California Ag Network

Tag: Almond Board of California

  • Growers, Researchers & Leaders Exchange Ideas at Almond Board Conference

    Almond Board of California — The Almond Conference 2023 drew the largest turnout since 2019 as attendees met new Almond Board of California president and CEO Clarice Turner and heard about the array of programs – ranging from building global demand to increased trade efforts to research to maximize grower efficiency – aimed at helping the industry face difficult times.

    As always, the gathering at Sacramento’s SAFE Credit Union Convention Center was the largest of the year for the almond industry, drawing 3,819 attendees and providing an opportunity to further relationships, build new ones and exchange ideas and information.

    “This year, we were able to share what we learned about the challenges we’re facing as well as outline the efforts ABC is making to address each,” said Alexi Rodriguez, chair of ABC’s Board of Directors. “The best path for our industry is going to be together, and The Almond Conference offered a great opportunity to take into account all the ideas and experiences that were shared to help us move forward.”

    During the State of the Industry presentation, Turner talked about what she called a great strength of the almond industry – the supportive nature of everyone in it.

    “I’m so impressed with how you all work together, help each other, and care so deeply,” Turner said. “As the industry struggles to deal with challenges, many we don’t control, it’s critical to pull together and focus on what we can control or influence to find our way forward … We have some difficult times to endure, but I’m certain that strong leadership, focus and the industry DNA of ‘grit and innovation’ will get us to a better place.”

    The theme of The Almond Conference 2023 was “Connecting the Dots,” and sessions offered practical information for growers in many forms as well as a forum to exchange knowledge. One focus was providing information about the range of assistance available to the industry, and the conference again included an Incentive and Grower Support Zone, a popular offering that helped attendees get their questions answered by more than a dozen agencies and organizations that offer incentives or help getting them.

    Attendees also heard from Doug McKalip, Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, who was part of the State of the Industry presentation, and from CDFA Secretary Karen Ross, who spent time with McKalip visiting the trade show floor.

    The annual awards given to long-time industry leaders during the Gala dinner were also highlights, as they are every year.

    Dick Cunningham was given the 2023 Almond Achievement Award for his remarkable commitment to the advancement of the almond industry over a 50-year career, and Wes Asai was awarded the 2023 Almond Technical Achievement Award, which recognizes an industry member who has contributed to significant technical advancement for the betterment of the California almond industry through research, innovation or facilitating the adoption of practices.

    And Richard Waycott, ABC’s outgoing president and CEO, was recognized for his 20-plus years of service to the industry with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Attendees at The Almond Conference 2023 visit the Incentive and Grower Support Zone to get information and questions answered by more than a dozen agencies and organizations that offer incentives or help getting them. Photo courtesy of the Almond Board of California.

    What’s next

    • PDF versions of the slide presentations covering a wide range of topics and featuring expert speakers are available at Conferences Presentations (almonds.com). Video recordings will be posted and available in the new year.
    • Save the date for 2024: Dec. 10-12 again at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in downtown Sacramento.

  • California Almond Acreage Drops Again in 2023

    California’s total almond acreage dropped again in 2023, this time by about 74,000 acres, making two years in a row that acreage has decreased, something that has not happened since at least 1995, according to a new report from Land IQ to the Almond Board of California (ABC).

    Total acreage dropped from just under 1.64 million acres last year to about 1.56 million in 2023, even though bearing acres – orchards producing almonds and planted in 2020 or earlier – increased slightly to 1.37 million acres compared with 1.34 million acres at this time last year. But the amount of non-bearing acreage – new orchards planted in 2021, 2022 or 2023 – sank about 105,000 acres from 294,000 acres in 2022 to 189,000 acres in 2023, according to the Land IQ 2023 Standing Acreage Final Estimate.

    “The latest Land IQ California almond acreage analysis continues to point to a reduction in total acreage driven by fewer new plantings and an increase in orchard removals,” said Richard Waycott, ABC president and CEO. “The 1.37 million bearing acreage in 2023 established a new record, reflecting plantings in 2020 or earlier, but going forward, the analysis points to a lowering of bearing acreage in 2024.”

    Orchard removals increased again in 2023 to about 83,000 acres as of Aug. 31, compared with 60,400 acres removed in 2022 and continuing a trend of an increasing pace of removals that started in 2021, according to the accompanying Land IQ 2023 Removal Update. That contributes to the analysis pointing to fewer acres next year and possibly beyond, Waycott said.

    In addition, nearly 41,000 acres are classified as either stressed or abandoned. They were included in the standing acreage total because the orchards “may have the ability to recover,” Land IQ said.

