Farmers in multiple regions of California have been receiving threatening letters from the State Water Board, imposing enormous fines and demanding them to provide clean drinking water to their communities. The Water Board is preparing to send out hundreds more of these letters to farmers throughout the state. This is not just; and to protect farmers from receiving these letters, all the while helping to provide clean drinking water to disadvantaged communities, agricultural organizations throughout the state are uniting in support of a new bill SB 623 to accomplish this. Learn more by watching this brief video interview with Tricia Geringer from Ag Council of California, based on her recent presentation at the Almond Alliance Annual Convention in Monterey.
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In spite of concerns about freezing weather during almond bloom, the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is predicting a record crop in 2018. According to the NASS 2018 Almond Subjective Forecast issued today, California almond orchards are expected to produce 2.30 billion pounds of nuts this year, up 1.3% from last year’s 2.27 billion-pound crop.[1]
Karen Barindelli observes a solid 2018 almond crop in her Modesto orchard
“Almond farmers used a variety of techniques to manage freezing nighttime temperatures in some parts of the Central Valley during bloom this year and those efforts appear to have worked,” said Richard Waycott, president and CEO, Almond Board of California. “Every year weather impacts farming, but almond trees thrive in our state because California is home to the world’s most efficient almond farmers, who continually improve their practices and rise to the challenge.”
The Almond Subjective Forecast, the first of two California almond forecast reports for this year’s crop, is based on opinions obtained from randomly selected almond farmers located throughout the state via a phone survey conducted in April and May. Farmers were asked to indicate their almond yield per acre from last year and expected yield for the current year based on field observations. Those estimates are then combined and extrapolated to arrive at the numbers reported in the Almond Subjective Forecast.
While the Almond Subjective Forecast provides early estimates of the coming crop after it is set, the 2018 California Almond Objective Report, which is released in July, uses a more statistically rigorous methodology. It is typically the more accurate of the two reports. Objective Report data is based on actual almond counts and measurements taken in orchards throughout the state, starting in May and ending in July.
The Objective Report will be released July 5, 2018, at noon PDT. Both the report and the forecast are conducted by the USDA and funded by the Almond Board of California to provide almond farmers, processors and shippers with estimates to help them make business decisions.
Last month, the 2017 California Almond Acreage Report showed bearing acres, that is orchards old enough to produce a crop, were up 6% at 1 million acres. Total almond acres for 2017 were estimated at 1.33 million acres, up 7% from the previous year.
Almond acreage in California continues to experience significant increases.
[1] USDA-NASS. 2018 California Almond Subjective Forecast. May 2018.
The Almond Alliance of California recently announced new President and CEO Elaine Trevino, who just started on the job at the beginning of this month. It was sad to lose former CEO Kelly Covello, who made tremendous contributions to the association and the almond industry, but the Board is excited to embark on a new era with Elaine, who introduces herself in this video and will address the industry at their upcoming annual convention, May 1-3. Watch this brief video and read more it in the April issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
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With all the new tree nut orchards being planted in California, it’s important to remember that weed management is a priority, and it starts even before the planting process. Watch this brief interview with UCCE Farm Advisor Kurt Hembree as he explains, and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
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Navel Orangeworm (NOW) continues to be a growing pest for almond, pistachio & walnut growers all over California. Last year was an especially difficult year, as there were growers that experienced significant crop loss who have historically not had issues with the pest before. Bob Klein with the Pistachio Research Board recently reported on a field trial they will be conducting utilizing sterile insect technology to minimize NOW populations in the orchard. Watch this video and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
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At the recent Almond Board Conference in Sacramento, Bob Curtis shared a new tool growers have to control Aflatoxin levels in nut crops, other than just effective Navel Orangeworm management. Known as AF36, watch this brief interview with Bob, and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Navel Orangeworm brought devastating levels of damage to many growers in the tree nut industry last year. At the annual Tree & Vine Expo, UC Farm Advisor Emily Symmes reviewed the cause of greater infestation in the 2017 season and what growers can do better moving into 2018. Watch this brief interview with Emily and read more on IPM in Emily’s upcoming Orchard Task list in the March issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
With almond bloom upon us, it’s time to think about our bloom and post-bloom sprays to manage brown rot and almond scab. Watch this video for some great tips and considerations from UC Farm Advisor Brent Holtz. Read more about it in the current issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Modesto, Calif., (February 8, 2018) – Almonds depend on bees and bees depend on almonds. In fact, the link between bees and almonds is so important that the relationships between almond growers and their beekeepers often go back years or even generations.
Between February and March each year, almond tree buds burst into beautiful light pink and white blooms in preparation for pollination. As the trees blossom, honey bees forage for pollen and nectar in the orchard. When the bees move from tree to tree, they pollinate almond blossoms along the way. Each fertilized flower will grow into an almond. After almonds, beekeepers bring their honey bees to different locations across the United States, pollinating over 90 other crops and making honey.
While bees are essential to pollinate the almond crop, the bees benefit too. Almond orchards help strengthen bee hives because:
Almond orchards provide honey bees with their first natural source of food each spring.
Just like almonds are a nutritious snack for us, almond pollen is very nutritious for honey bees.
Honey bee hives routinely leave stronger after visiting during almond bloom.
Beekeepers can then split many of the hives to grow their apiaries
Committed to Health
A variety of factors have led to a widely documented and concerning decline in honey bee health, including activities associated with both beekeeping and crop production, putting at risk many of the foods we count on for a stable, nutritious food supply. While the total number of honey bee hives in the U.S. has remained stable for the past 20 years, maintaining healthy, stable hives is beekeepers’ big challenge. That’s why the Almond Board of California has taken extraordinary steps to be good partners to
beekeepers in promoting bee health. We have funded more honey bee health research than any other crop group with more than 100 research projects since 1995.
Almond industry-funded research, along with that of other universities, government agencies, and non-profits informed the Honey Bee Best Management Practices (BMPs) for California Almonds. Guidelines for everyone involved in the pollination process, the Honey Bee BMPs provide recommendations ranging from making the orchard a safe and welcoming place for honey bees to how to treat for pest and disease without harming bees.
Almond industry-funded research, along with that of other universities, government agencies, and non-profits informed the