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.
Category: Economics
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California Walnut Grower Fallows Land for Water Recharge Purposes
Watch this brief video with Chowchilla walnut grower Mark Hutson who chose to fallow some of his land for groundwater recharge purposes last year, not knowing that he’d be able to put it to use so soon with the tremendous storm systems that came through this past winter and spring. Learn about his experience in utilizing NRCS grant funding to prepare his land for recharge, and consider whether some form of groundwater recharge will work on your farm in the near future.
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How This Farmer Returned 158 Acre-ft of Stormwater to the Soil in 10 Days
California has been blessed with a tremendous amount of snow and rainfall this spring. Coming after many dry years that have reduced our groundwater supply, farmers want to do all they can in this brief time of plenty to not only irrigate their drought-stressed trees and vines, but also recharge the groundwater supply beneath their fields. But how quickly can a farmer prepare his/her land to take on some of this snowmelt for groundwater recharge purposes and what will it require? Watch this video featuring Madera grape and nut grower Jennifer Peters, who in a very short time was able to install an on-farm groundwater recharge basin and capture much of this stormwater.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Ranch Systems for their industry support.
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Blue Diamond Introduces NEW Chocolate “Thin Dipped Almonds”
Blue Diamond Growers is kicking off the spring season with a fresh new product line that is hitting the snack nuts aisle in May: Thin Dipped Almonds. These delicious, better-for-you option of chocolate-dipped almonds will be available at Walmart in convenient, four-ounce bags.
“We are so excited to present our customers with yet another incredible innovation within Blue Diamond’s iconic snack almond portfolio,” said Raj Joshi, Sr. Vice President of Global Consumer Division, Blue Diamond Growers. “Whether you’re a health nut or not, Thin Dipped Almonds offer a smart choice when it comes to sweet snacking. The thin layer of chocolate enhances the almond’s natural crunch while allowing snackers to enjoy a delicious, sweet treat – without the guilt!”
Thin Dipped Almonds come in two irresistible flavors: Double Dark Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel. Both products contain 50% less sugar than the average chocolate-covered almonds. One serving (about 19 almonds) has 170 calories and five grams of protein. Thin Dipped Almonds are free of cholesterol, high in Vitamin E, contain no artificial colors or flavors, and do not have a shiny wax or gloss finish.
Blue Diamond is a world-class leader in consumer trend analysis and flavor forecasting that leads to new products like Thin Dipped Almonds and many other unique flavors within the Blue Diamond Growers snack almond line up. Check out all the Blue Diamond snack almond flavors on the website at www.bluediamond.com.
About Blue Diamond
Blue Diamond Growers, a grower-owned cooperative representing approximately 3,000 of California’s almond growers, is the world’s leading almond marketer and processor. Established in 1910, it created the California almond industry and opened world markets for almonds. Blue Diamond is dedicated to delivering the benefits of almonds around the world and does so by providing high-quality almonds, almond ingredients, and branded products. Headquartered in Sacramento, the company employs more than 1,800 people throughout its processing plants, receiving stations and gift shops. To learn more about Blue Diamond Growers, visit www.bluediamond.com and follow the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
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Central Valley Farmer Shares New Experience with On-Farm Groundwater Recharge
While growers still have many questions and concerns as to how flooding their vineyards and orchards for groundwater recharge purposes may impact their day-to-day farming operations and eventual crop yields, Madera almond & wine grape grower Nick Davis is more concerned with making the most of the recent rainfall and snowmelt to recharge their much needed soil profiles following extended drought conditions.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Ranch Systems for their industry support.
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Madera Irrigation District Leads the Charge on Groundwater Recharge
While farmers are accustomed to paying for the water they use, growers in Madera Irrigation District have recently been getting their water for free for groundwater recharge purposes. While the snow melts and water is aplenty, growers are working quickly to set their farms up to be able to spread some of this water across their fields, in a ditch, or a basin to replenish their groundwater supply. This not only serves to benefit the farmer, but the entire community as well. Watch this video with Thomas Greci, General Manager of the Madera Irrigation District as he explains.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Ranch Systems for their industry support.
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USDA Announces $75M Section 32 Solicitation for Almonds
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Almonds for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, with the purpose to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce.
A Solicitation will be issued in the near future and will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system. A hard copy of the solicitation will not be available. Public WBSCM information is available without an account on the WBSCM Public Procurement Page. All future information regarding this acquisition, including solicitation amendments and award notices, will be published through WBSCM, and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. Interested parties shall be responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date information about this acquisition. The contract type is anticipated to be firm-fixed price. Deliveries are expected to be to various locations in the United States on an FOB destination basis.
Pursuant to Agricultural Acquisition Regulation 470.103(b), commodities and the products of agricultural commodities acquired under this contract must be a product of the United States and, shall be considered to be such a product if it is grown, processed, and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States. Packaging and container components under this acquisition will be the only portion subject to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement and Free Trade Agreements, as addressed by FAR clause 52.225-5.
Offerors are urged to review all documents as they pertain to this program, including the latest—
- AMS Master Solicitation for Commodity Procurements, effective April 5, 2023 (pdf)
- Commodity Specification for Shelled Tree Nuts April 2020.pdf
- All applicable commodity specification documents.
- Qualification Requirements for Prospective Contractors Selling Commodities to USDA, December 21, 2022.
These documents are available on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.
To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements. The AMS point of contact for new vendors can be reached by phone at (202) 720-4237 or by email to NewVendor@usda.gov. Details of these requirements are available online at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/becoming-approved. Once qualification requirements have been met, access to WBSCM will be provided. Bids, modifications, withdrawals of bids, and price adjustments shall be submitted using this system. Submission of the above by any means other than WBSCM will be determined nonresponsive.
