California Ag Network

Tag: ABC

  • The Almond Conference in a Nutshell

    Almond Board of California — The 49th annual Almond Conference returned to Sacramento with a bang. Renovations to the newly named SAFE Credit Union Convention Center forced the conference to shift locations in 2019, and COVID-19 precautions forced the 2020 conference to a virtual format.

    The Almond Board of California (ABC), abiding by Sacramento County safety mandates, welcomed 3,308 industry members back to downtown Sacramento with the biggest trade show in Conference history. 270 exhibitors blanketed the bottom level of the convention center with the latest products and innovations available to growers.

    Day one of the conference, Tuesday, December 7, was dedicated for tradeshow time and the State of The Industry address. ABC President and CEO Richard Waycott and 2021/2022 Board Chairman Brian Wahlbrink headlined the address as co-anchors of “AlmondCenter”, a fast moving and informative ninety minutes of almond action news. ABC staff were positioned as field reporters who brought the latest information to attendees about shipping delays, water issues, marketing efforts, industry resources and more.

    At the conclusion of the “AlmondCenter” production, Waycott and Wahlbrink announced the winners of the annual industry awards. George Goshgarian Sr. was presented with this year’s Almond Achievement Award, and Ken Stevenson was the recipient of the new Almond Technical Achievement Award. ABC and the industry thanked both award winners for their dedication and service to the industry over their respective careers. The industry then adjourned back to the tradeshow for an opening reception.

    (From left to right) Brian Wahlbrink, Swati Kalgaonkar, George Goshgarian Sr., Karen Lapsley and Richard Waycott (Photo Courtesy of the Almond Board).

    The vast amount of information dispersed at The Almond Conference began on day two, Wednesday, December 8. Growers and industry members learned the latest about key topics during three blocks of four consecutive sessions at 8:40 a.m., 10:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. A break in the action on day two was during lunch as Mattson President and Chief Innovation Officer Barb Stuckey addressed attendees. She talked about the latest in product development such as almond milk base – a 100 percent almond powder that when water is added becomes almond milk. Stuckey also identified areas that she sees as opportunities for almonds to enter the market like almond baked goods, pizza crusts, pastas and tortilla chips.

    Mattson President and CIO Barb Stuckey addressing attendees at lunch on day two (photo courtesy of the Almond Board).

    Educational sessions continued into day three of the conference with 11 more talks on marketing tactics, production information and more. Attendees also got a chance to hear the incredible story of Dan On, global CEO of Dan-D Pak. Born in Saigon, Vietnam — now known as Ho Chi Minh City – On’s journey includes escaping the Vietnam War, surviving pirate attacks on the open sea and living in a Malaysian refugee camp. On ultimately was brought to Canada through a Hope Lutheran Church program. After being adopted by Irish Canadian parents who sold granola, On came up with the idea to sell the ingredients separately which became a lucrative business decision. The Dan-D Group is now an importer, manufacturer, and distributor of cashews and other tree nuts, nut butters, dried fruits, snack foods and spices from around the world with approximately 1,000 employees in Canada, Vietnam, Thailand, United States, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, with headquarters in Richmond, British Columbia.

    The Almond Conference 2021 wrapped up with the annual Conference Gala Dinner, with a twist. This year, the Gala Dinner was transformed into the Nuthouse Honky Tonk Bar with a private concert from up-and-coming country music star Tyler Rich. As a California native, Rich entertained hundreds of industry members with original songs such as “The Difference” and “Leave Her Wild”.

    ABC also included a few special presentations at the Gala Dinner. The 2020/2021 Almond Leadership class was recognized for their dedication and effort over the past two years, as the Covid-19 pandemic extended the 2020 class experience. ABC also recognized the lifetime contributions of Bill Morecraft Jr. who is retiring from Blue Diamond Growers after 35 years in the industry.

    During the three-day event, ABC and the Almond Leadership Program ran a silent auction that netted over $11,000 for California Future Farmers of America. Thanks to the generosity of Emerald Sponsor Qcify, that total will be increased to over $36,000 going towards scholarships for graduating FFA students planning to pursue a degree in agriculture.

    The Almond Conference 2021 would not be possible without the support of sponsors. ABC would like to thank the 2021 Metal Sponsors for their generosity this year.

    All Conference presentations will be available at Almonds.com/Conference. The Almond Conference will again be in Sacramento at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in 2022. Industry members are encouraged to save December 6-8, 2022 as dates for the conference.

  • National Pollinator Protection Campaign Honors California Almond Industry

    The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) on Tuesday presented its Business for Bees Sustainability Award – an honor reserved for standout organizations that go above and beyond to support pollinators – to the Almond Board of California (ABC) and the state’s almond farmers.

