Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Category: Almonds

  • Almond Hulls Get GRAS Status

    For decades, almond hulls have had a specific job — to be a low-cost animal feed ingredient. But a recent milestone could open the door to a different future for this familiar byproduct. Based on an extensive evaluation, almond hull powder (AHP) has been confirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use in human food, following a review by an independent expert panel.

    That may sound technical, but for almond growers, this decision has the potential to reshape the conversation around almond hull value.

    First, What Does ‘GRAS’ Actually Mean?

    In plain terms, GRAS status means that qualified experts agree that a food ingredient is safe for people to eat, based on scientific evidence and a long list of safety data. It’s a designation recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is a key factor for any ingredient that wants to enter the human food supply.

    In this case, an independent expert panel reviewed a comprehensive dossier, more than 180 pages, covering how Almond Hull Powder is made, safety for human consumption, how much people might eat and what happens when they do. The panel concluded that AHP is safe for its intended uses in food. The dossier and expert panel findings are finalized and submitted to the FDA.

    Why Almond Hulls?

    Almond hulls make up a significant share of the almond fruit by weight, yet historically they’ve delivered modest returns to growers. Most hulls end up in livestock rations, where they’re valued for fiber and energy, but prices can be volatile and demand is tied closely to dairy and feed markets.

    GRAS status changes the playing field by allowing almond hulls, when processed into Almond Hull Powder, to be used in human food products. According to the expert panel review, AHP can be used in a wide range of foods, including baked goods, cereals, beverages, bars and nutritional products. That doesn’t mean hulls suddenly replace almonds on the grocery shelf. But it does mean there is a pathway where hulls can move beyond feed and into higher-value food ingredient markets.

    What This Could Mean for the Hull Market

    GRAS status doesn’t instantly create new demand, but it removes a major barrier. The expert review means food companies can now seriously explore AHP as an ingredient without having to clear safety hurdles themselves. That opens the door to:

    • New markets beyond traditional feed channels
    • Higher-value applications tied to human nutrition and functional foods
    • More diversified demand, reducing reliance on any single end use

    The announcement also points to the next steps already underway, including finalizing processing parameters and external engagement with food manufacturers and partners.

    For growers, this matters because diversified demand is often the first step toward improved and more stable byproduct economics.

    The Bottom Line for Growers

    Almond Hull Powder earning GRAS status doesn’t change the hull market overnight. But it does something just as important; it expands what’s possible.

    By clearing the scientific and regulatory considerations for human food use, almond hulls move from being only a feed ingredient to becoming a potential food ingredient as well. Over time, that shift could translate into new demand streams, new partnerships, and a stronger value proposition for growers.

    For an industry always looking to make the most of every pound —Story contributed by the Almond Board of California

  • Blue Diamond Releases May Market Update

    April shipments from Blue Diamond Growers totaled 219.8 million pounds, within industry expectations at an 8.8% decline year over year on the heels of the last two strong shipment reports. April exports reached 167.3 million pounds, down 10.9% from prior year but continue to surpass last year’s pace by 1.3% at 1.55 billion pounds. Domestic shipments for April were mostly flat at 1.3% behind prior year. Domestic year-to-date shipments remain behind at 444 million pounds, down 14.4%. Total industry shipments through April stand at 1.99 billion pounds, down 2.7% versus last year.

    Shipments

    India: For the month of April, India imported 31.6 million pounds, a reduction from last year’s 45.9 million pounds. Compared to last year, the gap has widened to 8%. The market has taken a step back as warmer temperatures have reduced local consumption. India remains a strong player for global inshell consumption and will need to re-engage to secure inventories ahead of new crop supply.

    China/Hong Kong/Vietnam: April 2026 shipments to China/Hong Kong totaled 3.7 million pounds, marking a 110% increase compared to prior year. Shipments to Vietnam reached 4.8 million pounds, down 34% for the month and up 46% year to date. Combined shipments to these regions increased 2.65% year to date.

    Europe: Europe took a slight step back this month, with its growth rate declining year over year from 7% to 4%. The market continues to be a solid performer and reliable outlet for California almonds. Buyer mentality has not changed all year. Calculated and cautious buying activity should be expected to continue through the end of the crop year, with many beginning to shop for new crop coverage. Spain (+17%), Italy (+9%) and Germany (+4%) continue to lead the region’s growth.