    The estimates come from multiple lines of evidence, including agronomic and remote sensing knowledge, robust on-the-ground verification, customized image analysis, artificial intelligence and more. Land IQ said the 2023 standing acreage estimate is 98.8 percent accurate.

    Land IQ’s acreage estimates are 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.

  • Almond Board Outlook on Shipments & Exports

    Following his State of the Almond Industry presentations at the Tree & Vine Expo and the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo, Richard Waycott, President of the Almond Board of California, shared some insights on successes and challenges with almond shipments over the past 12 months. Watch his interview with Matthew Malcolm and read the full State of the Industry report in the upcoming issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Thunder Creek Equipment for their industry support.

  • Almond Board Directors and New CEO Listen and Talk with Industry

    The Almond Board of California Board of Directors and President and CEO Clarice Turner engaged almond industry members up and down the Central Valley in an eight-stop listening tour to answer questions and hear concerns and ideas.

    Board members and Turner hosted gatherings starting in Shafter in the south valley and ending in Orland in the north to hear what growers and handlers have on their minds and to give people a chance to ask questions in informal settings. Turner also participated with  outgoing Almond Board President Richard Waycott in delivering the State of the Almond Industry address at Malcolm Media’s recent Tree & Vine Expo in Turlock and Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo in Fresno.

    Incoming Almond Board of California President and CEO Clarice Turner addressing growers at Malcolm Media’s Tree & Vine Expo in Turlock (Photo by Matthew Malcolm)

    “While the long-term outlook for the industry seems promising, the short-term economics have left many growers contemplating their next steps,” said Alexi Rodriguez, chair of ABC’s Board of Directors. “The listening sessions were a great opportunity to engage with industry members to share information, experiences and ideas. It was also great for Clarice to hear from stakeholders in each region, as their challenges and priorities vary. Unfortunately, the Almond Board can’t solve every problem and many will be left to make some tough decisions going forward. That said, the Board and the organization are working hard to tackle the areas where we can make a positive difference for the future of the industry.”

    The listening sessions were casual and designed to be small so the questions and conversations could go deep. They are one of the ways Turner, who started as ABC president and CEO in September, is introducing herself to the industry and learning more about the people in the industry she serves.

    “I enjoyed meeting so many interesting, caring and knowledgeable people across the valley,” Turner said. “I heard many stories and learned so much about the history of this great industry, people’s hopes and concerns, and about their commitment to their land, roots, communities and to almonds. Despite the current difficult macro environment, we had very constructive conversations about the future of the industry. It was an inspiring week.”

    Subjects ranged from broad policy to technical questions, and the conversations will help guide sessions at The Almond Conference 2023 in Sacramento Dec. 5-7 where topics and issues will be addressed by experts during in-depth panel discussions. Rodriguez, Turner and Board of Directors members will also be available at The Almond Conference for industry members who have questions of their own.

    About the Almond Board of California

    California almonds make life better by what we grow and how we grow. The Almond Board of California promotes natural, wholesome and quality almonds through leadership in strategic market development, innovative research and accelerated adoption of industry best practices on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond farmers and processors in California, most of whom are multi-generational family operations. For more on California almonds visit Almonds.com.

  • Managing Salty Soils and Water

    Almond Board of California — Salinity poses a significant challenge to almond growers in certain areas and can greatly impact the performance of an orchard over time, costing producers in lost income. According to Mae Culumber, nut crop advisor from the University of California Cooperative Extension, almond trees are salt-sensitive and understanding soil salt levels and water sources become crucial even before planting an orchard.

    Mae Culumber, UCCE Fresno County Nut Crops Advisor

    There are two types of salt stress that impact almond trees — osmotic stress and specific iron toxicity. “It’s important to know the type of problem that you’re dealing with, particularly when you have a change in water source, to know what the composition of salts is,” Culumber said.

    Osmotic stress arises from salt accumulation, hampering water and nutrient uptake, leading to reduced vigor and early yield loss. If salt accumulates over time, specific iron toxicity becomes evident, causing the tree to absorb salts and accumulate in the roots, resulting in necrotic leaves. This damages the tree’s ability to photosynthesize and nourish developing kernels.

    Culumber said maintaining a balance between salinity and amendments is essential and regular soil sampling helps decide between water or soil applied amendments. “Annual sampling is recommended for the soil, and we want to sample at both depth and the top zero to three inches,” Culumber said. “That will help us decide whether or not we’re going to use water applied or soil applied amendments.”