    “This is about their long-term dedication to supporting all pollinators in their orchards and throughout our ecosystem,” said Kelly Rourke, executive director of Pollinator Partnership, which founded NAPPC 21 years ago. “We’ve worked with them for many years and this is well-deserved recognition of their steadfast commitment to engaging farmers in pollinator conservation on multiple levels. The Almond Board and the entire almond industry have really moved the needle to raise awareness and generate action to protect pollinators.”

    NAPPC has only given out its Business for Bees Sustainability Award once before. It is given in years when there is a business taking extra special steps to protect bees and all pollinators and to advance sustainability and innovation.

    “ABC’s name is on this award, but it really goes to the 7,600 almond farmers in California,” said Josette Lewis, ABC’s chief scientific officer. “Farmers understand how important pollinators are to growing almonds and to all of agriculture and the environment. They want to be part of the solution.

    The reasons for the award, Rourke said, include ABC’s leadership in founding the California Pollinator Coalition, its work promoting on-farm pollinator habitat and its support of years of research and education about the best practices for providing hospitable environments for pollinators in almond orchards and in other habitats.

    ABC worked with Pollinator Partnership and the California Department of Food and Agriculture last spring to create the California Pollinator Coalition (CPC) which brought together a broad array of grower organizations across the state’s ag and environmental landscape to help promote the health of wild and managed pollinators.

    “The formation of the California Pollinator Coalition was such a big step,” said Laurie Davies Adams, Pollinator Partnership’s Director of Programs, who helped found the CPC. “This is a unique statewide coalition that brings together every grower, farmer and rancher group. I don’t think that’s ever happened before. It’s going to make a real difference on the ground.”

    NAPPC is a collaboration of diverse partners from the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It includes respected scientists, researchers, business people, conservationists and government officials. NAPPC works to promote awareness and scientific understanding of pollinators, to find common ground for solutions and to create innovative initiatives that benefit pollinators. NAPPC is administered and supported by Pollinator Partnership, a non-profit headquartered in San Francisco with a mission to promote the health of pollinators through education, conservation and research.

    The award was announced during NAPPC’s 21st Annual International Conference, held virtually this year for the second time and hosted by the Pollinator Partnership and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The conference and award ceremony were planned for the Smithsonian before being forced to remain virtual because of COVID-19.

    Rourke and Adams said they would have liked to have given the honor in person to show how much they appreciate ABC’s work. “The strong effort that the Almond Board of California has mounted with the support of the almond industry to engage farmers and the entire agricultural community far beyond almond orchards is really impressive,” Adams said. “Bringing every grower group together to have an agriculturally-led coalition for pollinators is significant. It will provide building blocks for even more engagement and large results. It’s a pioneering effort that other states are seeking to emulate.”

    “This is an outstanding honor for our farmers,” Lewis said, “especially considering all the good work that NAPPC and the Pollinator Partnership do. As much as anyone, almond farmers are tuned in to the importance of pollinators to their crops and our ecosystem. That’s why they work so hard to make their orchards healthy places for pollinators.”

    Almond farmers across California’s Central Valley sit in what is essentially a flyway for pollinators. In recent years, almond farmers have applied to certify more than 110,000 acres of Bee Friendly Farming®, providing pollinator habitat and integrated pest management across the valley to keep that flyway healthy and create badly needed floral resources that compliment and expand beyond the annual almond bloom.

    “Almond farmers have doubled the number of acres of bee friendly habit in California and in that pollinator flyway,” Lewis said. “We’re proud to help lead a broad coalition of agriculture and conservation groups to work together to promote and preserve habitat for pollinators.”

    About the Almond Board of California
    ABC is a Federal Marketing Order dedicated to promoting California almonds to domestic and international audiences through marketing efforts and by funding and promoting research about almonds’ health benefits, efficient and sustainable farming, food safety and more. ABC works on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond farmers and processors in California, many of whom are multi-generational family operations.
     
    About The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
    For over 20 years, NAPPC has brought together stakeholders from all sectors of the pollinator issue in a collaborative partnership to support pollinator health across the North American continent. More than any other single organization, the collective effort of these 180 plus organizations has made pollinator health a feature in conservation landscape management. From its many Task Forces, NAPPC affects change and moves solid science into real progress on the ground. Managed by the Pollinator Partnership, more can be found about NAPPC at NAPPC | Pollinator.org.

  • New Director Leaders at the Almond Board of California

    The new Board of Directors of the Almond Board of California (ABC) took their seats on Wednesday with five voting members – three of them new to the board – beginning new terms to help oversee ABC’s support of one of California’s most important agricultural crops.

    Board members, whose terms officially began Aug. 1, also elected Brian Wahlbrink as chair and George Goshgarian Jr. as vice chair.