    Middle East: The region continues to be hampered by the conflict with Iran. Buyers in the Persian Gulf region continue to take a wait-and-see approach with little appetite for risk. Demand is still present across the region, but logistical challenges and increased transportation costs make it difficult to take positions. Trade flows continue to evolve with new destinations now serving as trade hubs with Dubai unable to participate. Turkey continues to show strength, up 35%, while Pakistan, now up 202%, has emerged as a new throughput option to service the region’s demand. Trade will always find a way if buyers want to engage, but until a resolution is reached, the industry will continue to define a new normal over the coming weeks and months.

    Domestic: The domestic market shipped 52.6 million pounds, resulting in a decrease of 1.3%. April was the second largest shipment month of this crop year, bringing the market year-over-year decrease to 14.4%. Softer monthly sales have led to forward commitments declining by 5.2%. After a long period of steep declines, it appears the domestic market is maintaining its new monthly shipping average just shy of 50 million pounds. With forward commitments of 199 million pounds, this market is well positioned to match prior year’s final quarter shipments of approximately 152 million pounds.

    Commitments

    Total commitments currently stand at 517 million pounds, trailing last year by 1.6%. New sales for the month were subdued in anticipation of the Subjective Estimate and totaled 160.7 million pounds, down from 192.5 million last year. The domestic market secured 39.9 million pounds, while exports added 120.8 million pounds of new coverage. Total commitments for the domestic market are now at 199.6 million pounds while exports have reached 317 million pounds. With softer sales for the month, uncommitted inventory is currently up 4.2% at 605.8 million pounds versus 581.5 million pounds prior year.

    Crop

    The 2025 crop receipts are trickling in with just 4 million pounds added in April, bringing the receipts to approximately 2.69 billion pounds.

    Blue Diamond’s May 9, 2026 Crop Estimate Report projects a California almond crop ranging between 2.675 and 2.72, with a center point of 2.69 billion pounds. The overall estimate reflects a balanced but cautious outlook acknowledging weather impacts, orchard abandonments and summer conditions which determine whether the crop reaches projected potential. The Blue Diamond crop estimate is closely aligned with similar estimates by the USDA Subjective Estimate (2.7 billion pounds) and others in the industry. We will continue to share crop updates in our June Market Report and our July Crop Forecast Report to provide a more precise forecast as we progress through harvest.

  • USDA Releases 2026 Almond Harvest Forecast

    The 2026 California Almond Forecast, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), estimates that the crop harvested in 2026 will come in at 2.7 billion pounds, down 1% from the previous year. Forecasted yield is 1,940 pounds per acre, unchanged from the previous season.

    “According to the polled growers, the industry is expecting a modestly smaller crop in 2026 compared to last year. This is an early estimate, and we will see how the crop progresses over the coming months,” said Almond Board of California (ABC) President and CEO, Clarice Turner. “While this may signal tighter supply, California remains the world’s leading almond supplier, and ABC is focused on expanding global demand. Despite higher costs, regulatory pressures, and supply chain challenges, California almond farmers continue to deliver a reliable, high-quality crop.”

    As of December 2025, the ABC Board of Directors voted to cease funding for the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Objective Measurement Report, making a change in California almond crop estimates going forward.

    This Subjective Forecast will be the only report from NASS for the coming crop year. The estimate is based on opinions from a survey of around 500 growers conducted from April 21 to May 6. The sample of growers was selected at random and were grouped by size of operation to ensure all growers were proportionally represented. Respondents had the option to report their data by mail, phone or online.

    This Subjective Forecast comes two weeks after Land IQ’s 2026 Standing Acreage Initial Estimate found that bearing almond acreage in California decreased by 15,227 acres from the previous year to 1,385,870 million bearing acres.

    NASS conducts the annual Subjective Forecast to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions.

