Regulators Gain First-Hand Insight at ABC's Environmental Stewardship Tour

More than 50 representatives from key regulatory agencies attended the Almond Board of California’s annual Environmental Stewardship Tour on May 9, an initiative created over 20 years ago to provide policymakers with practical insights into almond farming and industry stewardship practices. This year's tour took place at orchards owned by the Bowman family in Modesto, where attendees gained a direct view of daily farming decisions and innovative stewardship research.

Garret Bowman, a fourth-generation almond grower, along with his sons, welcomed attendees and explained his approach to orchard management through the growing season. He covered essential practices for irrigation and nutrient management, pest control, varieties and rootstocks. Bowman’s Pest Control Advisor demonstrated equipment used for monitoring navel orangeworm flights. This demonstration illustrated the complexity and deliberate nature of pest management practices, highlighting the thoughtful decision-making process growers undertake to optimize both crop yield and environmental health.

Abhijeet Kulkarni, ABC’s principal of technical and trade issues, described the significance of directly engaging regulators in orchard settings. "Fundamentally, it’s about outreach to various regulatory agencies that impact our industry," Kulkarni explained. "Many of these decision-makers don't have extensive backgrounds in agriculture, so this tour provides them with the context needed to fully appreciate what growers deal with on a day-to-day basis."

A key feature of the tour was a longer-term nitrogen research project led by UC Davis’s Dr. Thomas Harter, examining the impact of moving to high-frequency, low dose nitrogen applications on the potential for off-site movement of nitrogen. With 21 groundwater monitoring wells and sophisticated analysis of nitrogen movement, this multi-disciplinary research provides unique data on agricultural practices' influence on groundwater quality and greenhouse gas emissions. And it is one of the few locations where current models of leaching are being fact-checked. 

Early findings indicate significant reductions in nitrogen leaching below the root zone, demonstrating the practice change not only improves nitrogen use efficiency, but can lessen environmental impacts. "This research allows regulators to see firsthand the industry's proactive efforts to minimize environmental impact through scientifically informed practices," Kulkarni noted.

Following the orchard tour, participants gathered for lunch at Marlin Flory’s barn, where ABC staff, led by ABC’s Director of Environmental Policy Gabriele Ludwig, presented additional updates on current stewardship research and outreach efforts. This session sparked active dialogue, with regulatory staff posing thoughtful questions about irrigation practices, almond byproduct utilization, and other aspects of almond production.

"Regulators asked insightful questions on everything from how growers choose almond varieties to irrigation technology and sustainability practices," Kulkarni said. "For many, this was their first time in an almond orchard, and the experience clearly opened their eyes to the intricate realities growers navigate daily."

Attendees included senior staff from agencies such as the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, California Air Resources Board, California Department of Food and Agriculture, the head of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for California, and the head of Region 9 of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). By the following Monday, EPA officials in Washington D.C. had already heard about the value of the tour.

"We can’t directly influence regulatory decisions," Kulkarni concluded, "but through education and open dialogue, we can ensure decision-makers understand our industry's proactive role in environmental stewardship."