    “This is a knowledgeable, talented board,” Wahlbrink said. “Our board members come from across our industry and around our state. They bring a great energy and an impressive range of experience, and we’re all eager to continue moving California almonds forward as one of the state’s most valuable and important crops.”

    The 10-member board of ABC has five grower members – three representing independent growers and two representing growers working with cooperatives – and five handler members, also with three independents and two co-op reps.

    The new grower representatives are:

    • Paul Ewing, an independent from RPAC Almonds in Los Banos. He was re-elected and takes a 1-year term.
    • Joe Gardiner, an independent from Treehouse California Almonds in Earlimart. He was an alternative on the previous board and takes a 3-year term.
    • Christine Gemperle, a co-op grower from Gemperle Orchards in Ceres. She was also a former alternate and takes a 3-year term.

    The new handler representatives are:

    • Darren Rigg, an independent handler from Minturn Nut Co in Le Grand. He was re-elected and takes a 1-year term.
    • Bob Silveria, an independent handler from Vann Family Orchards in Williams. He will serve a 3-year term.

    In addition, the board has five new alternates:

    • Brandon Rebeiro, an independent grower from Gold Leaf Farming in Modesto.
    • Chris Bettencourt, an independent grower from Westley.
    • Kent Stenderup, a co-op grower from Stenderup Ag Partners in Bakersfield and former chair of the ABC Board.
    • Dexter Long, an independent handler from Hilltop Ranch in Ballico. He was re-elected as an alternate.
    • Chad DeRose, an independent handler from Famoso Nut Co. in McFarland. He was also re-elected as an alternate.

    The ABC board sets policy and recommends budgets to the Secretary of Agriculture in major areas including production research, public relations and advertising, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.

    About the Almond Board of California

    ABC is a Federal Marketing Order dedicated to promoting California almonds to domestic and international audiences through marketing efforts and by funding and promoting research about almonds’ health benefits, efficient and sustainable farming, food safety and more. ABC works on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond growers and processors in California, many of whom are multi-generational family operations.

  • USDA-NASS Projects Smaller Crop for California Almonds

    Almond Board of California — The California Almond Objective Measurement Report, published Monday by the United States Department of Agriculture-National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS), estimates that the 2021 crop will come in at 2.8 billion meat pounds, 10 percent below last year’s record of 3.1 billion pounds. (Editor’s Note: The steep decline in production this year comes as a big surprise with the May subjective forecast suggesting a larger crop at 3.2 billion pounds)

    The drop comes during a very difficult water year across California and at a time when the almond industry is navigating a complex market with record shipments but with returns to growers down from recent years.

    “The report still forecasts a really large crop, and it’s further proof that California is an ideal place to grow almonds, even in difficult times,” said Kent Stenderup, Chair of the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors. “It’s also a testament to the hard work of growers and their efforts to improve stewardship practices and meet the demands of consumers despite the hurdles we’re facing this year.”

    The 2021 Objective Report’s forecast is 13 percent below the 2021 California Almond Subjective Forecast in May of 3.20 billion pounds. The forecast for the average nut set per tree is 4,619, down 18 percent from the 2020 almond crop. The Nonpareil average nut set is 4,512, down 20 percent from last year’s set. The average kernel weight for all varieties sampled was 1.46 grams, down 3 percent from the 2020 average weight.

    “Shipment numbers show that the demand for California almonds continues to increase both in the U.S. and around the world,” said Almond Board President and CEO Richard Waycott. “The strong forecast means the California almond industry will keep up with that growing global demand with a steady supply of high quality almonds. With such strong demand, competition for the 2021 crop could lead to a much needed increase in the return to growers, which is currently below the cost of production due to the recent record crop.”

    ABC’s June 2021 Position Report showed that both exports and total shipments increased the records set in May for a single crop year, while shipments within the U.S. are on pace for a record year. Through June, total shipments reached 2.67 billion pounds. The crop year ends July 31.

    USDA-NASS conducts the annual Objective Report, Subjective Forecast and Acreage Report to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions and it thanks all farm operators, owners and management entities for their time providing the information necessary to create these reports. These reports are the official industry crop estimates.

    About the Almond Board of California

    Almonds from California are a healthy, natural, wholesome and quality food. The Almond Board of California promotes almonds with a research-based approach to responsible farming, production and marketing on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond growers and processors in California, many of whom have third- and fourth-generation family operations. Established in 1950 and based in Modesto, California, the Almond Board of California is a non-profit organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. For more information on the Almond Board of California or California almonds, visit Almonds.com.

  • Almond Board Briefs Congressional Caucus About Pollinator Coalition

    Almond Board of California Chief Scientific Officer Josette Lewis traveled virtually to Washington D.C. to brief key congressional leaders about the unique California Pollinator Coalition and its value to the health of bees and other pollinators.

