Bearing acreage for California almonds has declined for the first time since 1995 and total acreage has been declining for over four years as the business reaches equilibrium. However, growers in California will continue to contribute about 80% of the global supply as production in other countries remains flat. Matthew Malcolm with California Ag Network talked to the Almond Board of California President and CEO Clarice Turner about these recent developments in the almond industry. Watch this quick video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Tag: almond acreage
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Bearing Almond Acreage Drops for First Time in Decades
California’s bearing almond acreage decreased over the past year — the first drop in 30 years — according to Land IQ’s 2026 Standing Acreage Initial Estimate as bearing acreage stabilizes.
Initial 2026 bearing acreage is estimated at 1,385,870 acres, compared to the 2025 Land IQ Standing Acreage Final Estimate of 1,401,097 million bearing acres. This reflects a decrease of 15,227 bearing acres over the past year.
Land IQ’s recent Initial Estimate does not include total almond acreage. It looked at bearing acreage, specifically orchards planted before 2024 that have matured enough to produce a crop for the coming 2026 harvest. Land IQ’s final report on total acreage and non-bearing acres — including newer plantings not mature enough to produce almonds for commercial consumption — will come out in November.
In addition, Land IQ estimated 47,588 acres of orchard removals, adding to the nearly 49,197 acres removed in the 2024-25 crop year.
The drop in bearing acres is due to orchard removals and a slowdown in new plantings. This comes on the heels of Land IQ’s report in 2025 that found that California’s total almond acreage had dropped four years in a row to 1.52 million acres.
“While we’re seeing stabilization in bearing acreage, global demand remains strong and is the foundation of our industry,” said ABC President and CEO Clarice Turner. “Continued, strategic investment in market development is essential to supporting long-term growth and to position California almonds for the future.”
The Land IQ report is a snapshot of the coming 2026 harvest but does not offer an estimate on the actual almond production for the 2026-27 crop year. A production estimate will be released on May 12 with USDA-NASS’ Subjective Estimate. As of December 2025, the Almond Board of California Board of Directors voted to cease funding for the July USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Objective Measurement Report, making a change in California almond crop estimates going forward.
Land IQ’s final acreage estimate in November of 2026 will cover total acres, bearing acreage, non-bearing acreage and potentially abandoned acres and removals from Sept. 1, 2025 to Aug. 31, 2026. Please note that the almond crop year runs Aug. 1-July 31, so this estimate includes the harvest for the 2026-27 crop year.
Land IQ’s Initial Estimate and its Final Acreage Estimate in November are commissioned by the Almond Board of California 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, with the first report issued in 2019. The map is the result of more than a decade of research
— Story Contributed by the Almond Board of California
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Almond Board Guides Industry Recovery with 3rd Largest Shipping Year
The California almond industry experienced its 3rd highest shipping year ever in conjunction with the Almond Board of California’s 75th anniversary as a Federal Marketing Order. At the Almond Conference in Sacramento, President/CEO Clarice Turner spoke with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to discuss current almond supply and demand dynamics and the Board’s role in creating a healthier future in the California almond industry.
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Five-Year Almond Forecast Bright with Stronger Prices
The future looks bright for the California almond industry with the release of a special five-year almond economic forecast. In an interview with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network during the Almond Conference in Sacramento, Roland Fumasi from RaboResearch at Rabobank discussed their five-year almond outlook and what growers can expect in the coming seasons. Watch this brief interview and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
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Four Steps for Planting Containerized Almond Trees
The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service recently reported a record 1.25 million acres of almonds across California’s landscape, up 5.9% from 2019. More almond orchard continue to be planted as we speak, due in part to the reduce labor needs associated with this crop and a healthy global market for this versatile product. With increased almond acreage anticipated to be planted this year, we wanted to share this brief interview with Tia Russell from Duarte Nursery who shared and demonstrated for steps for planting containerized almond trees. Watch this video and read more about growing almonds in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine. Don’t currently receive the publication? Subscribe for free today at PacificNutProducer.com.Please thank this video’s sponsor Trece for their industry support.