roll out LandFlex, a drought relief program providing farmers with compliance resources related to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
“We are not done as an industry, and we have a lot of room to grow,” Bettencourt said. “It’s a tough time but let me tell you, don’t confuse vision and direction to turn obstacles into opportunity and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Strategizing to Meet Challenges
With a changing industry comes a changing strategy, particularly in exploring untapped audiences. To be proactive, Rodriguez explained the newest cross-functional project in the works. Titled “Thea,” this tool will help predict, plan and strategize ABC’s foundation of activities over the next 10-15 years.
Waycott also introduced how the team at ABC shifted its focus to promote almonds in unconventional outlets including March Madness, Marvel Studios, Sanremo Music Festival, Tmall – a Chinese e-commerce website – the well-known gaming platform called Twitch, and they’ve even explored efforts within the Metaverse.
Other marketing campaigns designed to focus on the health and beauty benefits of almonds continue to be successful in India and Asia – two of ABC’s most profitable regions. The Almond Board has also made it a priority to tell all aspects of the industry’s story, with touchpoints in carbon, water and zero waste. In doing so, they’ve partnered with media outlets including the New York Times, Atlantic Magazine, Men’s Health and Women’s Healthto drive these messages to new audiences.
When it comes to developing relationships with the U.S. government and importers, it is not a “one size fits all” situation, as each importer has an individual set of technical, sustainable, and environmental expectations, explained Julie Adams, ABC vice president of technical and regulatory affairs, and Jonathan Hoff, chair of the Technical and Regulatory Affairs committee. As a result, Adams discussed the retooling of the California Almond Stewardship Platform, an integration of research, education and self-assessment resources to help growers and handlers address consumer demands.
ABC’s Vice President of Technical and Regulatory Affairs Julie Adams, and Chair of the Technical and Regulatory Affairs Committee Jonathan Hoff discuss the regulatory work going on behind the scenes in the almond industry.
The team at ABC also concepted new ways to be smart water users and utilize all four viable products coming from the orchard: the nut, shell, hull and woody biomass. From nutritional bars to coffee made from hulls, Lewis reiterated, “it isn’t just one gallon per nut; look at all the things you get with a handful of almonds.”
While hardships still loom over the industry, a silver lining lies in the struggle of it all – the opportunity to learn, grow and innovate from these experiences.
“While it’s going take a little bit of time, I’m confident that the work we’re currently engaged in will help aid the industry as we move through these difficult times,” Rodriguez concluded. — By the Almond Board of California
At the 112th Blue Diamond Growers Annual Meeting held mid-November in Modesto, CA, Blue Diamond Growers President and CEO, Mark Jansen, highlighted the accomplishments of the past year, while recognizing remarkable headwinds the cooperative tackled through creative solutions, strategic partnerships, and world-class innovation.
“Although 2022 was marked by supply chain disruptions, the ongoing COVID-19 impact, and a continuing drought, we still fulfilled our mission and provided considerable competitive advantage with our grower returns,” said Jansen. “It could not have happened without the dedication of our 3,000 grower-owners or the 1,800 hard-working Blue Diamond team members.”
Jansen further reported that despite the many challenges of the year, Blue Diamond was able to increase payments by an average of $.20 a pound and deliver a record competitive advantage in grower returns.
In an additional highlight, he shared that to counter global transportation disruptions, the Blue Diamond Supply Chain Team worked with the Almond Alliance, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the California Governor’s Office of Business Development to build a new multi-port export strategy. This included implementing a pop-up yard at the Port of Oakland to stage products closer to the port to reduce wait times at congested terminals. In addition, the Supply Chain Team partnered on the launch of the first inland direct-rail port from Fresno to the Port of Los Angeles. Based on these learnings, the team spearheaded the Almond Express train to carry containers from Oakland to Los Angeles, Long Beach and Norfolk, Virginia. The containers were then offloaded onto terminal docks for guaranteed export to Asia, the Middle East and India.
“Navigating the global supply chain issues and devising creative solutions – while working alongside our partners – is just one way we remained true to our vision of delivering the benefits of almonds to the world,” said Jansen.
At the meeting, it was shared that during fiscal year 2022 Blue Diamond was able to:
Deliver its share of the California almond industry’s second largest crop of 2.8 billion meat pounds; closely following the record 3.1-billion-pound crop of 2020
Develop new value-added uses for almonds through ongoing new product development via the Almond Innovation Center (AIC). As a result, AIC delivered $90 million in innovation revenue and 18.9 million pounds of innovation volume for Blue Diamond.