    — Story Contributed by the Almond Board of California

  • High Heat Could Lead to Early Almond Harvest

    High early heat could result in a smaller nut set for almonds, though some larger hulls are being found. Meanwhile, orchards enjoyed a good bloom and growers may expect to harvest as early as July. Bountiful.ag Founder and CEO Megan Nunes spoke with Matthew Malcolm from California Ag Network about these findings in their first almond crop forecast of the 2026 season. Watch this video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Artefact, ABC Partner to Turn Shells into Bio-Based Materials

    Materials and manufacturing company Artefact and the Almond Board of California announced the launch of California almond shell composite materials for use in consumer and home products, as well as building and vehicle interiors. This partnership aims to support the reshoring of clean manufacturing with U.S. sourced regenerative materials. Demand has been fueled by new design possibilities for product brands and new choices for consumers with unique new products.

    With California producing nearly 80% of the world’s almonds, the state’s almond industry represents one of the nation’s most reliable agricultural supply chains. Artefact’s technology transforms the shells leftover after almond processing into engineered materials. Historically, almond shells have been used for livestock bedding. This new technology offers the almond industry a path to higher value uses while providing manufacturers and consumer brands access alternatives to petroleum‑based plastics.

    “California is a global leader in both agriculture and product innovation. Finding meaningful, environmentally friendly uses for our almond co-products is part of ensuring that nothing in the orchard goes to waste,” said Natalie Henderson, Director of Global Communications at the Almond Board of California. “This work builds on a historic portfolio of almond board research focused on creating value for our industry and the surrounding communities.”

    Establishing the First Pilot Production Facility

    Artefact is also working with growers and processors to locate a pilot production facility in California’s Central Valley. This facility is intended to reduce logistics costs, minimize environmental impact, and embed manufacturing directly within the rural agricultural region.

    Artefact Cofounder and CEO, Ethan Escowitz, comments, “We envision a future where sustainability is not a product compromise, but a catalyst for creativity in product design. A future in which regenerative materials become the new standard that reestablishes manufacturing on U.S. soil with materials grown on U.S. soil. California is the global leader in almonds, both in production volume and processing technology, making California almond shells the ideal material to enable a major shift in this direction.” — Story Contributed by Almond Board of California

  • Blue Diamond Growers Issues Almond Crop Estimate

    Blue Diamond Growers released its 2026 almond crop estimate recently at 2.69 billion pounds, falling between a total estimated range of 2.675 to 2.72 billion pounds. This estimate reflects early-season observations and data across California’s Central Valley, along with direct input from its nearly 3,000 grower-members. The report outlines the factors that inform the crop range and will guide the outlook as the season progresses.

    With the changes made to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s almond crop estimates, Blue Diamond is providing a scenario-based range intended to help stakeholders plan for the season ahead. The cooperative’s estimate is based on field-level observations, historical performance data and structured feedback gathered across varieties and counties.

    “Crop estimating is never a single-number exercise—conditions can vary dramatically by region, variety, and orchard management,” said Blue Diamond’d Chief Ag Officer Mel Machado. “By sharing a range and the inputs behind it, we aim to provide a practical, early framework that reflects what our team is seeing in the field and hearing directly from growers.”

    “Our cooperative was built to bring stability and market access for California almond farming families,” said Jeff Hatfield, chief global supply officer of Blue Diamond Growers. “Providing a clear, data-informed outlook supports better planning and helps reduce surprises that can create unnecessary volatility for growers and customers alike.”

    Blue Diamond noted that in-season conditions including heat events, pest pressure, water availability, and orchard investment decisions, can materially influence final receipts. The cooperative expects to continue sharing crop and market updates and will refine its outlook as additional information becomes available throughout the season. — Story provided by Blue Diamond Growers

  • 2026 USDA-NASS Subjective Forecast Format Changes

    When USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA‑NASS) releases the annual California Almond Subjective Forecast on May 12, growers may notice the report doesn’t look exactly like it has in the past. The difference is tied to a broader USDA‑NASS publication change — not to any change requested or directed by the Almond Board of California (ABC).

    For decades, growers, handlers, and other stakeholders have used the Subjective Forecast as a consistent early-season reference point. Because many people know where to look for key figures and comparisons, even small shifts in layout can slow down that first read. While the report’s presentation may change, the industry’s need is the same: quickly locating the data points that support planning and market conversations.

    Last year, USDA‑NASS has released a statement saying: “NASS will no longer generate publications tailored specifically to individual states or regions. There is no impact on state-level data as it will continue to be available in the national releases and through NASS’s public online database, Quick Stats. All NASS reports are available to the public at www.nass.usda.gov.”