    Lewis was one of four speakers, and the only representative from agriculture, at the virtual congressional briefing on the status of pollinators convened by Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) during National Pollinator Week. They are co-chairs of the Congressional Pollinator Protection Caucus.

    “This hearing, and this week, were extremely valuable because they helped raise awareness about the need to protect all pollinators and their habitats,” Lewis said. “For the California almond industry, every week is pollinator week. This is something we work hard at every day.”

    During the briefing, Lewis detailed the steps being taken by the California Pollinator Coalition and why its brand of collaborative conservation is a strong model to both bolster the health of pollinators and to set an example for a range of effective environmental alliances among independent groups.

    The pollinator coalition includes more than 20 California organizations and was spearheaded by the Almond Board of California (ABC) along with the Pollinator Partnership and the state Department of Food and Agriculture. It represents the large majority of agricultural acreage in the state and its goal is to expand pollinator health and habitats on working ag lands.

    “The representatives heard how the coalition represents agriculture putting its best foot forward,” Lewis said. “Given the crucial importance of pollinators to food production and to ecosystems, it’s essential that agriculture be part of the solution. That’s one reason ABC partnered with the Pollinator Partnership to help build this coalition. We know the almond industry and the ag community can continue to help.”

    A key subject the congressional leaders wanted Lewis to address was the value of collaborations like the Pollinator Coalition, how they can be built and how they can help in areas ranging from research to shared incentive programs.

    One incentive example is ABC’s Bee+ Scholarship program, which pays up to $2,000 of the cost of seeds for pollinator-friendly cover crops and has added 15,000 acres of pollinator habitat in almond orchards in its first year. It will also cover the fees to register as a Bee Friendly Farm.

    “The goal is to reduce the risks to growers to try new practices that can benefit pollinators and growers alike. One size does not fit all growers, so this offers a chance to try something new,” Lewis said. “Collaborations are effective because everyone has a stake in healthy ecosystems and healthy food, and together we can help each other take actions and make a difference.” — By the Almond Board of California

  • Almond Board of CA 2021 Election Results

    The Almond Board of California (ABC) has released election results for the Board of Directors positions whose terms of office begin August 1, 2021. As a governing body for the industry, the ABC Board of Directors is comprised of five handler and five grower representatives who set policy and recommend budgets in several major areas, including production research, public relations and advertising, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety. 

    The names of the following nominees have been submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for selection:

    Independent Grower

    Member Position One (one-year term):                     

    Paul Ewing, Los Banos                       

    Alternate Position One:                                         

    Brandon Rebiero, Modesto

    Member Position Three (three-year term):                

    Joe Gardiner, Earlimart

    Alternate Position Three:                                           

    Chris Bettencourt, Westley     

    Independent Handler

    Member Position Two (three-year term):                   

    Bob Silveira, Williams 

    Alternate Position Two:                                              

    Dexter Long, Ballico                           

    Member Position Three (one-year term):                  

    Darren Rigg, Le Grand 

    Alternate Position Three:                                            

    Chad DeRose, McFarland      

    Cooperative Grower

    Member Position Two (three-year term):                  

    Christine Gemperle, Ceres     

    Alternate Position Two:                                              

    Kent Stenderup, Bakersfield  

    In addition, Lisa Giannini, Hickman, has been named to fill the Cooperative Grower Alternate Position One role.

  • Whole Orchard Recycling Benefits and Incentives

    Almond Board of California — Exciting research shows that conducting Whole Orchard Recycling (WOR) in almonds can increase crop yields in subsequent orchards, provide long-term benefits to soil health (such as improved water retention and nutrient levels) and increase carbon sequestration.

    Conducted by researchers from the University of California (UC) Davis and UC Agricultural and Natural Resources, with funding in part by the Almond Board of California (ABC), this study identifies significant advantages to practicing WOR, the breadth of which are detailed in a report published in the journal PLOS ONE.

    The study spanned over a decade and compared plots within a nine-year-old orchard where WOR took place with plots where trees had been burned and their ashes tilled into the soil. At ninth leaf, researchers also tested the impact of deficit irrigation mid-growing season by reducing the amount of water applied by 20% for some of the trees.

    When the results were placed side-by-side, the plots where WOR took place consistently bested the plots where old trees’ ashes were tilled into the soil. Among other benefits, researchers discovered a:

    • 19% increase in yields at ninth leaf and 15% increase in cumulative yield over five years, 
    •  30% increase in soil water holding capacity (water retention), and 
    • 17% increase in total soil nitrogen levels. 
      • To note: Subsequent research found that additional nitrogen is needed in the first year.

    “Almond growers have long been told that implementing practices to improve soil health will provide all these benefits, but until now there had been very little data demonstrating that a focus on feeding the soil with organic matter can make a meaningful difference in yield and crop quality,” said Gabriele Ludwig, Ph.D., director of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs for the Almond Board.

