California Ag Network

Category: Nut Industry

  • USDA Estimates Record-Breaking 2018 Almond Crop

    Forecast estimated at 2.45 billion pounds for the 2018 California almond crop

    MODESTO, Calif. – Despite concerns earlier in the year about freezing weather during almond bloom, careful management by California farmers and newer orchards coming into production have resulted in a record-breaking crop according to the 2018 Almond Objective Measurement Report. This confirms earlier predictions from the 2018 Almond Subjective Forecast released in May.

    Published today by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service – Pacific Regional Office (NASS/PRO), the Objective Report is the official industry crop estimate. The report finds that the 2018 crop estimate is up 7.9% from the 2017 crop production of 2.27 billion pounds.

    “2018 looks to be a milestone year for California almonds with over one million almond-bearing acres now in California,” said Holly King, chair, Almond Board of California (ABC) and Kern County almond grower. “However, it is not just about the number of acres, it’s also about growing more almonds per acre. As we have grown in size, we have continued to find ways to grow almonds more efficiently, using fewer resources and leaving a smaller footprint per nut.”

    The California almond community, through ABC, has invested nearly $70 million over more than 40 years to build a foundation of research on improving how almonds are grown, processed and consumed. This culture of continuous improvement brings benefits to local communities and the environment while helping farmers be responsible stewards of the land.

    Today’s Objective Report follows the Subjective Forecast, which provides an early estimate of the coming crop after it has set on the trees. The Objective Report collects data later in the growing season, closer to harvest, and is based on an actual count of nuts on the trees. This year’s Objective Report projects an almond crop up 6.5% from the May forecast of 2.30 billion pounds.

    “California is home to the world’s most efficient almond farmers, who produce more than 80 percent of the world’s supply,” said Richard Waycott, president and CEO, ABC. “The California almond community continues to meet the steadily growing demand for almonds, supporting healthy and diverse diets around the globe.”

    Per the Objective Report, the average nut set per tree is 5,677, down 0.6% from the 2017 almond crop. The Nonpareil average nut set is 4,924, down 13.9% from last year’s set. The average kernel weight for all varieties sampled was 1.54 grams, down 1.9% compared to the 2017 average weight of 1.57 grams.

    For More Information:

    Ashley Bloemhof

    (209) 531-7628

    abloemhof@almondboard.com

  • What to do When ICE or OSHA Shows Up

    California farmers have become quite the target for Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Cal/OSHA visits.  Whether these visits are warranted or come by surprise, farmers should be prepared for them, based on the following suggestions offered by labor law attorney Stacy Henderson at the recent Almond Alliance Convention, presented in this video.  Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Enjoy our Ag video news?  Be sure to let our sponsor Duarte Nursery know & thank them for their industry support!

  • Pistachio Bushy Top Approved for USDA TAP Program

    Pistachio Bushy Top Syndrome, New Mexico State University

    On May 31, the United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency (USDA-FSA) State Committee approved pistachio Bushy Top Syndrome as a natural disaster, thereby allowing pistachios to be included in USDA’s Tree Assistance Program (TAP).

    This means that eligible growers affected by the Bushy Top Syndrome could receive government assistance for the replacement of their affected trees. The program will be implemented in Fall of 2018 and will be retroactive to 2012.

    Growers from all states affected by Bushy Top Syndrome will be allowed to participate. Like a number of other Federal programs, TAP participation has a number of restrictions, including participation limited to entities with adjusted gross income below the federal cap of $900,000; and cost reimbursement only for the removal and replanting costs of the affected trees, not for the trees themselves.

    American Pistachio Growers (APG) has been diligently working on this issue for over a year attempting to qualify pistachios for this Federal program. We will keep you updated as more details are released.  This is a significant victory for our industry and it was accomplished through the perseverance of APG and our ongoing federal lobbying effort.

  • Four Tools to bring Navel Orangeworm Damage Down to Zero

    Special Thanks to This Video’s Sponsor

    Navel Orangeworm (NOW) continues to increase its presence in California right alongside the growing number of orchard hosts for this pest. Many nut growers experienced significant levels of NOW damage in their orchards last season, in spite of their ongoing pesticide spray programs. So what’s a grower to do? Watch this interview with Zach Raven from Keenan Farms, who shared his experience in utilizing several key tools in to control this pest and keep Aflatoxin levels down, going from 3% damage to nearly zero from one season to the next. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Enjoy our Ag video news?  Be sure to let our sponsor Duarte Nursery know & thank them for their industry support!