Launch several new Blue Diamond branded consumer products including Extra Creamy Almond Breeze®, Almond & Oat Almond Breeze® (international markets) and new Snack Almonds (Chilé ‘n Lime, Probiotics, Elote, Korean BBQ, and Mash Ups)
Sell 83 million pounds of almonds as part of Blue Diamond’s Snack Almond line alone, while remaining the No. 1 almondmilk in the plant-based milk category
Achieve 17% volume growth compared to the previous year for Almond Breeze® products in more than 70 countries – via a global network of licensee partners
Increase Global Ingredient sales from new customer applications of almond butter, almond flour, and almond protein powder
Open new markets in Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Bolivia and Argentina, while driving 33% volume growth in Asia
“Blue Diamond has experienced substantial growth in recent years through thoughtful, smart decisions and actions,” said Dan Cummings, Chairman of the Board, Blue Diamond Growers. “With our focus on innovation, deeply established partnerships, and steadfast commitment to going above and beyond to deliver on consumer and retail demands, I expect this progress to continue well into the future.”
Blue Diamond Announces Continuing Board Members
In addition to sharing highlights from the past year, Blue Diamond also announced its continuing board members, including:
Dan Cummings, Chairman, District 1, Chico
John Monroe, District 2, Arbuckle
Dale Van Groningen, District 3, Ripon
George A. te Velde, District 4, Ripon/Escalon
Steve Van Duyn, Vice Chairman, District 5, Modesto/Ripon
Nick Blom, District 6, Turlock
Dan Mendenhall, District 7, Winton
Matthew Efird, District 8, Fresno
Kent Stenderup, District 9, Arvin
Joe Huston Director-at-Large, Monterey
Kristin Daley Director-at-Large, San Francisco
Blue Diamond Annual and Sustainability Reports Now Available
In conjunction with the Annual Meeting, Blue Diamond Growers is also releasing its “Partnering for a Sustainable Future” Annual Report and inaugural “Growing a Better Tomorrow” Sustainability Report. Both reports are available on the Blue Diamond website at www.bluediamond.com.
About Blue Diamond
Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing approximately 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops.
Almond Board of California President and CEO Richard Waycott has informed the board of directors that after 21 years he plans to step away from his Almond Board responsibilities at the end of 2023 to pursue other interests.
A search committee for the Almond Board of California (ABC) has begun the process to ensure a smooth transition. The committee is being led by ABC Board of Directors Chair Alexi Rodriguez and will be conducting a nationwide search to find a CEO successor.
“On behalf of the board of directors, we are thankful for Richard and his many years of service to the industry. He has been part of a period of tremendous growth,” Rodriguez said. “Richard set the end of 2023 as the right time to step away from ABC and we believe this timeline will allow for a seamless transition.
“He will be available as appropriate during the search and transition process, and I’m confident that with the knowledge and support of our board of directors and search committee members, we will find the right candidate for the organization,” Rodriguez said
Richard Waycott providing the State of the Almond Industry Address at the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo in Fresno this Year (Photo by Matthew Malcolm)
Waycott joined ABC as president and CEO in 2002, bringing strategic leadership experience to the global development of the California almond industry.
“I’m honored and humbled to have served our hard-working, forward-thinking, down-to-earth almond industry for two decades,” Waycott said. “This will be an outstanding opportunity and a privilege for the next president and CEO, and I look forward to supporting our board, growers and ABC work family in the next year and throughout this transition.”
During Waycott’s tenure heading up ABC, the almond industry has grown from 545,000 acres and production of 1.09 billion pounds to 1.62 million acres with production topping 3 billion pounds. The farmgate value of the crop grew from $1.2 billion in 2002 to more than $5 billion in 2021, the last year fully measured.
Before coming to ABC, Waycott worked more than 20 years in the food manufacturing and agribusiness industries, mostly in Latin America, with extensive experience in consumer products and business-to-business grains and oilseeds markets. — By the Almond Board of California
As specialty crops become a bigger topic of conversation in the development of a new US Farm Bill, California growers could potentially receive more national support than ever before. Watch this brief interview with Sara Arsenault, new Vice President of the Almond Alliance of California as she explains — based on her presentation at the recent Tree & Vine Expo.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
The 2022 western pistachio crop came in considerably shorter than was expected with all the new acreage coming into production. Watch this brief interview with Richard Matoian, President of the American Pistachio Growers, as he shares some of the factors that led to this as well as an update on shipments — based on his State of the Pistachio Industry address at the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo. Read more about it in the December issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
There is no question, the California walnut industry is navigating through some challenging times, but hope is on the horizon. Bringing a fresh perspective to the industry is Robert Verloop, the new CEO of the California Walnut Board & Commission. Watch this brief interview based on his first State of the Walnut Industry address at the recent Tree & Vine Expo, and read more about it in the December issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
Before coming to ABC, Waycott worked more than 20 years in the food manufacturing and agribusiness industries, mostly in Latin America, with extensive experience in consumer products and business-to-business grains and oilseeds markets. — By the Almond Board of California