    Study shows significant yield increases
    Key among the multiple positive outcomes discovered by this WOR study is the potential for increased yields. This finding not only brings good news for a grower’s bottom line, but it also has positive implications on the industry’s effort to produce “more crop per drop,” an effort it is striving to achieve as part of its Almond Orchard 2025 Goal to reduce the amount of water used to grow a pound of almonds by an additional 20%.

    “The increased water holding soil capacity that occurs as a result of Whole Orchard Recycling means that trees are subject to fewer extremes in terms of water availability, as more water is held in the upper layer of the soil where the majority of the tree’s roots are, and where tree uptake takes place,” Ludwig explained.

    Research shows that WOR increased water retention in the soil by up to 30%. While Ludwig cautioned that this data does not lend itself to a recommendation that growers can use less water if they practice WOR, it does indicate that applied water is used more efficiently by trees in orchards where WOR has occurred.

    Amélie Gaudin, Ph.D., an associate professor of agroecology in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences and a co-author of the WOR research report, said that by allowing more water to penetrate and the remain in the soil, WOR also reduces potential irrigation-related losses caused by runoff or evapotranspiration.

    “In plots where WOR occurred, water was more likely to reach and be used by the trees, allowing for increased yields as trees experienced less short-term stress and therefore achieved greater water use efficiency,” Ludwig said.

    A hedge against deficit-induced tree stress
    This study also demonstrates that by increasing soil organic matter, WOR helps insulate orchards from negative impacts of deficit irrigation, which involves a delicate balance between stressing one’s trees just enough to prevent too much moisture and potential for disease in the orchards with not overstressing the trees to a point where their yields and overall health are compromised. According to the research, the deficit-irrigated trees in the WOR plots maintained higher stem water potential compared to the deficit-irrigated trees in the burn plots, indicating trees in the WOR plots were less water stressed.

    “We forget that trees can get stressed enough to shut down photosynthesis, whether that’s because they can’t keep up with water demand in the hot afternoons, for a day or two before irrigation, or during harvest,” Ludwig said. “So, when the upper layers of the soil can hold more water, the trees are better buffered from those stresses.” 

    Gaudin said that by improving water holding capacity, WOR also helps orchards retain nitrogen, one of almond trees’ most necessary nutrients. This has positive implications for groundwater quality in areas where nitrogen leeching is a concern. It also may contribute to yield increases as trees in the WOR plots were shown to have greater access to nitrogen for longer periods of time.

    Another supplementary benefit, Ludwig noted, is that over time, as microorganisms in the soil break down the woody biomass, both macro- and micronutrients contained within the wood are released for reuse by the next generation of trees. This allows growers to “recycle” those nutrients so that they may be used throughout the lifetime of their newly planted orchard.

    Next steps for researchers working on this WOR research, Gaudin said, include further study of carbon sequestration and its implication for greenhouse gases, gaining a better understanding of nitrogen retention, optimizing WOR in different soil conditions and the impacts of integrating WOR with other responsible growing practices such as cover crops or anaerobic soil disinfestation.

    Support for those seeking to conduct WOR
    Growers may be eligible to receive incentive funding to conduct WOR if they apply for funds far enough in advance of conducting the practice.

    • WOR is now a practice eligible for co-funding through CDFA’s Healthy Soil Incentives Program. Payments cover about 50% of the cost of WOR, according to CDFA Senior Environmental Scientist Geetika Joshi. The next round of funding for the program begins in July 2021.
    • USDA-NRCS offers Conservation Stewardship Program funds to growers who find alternatives to burning old trees, providing $783.29 per acre for chipping (used for animal bedding or applied as mulch on another piece of ag land) and an additional $242.09 per acre for Whole Orchard Recycling. While applications are accepted year-round, funding for 2021 has already been announced. Still, growers can submit their applications now to apply for 2022 funding.  
    • For those in the San Joaquin Valley, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District provides cost-share funds to reduce ag burning through its Alternative to Agricultural Open Burning Incentive Program. Growers participating in this program are eligible to receive $300-$600 per acre, with a maximum of $60,000 per grower. Incentive recipients are typically paid four-to-six weeks after their completion of WOR, and after an invoice has been sent to the district.

    For general questions about incentive programs, industry members may contact ABC’s Jesse Roseman at jroseman@almondboard.com.

    Those interested to learn more about how WOR may be practiced on their operation are encouraged to download or request a physical copy of the Whole Orchard Recycling Guide for California Almond Growers, created in partnership by ABC and UC ANR. Growers are also welcome to watch the     Whole Orchard Recycling Overview and Whole Orchard Recycling – A Grower’s How-To videos, which are hosted on YouTube and found on ABC’s website. Finally, UC Davis provides a robust website dedicated to Whole Orchard Recycling, which offers a deep dive into the research findings, grower testimonials, and more. 