    For almonds, that means the Subjective Forecast may be packaged differently than the California-specific publication many are used to, however the survey methodology remains unchanged, and the California data will still exist within national releases and in Quick Stats.

    To make the updated format easier to navigate, ABC will provide a brief cover letter when sharing the Subjective Forecast. The cover letter will act as a reader’s guide to point to where commonly referenced items appear and help industry members locate the information they are accustomed to seeing in the Subjective Forecast.

    As an additional reminder, the Subjective Forecast will be the only yield-related report released by USDA this year. In December of 2025, ABC’s Board of Directors voted to cease funding for the USDA‑NASS Objective Estimate that has typically been released in early July.

    ABC will share the Subjective Forecast as soon as it is released on May 12 and include the cover letter to help industry members orient quickly. If you have questions once the report is available, please contact ABC staff.

    — Story contributed by Almond Board of California

  • Almond Board Works to Expand C and U Access

    When growers think about foodservice demand, restaurants and packaged foods often come to mind. But another foodservice segment is quietly shaping ingredient use, consumer preferences and long‑term demand: College and University (C and U) foodservice.

    C and U refers to on‑campus dining programs at colleges and universities. These programs feed students, faculty and staff every day across multiple venues and meals. Collectively, C and U foodservice represents an estimated $18 billion industry nationwide, with thousands of campuses and significant purchasing power. For almonds, it is a segment where scale and influence intersect.

    College campuses serve food continuously. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are offered seven days a week. Some campuses prepare tens of thousands of meals daily across dining halls, cafés, food trucks and catering operations. Even small ingredient decisions, when multiplied across millions of meals each year, can add up quickly.

    That scale is why the Almond Board of California engages with campus dining not only to encourage menu inclusion, but to help make almonds visible, desirable and repeatedly chosen by students. When almonds show up in everyday meals and beverages, they can influence preferences, normalize new uses beyond snacking and ultimately build long term demand.

    “College dining today looks very different than it did a generation ago,” the Almond Board of California recently wrote. “Many universities now operate chef‑driven programs that emphasize scratch cooking, global flavors and ingredient transparency. On some campuses, dining experiences rival what is found in major cities.”

    The Almond Board works with campus dining leaders, executive chefs and purchasers — especially at universities that manage their own dining programs — to make it easier to feature almonds in ways that are more appealing to students.

    “C­ and U foodservice represents a long-term investment in almond demand because it combines large-scale meal volume with an unusually strong ability to shape consumer choices,” the Almond Board wrote. “Campus dining teams influence what students try repeatedly, and those experiences can carry forward into habits and purchases after graduation.”

    For growers, this work may help keep almonds top-of-mind as these student-consumers navigate more choices and more competing ingredients.

    — Story contributed by the Almond Board of California

  • Annihilating Nematodes in the Tree Nut Orchard

    Farmer John Chandler lamented the loss of methyl bromide for replanting an orchard or vineyard. Photo credit: Diana Gutierrez

    Andreas Westphal, scientist at Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in the San Joaquin Valley, organized a soil plant pathology conference that was held on March 24-26, 2026. Participants from as far away as Virginia came to learn about the latest research findings.

    Chandler Farms

    The first day of the conference was a field tour to three sites and then Kearney itself. After meeting at Kearney, the participants rode on a tour bus to Chandler Farms in Selma. John Chandler, his brother Tom and their father, Bill operate a diversified farm that includes almonds, grapes and citrus.

    Soil Fumigants

    The Chandlers typically change out one field per year. John lamented the loss of methyl bromide for replanting an orchard. He now uses Telone, which he finds “has less effect but still works.” 

    He always contracts out his Telone application because it requires special training. He has the contractor put tarps over it, beyond the usual seal, to prevent off-gassing, but he says, “It’s not worth it to get acres of plastic.” The tarps add about $1000/acre to the cost.

    Westphal explained, though, that Telone is becoming more difficult to use because of a new restriction in the amount of Telone allowed plus a requirement that the fumigant be applied with lots of water.  The new regulations say that the soil has to be wet to two feet depth. If the soil is bone dry, three inches of water must be added within 72 hours before applying the fumigant.

    However, the excess water makes it hard to get a tractor through the field. Also, the fumigant does not move well through water, as it is made to move through air. Lastly, the Telone stays in wet soil longer before vaporizing off, which may make it toxic to plants.