  • Minimizing Risks for Food Recalls & What to do During Them

    Special Thanks to This Video’s Sponsor

    Any grower or packer that has experienced a food recall knows how stressful things can get and all that is at stake; yet those who have never experienced them tend to be the least prepared for a recall when it occurs.  Watch this brief video interview with Rachael Dettmann Spiegel as she addressed growers, hullers and processors at the recent Almond Alliance Convention on how to prevent recalls from happening — but also how to deal with them in the event that a food recall does occur, like the one that has been all over the news recently with romaine lettuce.

    Enjoy our Ag video news?  Be sure to let our sponsor Duarte Nursery know & thank them for their industry support!

  • New CA Water Bond on the November 2018 Ballot

    Special Thanks to This Video’s Sponsor

    Great news for growers!  The California Water Bond has been officially approved for the 2018 ballot.  So what does it entail?  Watch this brief video interview with Gerald Meral from the Natural Heritage Institute as he explains and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Enjoy our Ag video news?  Be sure to let our sponsor Duarte Nursery know & thank them for their industry support!

  • SB 623 to Protect CA Farmers from Water Board & Provide Safe Drinking Water

    Special Thanks to This Video’s Sponsor

    Farmers in multiple regions of California have been receiving threatening letters from the State Water Board, imposing enormous fines and demanding them to provide clean drinking water to their communities.  The Water Board is preparing to send out hundreds more of these letters to farmers throughout the state.  This is not just; and to protect farmers from receiving these letters, all the while helping to provide clean drinking water to disadvantaged communities, agricultural organizations throughout the state are uniting in support of a new bill SB 623 to accomplish this.  Learn more by watching this brief video interview with Tricia Geringer from Ag Council of California, based on her recent presentation at the Almond Alliance Annual Convention in Monterey.

    Enjoy our Ag video news?  Be sure to let our sponsor Duarte Nursery know & thank them for their industry support!

  • Record-Breaking Almond Crop Predicted for 2018

    In spite of concerns about freezing weather during almond bloom, the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is predicting a record crop in 2018. According to the NASS 2018 Almond Subjective Forecast issued today, California almond orchards are expected to produce 2.30 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 1.3% from last year’s 2.27 billion-pound crop.[1]

    Karen Barindelli observes a solid 2018 almond crop in her Modesto orchard

    “Almond farmers used a variety of techniques to manage freezing nighttime temperatures in some parts of the Central Valley during bloom this year and those efforts appear to have worked,” said Richard Waycott, president and CEO, Almond Board of California. “Every year weather impacts farming, but almond trees thrive in our state because California is home to the world’s most efficient almond farmers, who continually improve their practices and rise to the challenge.”

    The Almond Subjective Forecast, the first of two California almond forecast reports for this year’s crop, is based on opinions obtained from randomly selected almond farmers located throughout the state via a phone survey conducted in April and May. Farmers were asked to indicate their almond yield per acre from last year and expected yield for the current year based on field observations. Those estimates are then combined and extrapolated to arrive at the numbers reported in the Almond Subjective Forecast.

    While the Almond Subjective Forecast provides early estimates of the coming crop after it is set, the 2018 California Almond Objective Report, which is released in July, uses a more statistically rigorous methodology. It is typically the more accurate of the two reports. Objective Report data is based on actual almond counts and measurements taken in orchards throughout the state, starting in May and ending in July.

    The Objective Report will be released July 5, 2018, at noon PDT. Both the report and the forecast are conducted by the USDA and funded by the Almond Board of California to provide almond farmers, processors and shippers with estimates to help them make business decisions.

    Last month, the 2017 California Almond Acreage Report showed bearing acres, that is orchards old enough to produce a crop, were up 6% at 1 million acres. Total almond acres for 2017 were estimated at 1.33 million acres, up 7% from the previous year.

    Almond acreage in California continues to experience significant increases.

    [1] USDA-NASS. 2018 California Almond Subjective Forecast. May 2018.

  • George Soares Addresses Legislative & Regulatory Burden on CA Farmers

    Special Thanks to This Video’s Sponsor

    Amidst all the political and regulatory turmoil growers deal with in California, they continue trying to do what they do best, and Ag lobbyists like George Soares who spoke at the Annual Pistachio Conference, are doing their best to relay the grower message in Sacramento to limit and reduce the overwhelming legislative and regulatory burdens placed on them.  Watch Soares’ brief interview here and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Enjoy our Ag video news?  Be sure to let our sponsor Duarte Nursery know & thank them for their industry support!

  • CA Ag Legislative Update with Jim Zion

    Special Thanks to This Video’s Sponsor

    There is a lot going on in Ag politics right now. Other than the tariff wars going on currently, check out what Jim Zion shared in his legislative update report at the recent Pistachio Conference in this brief interview. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Enjoy our Ag video news?  Be sure to let our sponsor Duarte Nursery know & thank them for their industry support!