    In addition to Gaudin, co-authors of the study include Kelsey Brewer and Emad Jahanzad of UC Davis; Brent Holtz, Sean Hogan and Cameron Zuber of UC Cooperative Extension; and David Doll, a former UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor.

  • Larger CA Almond Crop Forecasted This Year

    Almond Board of California — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is predicting an increase in the California almond crop. The USDA-NASS 2021 California Almond Subjective Forecast estimates California almond orchards will produce 3.2 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 3 percent from last year’s 3.12 billion-pound crop. Forecasted yield is expected to reach 2,410 pounds per acre, 3 percent lower than the 2020 yield of 2,490 per acre.

    This forecast comes about three weeks after USDA-NASS released the 2020 California Almond Acreage Report, which estimated total almond acreage for 2020 at 1.6 million acres, up 5.3 percent from 2019. Bearing acres – orchards mature enough to produce a crop – were reported at 1.25 million acres, up 5.9 percent from the previous year. USDA-NASS also estimated preliminary bearing acreage for 2021 at 1.33 million acres.

    “What we’re seeing with this report is a forecasted continuance of high yields,” said Richard Waycott, president and CEO of the Almond Board of California (ABC). “Water availability will be the principal concern on growers’ minds as they continue to grow this crop. We look forward to the outcome of the Objective Report to see if it corroborates this estimate.” 

    The first of two production reports for the upcoming crop year, the Subjective Forecast is based on opinions from a phone survey of randomly selected almond growers located throughout the state. It was conducted from April 19 to May 6. USDA-NASS asks individual growers their total almond yield per acre from last year and their expected yield for the current year based on field observations. 

    The sample of growers interviewed is grouped by size of operation, and different people are surveyed each year to ensure grower representation throughout the Central Valley. USDA-NASS combines all the yield estimates and extrapolates the numbers reported in the Subjective Forecast.

    In July, USDA-NASS will release its second production estimate, the 2021 California Almond Objective Report. While the Subjective Forecast provides an initial 2021/2022 crop estimate, the Objective Report will provide an estimate based on actual almond counts using a more statistically rigorous methodology to determine yield.

    The 2021 California Almond Objective Report will be released on Monday, July 12, at 9:00 a.m. PT. USDA-NASS produces the Objective Report, the Subjective Forecast and the Acreage Report to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions, and thanks all farm operators, owners and management entities for their time in providing the information necessary to create these reports.

  • Trials of New Almond Varieties Pay Dividends

    In the 1970s, the Almond Board of California began supporting Regional Variety Trials (RVTs) to provide a mechanism to test the performance of new varieties across the diverse almond growing regions in the State of California and to extend that information to local growers. Previous and current RVTs have been designed to evaluate new varieties or selections in a semi-commercial (20 to 40 trees per variety) manner and compare them to standard varieties such as Nonpareil, Mission, and currently accepted pollinizer varieties.

    One of the main outputs of the first two generations of RVTs was to fully document the performance of the top 14 out of 15 varieties most currently adopted in California. These first two RVTs identified good pollinizers for Nonpareil, collected key horticulture and almond quality data, and discarded many undesirable pollinizers before they were widely adopted.

    The third, and current generation of RVTs started in 2014 and is already in the process of identifying top performers. For instance, the USDA breeder recently released selection Y116-161-99, as the new variety ‘Yorizane’ variety due to the consistent novelties of the variety, including self-fertility, high yields and good kernel quality recorded in the current RVT. The current RVT brings key novelties in comparison to the previous generations such as the fact that all the trees were planted in the same year (2014), in multiple locations (Butte, Stanislaus & Madera Counties) and with statistical repetitions.

    For nearly 50 years the Almond Board has partnered with the University of California (UC) to conduct Regional Variety Trails (RVTs) that provide a mechanism by which ABC, researchers and industry members can evaluate new varieties across the diverse almond-growing regions in the state.

    Due to the contribution of these RVTs, our industry has been able to adopt a wide range of varieties that offer a versatile supply of almond kernel and confer competitive advantage to growing almonds in California. Thanks to the outputs of these RVTs, our industry counts on multiple pollen compatible varieties (i.e. Fritz, Price, Aldrich, Wood Colony, Monterey, etc) that adequately cover Nonpareil bloom. The RVTs have identified varieties that are more resistant to pests and diseases such as NOW (i.e. Price and Butte) and Hull Rot (i.e. Monterey, Carmel, and Fritz), respectively. RVT outputs have expanded our harvesting and processing operations by identifying the Sonora group (harvested 7-13 days after Nonpareil), the Price group (harvested 15-21 days after Nonpareil), and the Carmel group (harvested 29-34 days after Nonpareil), among others. Also, the data collection in these RVTs have served to group varieties by their ease of nut removal (i.e. Butte, and Price fall in the easy category while Merced falls in the difficult category), hull split date, vigor, etc.