    Nematodes     

    Chandler said that his farm has nematodes —the microscopic roundworms that feed on plant roots. His soil has root-knot, lesion, ring and citrus types of nematodes.

    When he can afford it, he fallows the land for a year or two instead of fumigating, but he says that fumigation gives the plants the best chance to get started. Once the crop is established, he notes, there are few tools for nematode adjustment.

    Burchell Nursery

    The second stop was Burchell Nursery in Fowler, where Mauricio De Almeida led the group around the almond, stone fruit, citrus, pomegranate, and retail table grape plants.

    Mauricio de Almeida led the tour group around the almond, stone fruit, citrus, pomegranate, and retail table grape plants at the Nursery. Photo credit: Diana Gutierrez

    What is gnawing the plant roots?

    Almeida said that, as in all greenhouses, the water, heat and humidity may induce root rot and fungus gnats. The fungus gnat larvae eat the soft tissue of plant roots. The adults do not feed on plants.

    Another larva that Burchell manages is that of the European pepper moth. The caterpillars girdle the plant stem below the soil line.

    The root rot and insect pests occur even though the potting media — made of peat, bark, wood fiber and sometimes Perlite — comes pasteurized. The nursery uses Nemasys® beneficial nematodes to manage the larval insect pests.

    Almonds

    In almonds, Bright’s Hybrid 5, Hansen and Viking rootstocks and Shasta scions resist root-knot nematode. Viking and Shasta also tolerate ring nematodes. Bright’s Hybrid also has low susceptibility to root lesion nematodes. In susceptible varieties, root-lesion nematodes create lesions that can lead to secondary infections like bacterial canker.

    The visitors got to see the Cornerstone cultivar of Prunus rootstock, developed by Burchell Nursery to resist the root knot nematodes Meloidogyne javanica and M. incognita. Used as rootstock for almond and stone fruits, Cornerstone is also less sensitive to crown gall, caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

    Unfortunately, in both Kern and Merced counties (but not Fresno County where the tour took place), in 2018 a root-knot nematode from Florida, Meloidogyne floridensis, was found in almond trees on Hansen 536 and Bright’s Hybrid 5 rootstocks, where they caused growth decline of the trees. Now considered an A-rated (“highest concern”), quarantined pest in California, it has since been found in South Carolina and Georgia, after being considered endemic to Florida before 2018.

    After a visit to the Cobblestone citrus packing plant, the tour group boarded the bus a final time to return to the Kearney Agricultural Research Center and ate sandwiches for lunch.  They then rode on a tram to visit different field research plots at the Center.

    Levels of Plant Response to Pathogens

    Plants can be divided into three groups of responses to nematodes and other pathogens: sensitive, tolerant and resistant. Tolerance allows for high nematode populations, which gives the nematodes more opportunity to have genetic mutations that enable them to overcome the plants’ resistance. Therefore, nematicides should be used in tolerant cultivars to limit the pest population.

    Walnuts and Almonds

    Walnuts are sensitive to some nematodes and resistant to others, but “every plant has its limits,” Westphal said. Walnut soil is treated pre-plant and at-plant at the planting site.  Tank water is used to settle the tree in. Salibro is added to the tank water to form a concentration that kills the nematodes but not the trees. Westphal cautioned growers to not overwater walnuts.

    Among other things, Westphal is testing juice from walnut hulls to see if they inhibit nematodes.  He noted that ASD (anaerobic soil disinfestation), created by applying nine tons of rice bran per acre, inhibited nematodes somewhat. However, it would not be worth the $6,000/acre price tag for growers.

    Westphal is testing whether juice from walnut hulls can inhibit nematodes in almond orchards.

    Highly resistant rootstocks can grow without fumigation, with less toxic, affordable nematicides applied.  As with citrus, nursery trees must be grown in nematode-free soil, or the trees must be certified before leaving the premises.

    Westphal showed the tour participants an almond rootstock test orchard, in which nematode resistance is compared among various commercial and experimental rootstocks.  Only the most successful experimental rootstocks make it to the next round of trials, along with the commercial ones for comparison.

    Westphal then concluded the field tour.  The conference continued indoors on the following two days.  — by Nancy Power, Assistant Editor

  • 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