Exciting research shows that conducting Whole Orchard Recycling¹ (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.

MODESTO, Calif. – The Almond Board of California (ABC) is releasing two California almond industry acreage reports: USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) 2020 California Almond Acreage Report including the 2021 preliminary bearing acreage, and Land IQ’s 2021 Standing Acreage Initial Estimate (bearing acres, only).

Voting begins April 21

(Modesto, Calif.) — Voting begins today 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)

New California Pollinator Coalition pledges to increase pollinator habitat on working lands

SACRAMENTO – A broad array of organizations from across California’s agricultural and environmental landscape announced a working coalition to address their shared commitment to the health of wild and managed pollinators. The Coalition is focusing on increasing the value working lands provide to our environment, to benefit biodiversity and farmers alike. 

In Tom Devol’s perspective, conversations with growers on whether they timed their first irrigation correctly often go something like this:

“Why did you start irrigating?” he’ll ask.

“My neighbor across the street started,” the grower will respond.

When the neighbor is asked the same question, that person will say, “Well, the guy south of me started irrigating.”

And why did that grower start?

“I was just checking for leaks.”

Water is almond orchards’ number one applied input. With irrigation season right around the corner, now is a good time to submit irrigation water for laboratory analysis to see what that water contains. After all, while sampling is easy there are few steps that cannot be overlooked if accurate lab results are to be achieved.

Scholarship drives farmer planting of pollinator habitat on-farm

6/10/20 update: The protocol is in place, and APHIS has submitted to GACC the first group of facilities that have been certified to export. This list will be published on the GACC website. 

(May 22, 2020) – Christi Heintz, director of Production Research and Environmental Affairs for the Almond Board of California (ABC) from 1996 to 2005, is being remembered by colleagues for her visionary leadership on almond production and environmental issues following her tragic death on May 11, 2020. Heintz was hiking on Black Mountain near Las Vegas when she was apparently stung by a bee and suffered a fatal allergic reaction.

(May 15, 2020) – Each year, one of the biggest threats to growers’ almond crop is Navel Orangeworm (NOW). This pernicious pest can wreak havoc on California almonds in various ways and at various times throughout the crop year, though perhaps one of its worse offenses is its potential to instigate the inception of aflatoxin by way of a carcinogenic contaminant produced by the fungi Aspergillus flavus or A. parasiticus.