    This investment in varietal research has resulted in the commercialization of new UC varieties in the past 20 years such as: Kester, Sonora, Sweetheart and Winters. And thanks to the RVTs and the ongoing collaboration with the USDA breeder Craig Ledbetter, we can now add Yorizane – another self-compatible variety with many intriguing characteristics — to the mix. It is the latest example of ABC research and collaboration with the UC coming to fruition, with many other new varietals potentially still in the pipeline from the current RVT.

    Understanding the benefits, trade-offs

    At The Almond Conference (TAC) 2020 breakout session in December, ABC Associate Director of Agricultural Research Sebastian Saa told growers that evaluating more self-compatible varieties like Yorizane remains a priority. Self-compatible varieties potentially require fewer pollinators in the orchard because the pollen only has to move a short distance – from one blossom to another blossom of the same tree – rather than from one blossom to another blossom a tree row or more away.

    There are other advantages, Saa said: “Self-compatible trees can be grown in blocks of the same variety, allowing for more efficiency at harvest time. ‘One shake, one harvest,’” he said.

    Many of the most recent new varieties created in California and around the world are also are self-compatible. Saa said that CA new varieties typically bloom about the same time as Nonpareil but are harvested a couple of weeks later and therefore could be viable options for growers seeking to transition to off-ground harvesting.

    During the online discussion at the breakout session, a grower asked Saa if there is an increased risk of resiliency to diseases or pests with self-compatible varieties, especially if there is less genetic diversity within an orchard.

    “If we adopt one self-compatible variety, then there is a potential risk,” Saa acknowledged, “but if we adopt multiple self-compatible varieties from different genetic background, then the risk remains low, and our resilience is improved. Our goal is to enhance variety diversification for the California almond industry by adopting better almond varieties that respond to different market demands as well as provide enhanced traits such as self-compatibility.”

    In addition to learnings around self-compatible varieties, TAC attendees also had an opportunity to hear from Phoebe Gordon, a UC Cooperative Extension orchard crops farm advisor in Merced County. Gordon manages one of the RVT sites in Madera County (others are located in Butte and Stanislaus counties). Since 2017, she and her peers have tested various pollinator varieties paired with alternating rows of Nonpareil trees.

    “We test all varieties for bloom timing, bloom profusion, hullsplit timing, yields, defects and insect damage, and observe any disease issues,” Gordon explained.

    She said early results in the RVT indicate that some of the pollinator varieties may have higher yields than Nonpareil, but cautioned that “we need to look at entire lifespan of these varieties.”

    Research requires patience

    Developing a new variety can take many years, if not decades. Craig Ledbetter, a research geneticist with the Agricultural Research Service, based at the San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center in Parlier, was directly involved with the development of Yorizane.

    He said the first seedling was planted in 1999. Its kernel attractiveness and ease of cracking – combined with self-fertilization — quickly separated it from other alternatives, Ledbetter said. Annual tests on roller crackers also showed its kernels damage less often than Nonpareil. Then, the RVT that began in 2014 revealed Yorizane’s heavy yield potential.

    “Yorizane provides a varietal option to growers to establish a more efficient single-variety orchard,” Ledbetter explained. “As a part of the RVT, it has been evaluated in blind tests by industry personnel for kernel attributes and has been found to have excellent kernel appearance and marketing potential.”

    Limited quantities of Yorizane already are available at many of California’s leading tree nurseries.

    Partners key to long-term success

    Yorizane is just one example of the ongoing value and importance of the Almond Board’s long-term investment in research, development and real-word, in-the-orchard testing of new varietals. It is a critical partnership between the industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS), the University of California system, and private breeders and nurseries in California.

    Chuck Fleck, director of horticulture research at Sierra Gold Nurseries near Yuba City, said there are many other exciting scientific advances on the horizon. Although Sierra Gold’s variety development program is relatively young, he said its team plans to eventually release almond varieties and rootstocks that provide growers with many advantageous genetic characteristics.

    Fleck pointed to the work of two researchers – Malli Aradhya of the USDA and Tom Gradziel of UC Davis – as being especially promising. Aradhya’s has focused on helping growers overcome abiotic (atmosphere, chemical elements, sunlight/temperature, wind and water) as well as biotic (soil, floom, leaves and wood) challenges in their orchards. Gradziel is working to bring new germplasm into almonds’ fairly narrow genetic base as well as exploring alternative rootstock options to more effectively deal with abiotic and biotic issues.

    “Perennial crop breeding takes years to see successes and breakthroughs,” Fleck explained. “Because it can take decades before such successes come to light, the resulting varieties — and therefore the breeding program’s true value — is not easily discerned until long after their inception.”