    A newly introduced management guide provides insight into different salt types, their impacts on almonds and sources of stress. The Salinity Management Guide for Almonds, written by Culumber and co-produced by the Almond Board of California and UC ANR, simplifies complex calculations, and helps growers develop customized strategies based on their soil and water analyses.

    “The guide tries to break it down into individual steps and tell you exactly what measurements that you need from those soil and water analysis to make those calculations. We tried to make a complicated subject of calculating these amendments into something that everyone can do based on looking at that information.”

    This comprehensive guide offers a solution-driven approach to tackling salinity issues, empowering almond growers to make informed decisions and implement effective strategies for successful yields. The resource is available in a physical copy that can be ordered through ABC’s Grower Resources order form, and as a downloadable PDF on Almonds.com.

  • Almond Board of California Directors Announce Clarice Turner as Next CEO

    The Almond Board of California Board of Directors selected Clarice Turner, an experienced global leader in consumer goods, food service and wine and spirits, as the next president and CEO.

    Turner is joining the Almond Board of California (ABC) after most recently serving as president of iconic Napa Valley winery Joseph Phelps Vineyards. She has also held CEO and senior executive positions at Boudin Bakery, Starbucks Coffee Company, YUM! Brands, Papa Murphy’s International and PepsiCo.

    The ABC Board is excited to welcome Clarice to the California almond industry,” said board chair Alexi Rodriguez. “A tremendous amount of thought and effort went into the search process and we couldn’t be more pleased with the result. Clarice brings extensive knowledge and experience that we believe will be a great benefit to the organization and the industry.

    Turner is a ninth generation Californian and has a long history of serving on corporate and non-profit boards including the Culinary Institute of America, Delicato Family Wines, the National Restaurant Association, Washington State University School of Business and San Francisco State University Lam School of Business.

    Along with her former global executive positions, Turner was also an international business major at Fudan University in China and understands the role different nationalities play in trade, business and culture.

    “I am honored to lead the Almond Board of California,” Turner said. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to combine my California heritage, roots in generational farming and executive experience to build on the strong foundation established in 1950. I look forward to working collaboratively with the staff, board, growers, handlers and industry stakeholders in the coming years.

    Rodriguez said that in September, Turner will begin working closely with the board, current President and CEO Richard Waycott and the ABC executive team to ensure a smooth transition over the coming months.

    “We are thankful for Richard, not just for his commitment to the industry over the last 21 years, but also for his support during this transition period to make certain Clarice and the organization are set up for success moving forward,” Rodriguez said.

    Waycott informed the board of directors in November 2022 that he planned to step away from his ABC responsibilities at the end of 2023 to pursue other interests.

    About the Almond Board of California

    California almonds make life better by what we grow and how we grow. The Almond Board of California promotes natural, wholesome and quality almonds through leadership in strategic market development, innovative research and accelerated adoption of industry best practices on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond farmers and processors in California, most of whom are multi-generational family operations. The Almond Board of California is a non-profit organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It was established in 1950 and is based in Modesto, CA. For more about the Almond Board or California almonds, visit Almonds.com.

  • USDA Final Forecast Projects Slightly Larger 2023 Almond Crop

    The 2023 California Almond Objective Measurement Report published Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) estimates that the crop harvested in 2023 will come in at 2.6 billion meat pounds, 1% percent above last year’s 2.57 billion pounds.

    The estimate is up 4 percent from USDA-NASS’s Subjective Forecast in May and comes after one of the wettest winters on record, limited bee flights because of rain and wind, and a cool spring. USDA’s Forecasted yield is 1,880 pounds per acre, down 20 pounds from 2022 and the lowest since 2009.

    The slight increase comes partly because of larger nut size and despite difficult conditions, USDA-NASS said. “Record level rainfall and unprecedented stormy conditions hindered bee pollination activity in orchards across the state. Cooler than normal temperatures continued through early summer and delayed the maturity of the crop,” the report said.

    “Almond farmers have faced a series of challenges in recent years, and this wet, cool winter and spring created different obstacles after three years of drought. Yet the forecast for a larger crop shows the resiliency of California almond orchards,” said Richard Waycott, president and CEO of the Almond Board of California (ABC). “Almond farmers have worked hard while dealing with higher production and financing costs and a bloom with highly compromised bee flight hours. They are very thankful, however, for the abundant rain and snow which vastly improved the water situation, at least for now, and for shipping logistics that continue to improve. The perseverance of California’s almond farmers is admirable as is their commitment to meet future growth in global demand with high quality California almonds.”

    The forecast for the average nut set per tree is 3,953, 3 percent down from 2022. The Nonpareil average nut set of 4,004 is 1 percent more than last year. The average kernel weight for all varieties sampled was 1.67 grams, up 14% percent from the 2022 average weight. The Nonpareil average kernel weight was 1.69 grams, up 9 percent over from last year.