    Factsheets will inform growers

    It hasn’t always been easy to efficiently communicate breakthroughs in the genetic world or promising results from RVTs to growers. That’s why so many industry officials are excited about the rollout of varietal fact sheets co-created by the Almond Board, UC-ANR, and the Fruit and Nut Center (FNC) at UC Davis.. These factsheets  are housed on a new website that will launch later this year at the FNC center. The first fact sheet debuted is on Yorizane and can be viewed here.

    “The data that is being generated is important and frequently actionable, but to date there has not been a particularly convenient way to access the results from these research projects,” said Julia Stover-Blackburn, director of Fruit and Nut Center. “ABC and UC-ANR do a great job of communicating findings at The Almond Conference and other meetings throughout the year, but we anticipate that making these results findable in the same place will help extend the reach.”

    She said the website will have an overview of various almond-breeding resources but primarily will serve as a repository for the findings of the most recent Regional Variety Trial. A second site is under construction to serve as a repository for almond rootstock trial findings. The hope, Stover-Blackburn explained, is that the sites “will be a resource for both researchers and growers looking to see how various varieties and rootstocks compare in these extensive trials.”

    “These data are valuable for growers making decisions about new plantings and for researchers making decisions about what varieties to include in other projects,” she said.

    The importance of RVTs cannot be overstated. Saa said 14 of the 15 most popular almond varieties in California are the product of trials. Initiation is already under way for the next RVT, which Saa expects to plant on the ground late in 2022 or early in 2023 and continue for a decade or more. He said the next trial likely will include many novelties in comparison to the current regional trial and that ABC is already working to identify the ad hoc research team.

    “Having third-party data collection about how that variety performs in different regions of the state is very valuable to growers, nurseries and handlers,” Saa said. “We need to know the weaknesses and strengths of varieties. There is no perfect variety. Some growers are looking for different things, like harvest times or kernel characteristics. There is no doubt that we need a diverse supply of almonds varieties.”

    Gordon said RVTs allow horticultural characteristics like yield, bloom overlap and harvest timing to be compared in an unbiased setting.

    “If there are conditions that are conducive to disease development, they can also be a way to compare relative susceptibilities to diseases,” she said. “They also allow growers and PCAs to see new varieties in person before committing.”

    Industry members interested to learn more about ongoing research should stay tuned for a report that will be issued this spring summarizing the RVT data collected in the past four years.

    In addition, industry members are encouraged to check out this session from The Almond Conference 2020 during which Gordon and other experts provide information on the latest varieties and selections under evaluation, in addition to discussing ABC’s overall breeding strategy.

    Finally, in 2020, the Almond Board published a comprehensive breeding report that provides an evaluation of national and international varieties and selections currently under evaluation or available in the market. Those interested in sinking their teeth into this topic are welcome to review this report. —     Almond Board of California

  • Almond Board Election Underway

    Almond Board of California — Voting began April 21st to select two independent grower member and alternate positions and two independent handler member and alternate positions. These positions will serve as directors for the Almond Board of California (ABC) with the terms beginning on August 1, 2021.

    Candidates for the independent grower positions are:
    Position One, Member (One-year term): 

    Paul Ewing, Los Banos (incumbent)

    Ross Franson, Fresno (petitioner)

    Position One, Alternate:

    Michael Anderson, Vina (petitioner)

    Brandon Rebiero, Modesto (petitioner)

    Position Three, Member (Three-year term): 

    Dave DeFrank, Fresno (petitioner)

    Joe Gardiner, Earlimart (petitioner)

    Caleb Gervase, Escalon (petitioner)

    Kash Gill, Yuba City, (petitioner)

    Position One, Alternate:

    Dinesh Bajaj, Orland (petitioner)

    Chris Bettencourt, Westley (petitioner) Caleb Gervase, Escalon (petitioner)

    Candidates for the independent handler positions are:
    Position Two, Member (Three-year term): 

    Todd Meyer, Chico (incumbent)

    Bob Silveira, Williams (petitioner)

    Position Two, Alternate:

    Dexter Long, Ballico (incumbent)

    Position Three, Member (One-year term): 

    Darren Rigg, Le Grand (incumbent)

    Position Three, Alternate:

    Chad DeRose, McFarland (incumbent)

    Ballots and instructions have been mailed to all independent growers whose names are on file with ABC. The Almond Board must receive ballots by May 27, 2021 for them to be counted. If an independent grower or a handler does not receive a ballot, one may be obtained by contacting Bunnie Ibrahim at (209) 343-3228.

    As a governing body for the industry, the ABC Board of Directors is comprised of five handler and five grower representatives who set policy and recommend budgets in several major areas including: production research, public relations and advertising, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.