    The 2023 Objective Report is based on actual almond counts using a statistically rigorous methodology. The survey was conducted from May 26 to July 3 and 1,824 trees were sampled in 912 orchards, 32 more orchards than in 2022. USDA-NASS conducts the annual Subjective Forecast, Objective Report and Acreage Report to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions. — By the Almond Board of California

  • California Grower Concerns for Bees & Monarchs being Listed as Endangered Species

    Native California bees and monarch butterflies may soon be listed as endangered species.  While California farmers, and almond growers in particular, want to take care of and protect these important pollinators, listing them as endangered could prove problematic for farming as we know it. Watch this interview with Josette Lewis from the Almond Board of California as she explains.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Thunder Creek Equipment for their industry support.

  • Almond Board Simplifies CASP Process for Growers

    A valuable industry assessment program has been streamlined to make it easier for almond growers to enter and update data. Changes to the CASP program – which now stands for the California Almond Stewardship Platform – were announced in December at The Almond Conference 2022 and came after feedback from some growers about the length of time it often took to fill out the online self-assessment.

    The CASP program was developed by the Almond Board of California over a decade ago as a method for almond growers to share and compare data about their orchards and farming practices. That aggregated information in the self-assessment, in turn, is often used by handlers and others who market California’s multibillion-dollar annual almond crop to educate and reassure consumers that growers are implementing critical practices in areas such as water usage, air quality, soil health, pollinators and carbon recapture.

    The original CASP online self-assessment process included 620 questions, which now have been cut in half after the update.

    “It was really time to restructure it a little bit and put it on a diet,” said Tom Devol, Senior Manager of Field Outreach and Education at the Almond Board of California. “It had gotten a bit heavy. It was taking growers a lot of time to do and was a big commitment.”

    Growers often spent five or six hours responding to the questions and sometimes had to enter the same information more than once. That is no longer the case, Devol said.

    “I just worked with a grower who completed it in an hour and a half, from start to finish,” he said. “Now, we’ve grouped questions, so when you set up an orchard, you never look at those questions again. You put the information in for that orchard – how it was planted, when it was planted, those kinds of questions – and when you reassess in two or three years … you never have to look at that again. Those questions are pre-done.

    “And we did the same thing with the farming operations. So the common practices that you use across the whole farming operation, you really only need to address those questions one time and then in future assessments, they’re already completed for you.”

    Devol said rationale behind CASP has evolved since it was created.

    “When CASP was first envisioned, it was predominantly an education tool,” he explained. “But over time, there’s been a lot more pressure from the market. ‘How are you growing your crops? Are you exhibiting good stewardship? Are you using current practices?’

    “The handlers are the ones facing those questions. The growers aren’t selling the crop directly to the buyer; it’s the handler who’s doing it on their behalf. … By completing your grower self-assessment, you’re assisting your handler in marketing your product.”

    Devol recommends that growers update their information at least every three years.

    “It’s really a continuous improvement program if you think about it. We’re really trying to see where we’ve learned new practices that we’re starting to adopt into the orchard,” he said. “Not many people change their practices every year, but over time, you’re going to pick up a new thing – we’re going to try this, we’re going to change the way we do that.

    “Handlers like to see that data done every year because they’re using the aggregate data to help demonstrate to their buyers what their group of growers are doing. So they have a different motivator.”

    Devol reassured growers that no individual orchard information ever is shared.

    “It’s aggregate data. It’s secure. Nobody can see your data,” he said. “These handlers just get an aggregate group of data about what their growers are doing.”

    Growers who have participated in the past and want to update their data, as well as others who want to enroll in the CASP program, should go to www.almondstewardship.org. On the website, growers can set up an account or ask to have their password sent to them, if they’ve forgotten it.

    Devol said he and the Field Outreach and Education team are available to answer any questions or provide help. They can be reached at fieldoutreach@almondboard.com.

    “We really want you to succeed,” Devol said. “We want it to be simple to use. We don’t want it to be painful for you.” — Article & Image Courtesy of the Almond Board of California

  • California Almond Shipments Make Record Comeback

    Following record production years, pandemic and logistical issues slowed California almond shipments considerably, creating record carryover inventory and pricing issues for the industry.  Coming off a shorter crop year in 2022 and what appears to be another short crop in 2023, almond growers are hoping to see prices moving up again.  Watch this brief interview with Almond Board of California President Richard Waycott as he shares details of some record almond shipping months this year that is moving the industry back on track to greater prosperity.