To receive e-mail notification of the issuance of AMS solicitations, contract awards, and other information, subscribe online by visiting: “Stay up to date on USDA Food Purchases” available on the AMS Commodity Procurement website.
Inquiries may be directed to the Contracting Specialist, Samantha Klagenberg via email at samantha.klagenberg@usda.gov
To participate in this opportunity and for more information about becoming a registered vendor with USDA, visit THIS GUIDE from Almond Board of California.
“We’d like to thank USDA for accepting the Almond Alliance’s request for this program, and for the departments continued support and partnership in solutions our almond farmers, industry, and communities.” — Almond Alliance of California
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Young Farmers & Ranchers Program Develops Future Leaders
The California Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) program is designed to identify, grow and develop young Farm Bureau members and provide them with opportunities and experiences to help them become effective leaders in the agriculture community.
But when Jocelyn Anderson, a fourth-generation almond and walnut grower from Willows joined the state YF&R Committee in 2018, little did she realize the opportunities that would be made available to her, the latest being the United Nations Climate Change Conference, where she told delegates from around the world about ways California farmers are working to save water.
“I was able to meet people from around the world, farmers and people in policy. I didn’t know what to expect but came out excited. Attendees said we need to work with farmers, or climate policies won’t work,” she said about the meetings in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in November. “I think it opens the door for ag to continue to be at the table, make policymakers understand what we need to be successful and form better agreements together.”
Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit, said developing future leaders like Anderson is why California’s Farm Credit organizations have been supporting the YF&R program for nearly 15 years.
“The Young Farmers and Ranchers program has a great track record of developing future leaders in agriculture, both nationally and here in California,” Littlefield said. “Farm Credit is proud to have provided over $145,000 over the years to support YF&R’s efforts to promote farming and build stronger and sustainable rural communities.”
Other Farm Credit organizations supporting the program are American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit. The organizations are part of the nationwide Farm Credit System – the largest provider of credit to U.S. agriculture.
California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson agreed that the YF&R program helps develop farming leaders.
“The California Farm Bureau is proud to support the next generation of farmers and ranchers through the Young Farmers and Ranchers program,” Johansson said. “We see firsthand how participants in YF&R can make a difference locally, nationally and even internationally. The future of agriculture is in good hands, thanks to the contributions and dedication of our YF&R community.”
Anderson’s great-grandparents began the family’s farming legacy, growing oranges in Anaheim on land now occupied by Disneyland. In 1950, her grandparents moved north to begin operations in Glenn County. The farm has grown to 1,000 acres and also includes a walnut hulling operation.
Besides learning everything her father, Gary, knows about farming so she can eventually assume the reins, Anderson has spent several years in YF&R activities at the state and national levels. She served on the California YF&R Committee for several years before becoming vice chair and in 2022 the organization’s chair. During the last two years of her service, she was also an American Farm Bureau YF&R Committee member and helped organize state and national leadership conferences.
The most recent California YF&R conference was held in early December in Monterey and attracted more than 120 members.
She said developing expertise in agricultural issues so she could become a strong advocate was an important outcome of her participation.
“It’s important that we have people fighting for ag in the future,” she said. “We have the fifth-largest agricultural economy in the world in California, with close to 400 different crops and livestock grown here. But it’s also one of the most regulated states and we face issues other states haven’t faced yet. Being an advocate for what small family farms need to be successful is doing what’s best for my family farm and everyone else’s.”
Through her YF&R involvement, she was introduced to Solutions from the Land (SfL), a nonprofit formed in 2009 to put farmers, ranchers and foresters at the forefront of resolving food system, energy, environmental and climate challenges. SfL has brought farmers to the U.N. Climate Summits for a decade and participated in discussions during the past five years. This year, the summit featured its first ag-themed day.
She discussed how California farmers are using water more efficiently. For example, she said GSA Farms drains water used in hulling operations back into the fields so it can percolate into the ground and help recharge the aquifer. She also talked about how the farm reuses the shells and leaves from the hulling operations to fertilize the soil for planting winter wheat.
Anderson said she constantly encourages young people involved in agriculture to get involved in YF&R because it allows them to be advocates for the industry and to share their own stories with others.
“I think it’s extremely important to belong,” she said. “Not only does it create a network for you, it’s also important that we have people fighting for ag in the future.”
Keith Hesterberg, President and CEO of Fresno Madera Farm Credit, agreed.
“The state continues to impose increasingly stringent and expensive regulations on California’s farmers and ranchers,” Hesterberg said. “While many of these new requirements are well-intentioned, state officials need to understand how the cumulative impact is affecting farmers’ ability to keep their businesses going. The best voice for agriculture is family farmers who can share their experiences and provide alternative solutions that can ensure that California continues to feed the nation for generations to come.”
Anderson and other panelists who spoke at the U.N. Climate Change Conference panel “Water Is the Face of Climate Change” in Egypt last November. About Farm Credit:
AgWest Farm Credit, American AgCredit, CoBank, Colusa-Glenn Farm Credit, Fresno Madera Farm Credit and Yosemite Farm Credit are cooperatively owned lending institutions providing agriculture and rural communities with a dependable source of credit. For more than 100 years, the Farm Credit System has specialized in financing farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, rural utilities and agribusinesses. Farm Credit offers a broad range of loan products and financial services, including long-term real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment and facility loans, cash management and appraisal and leasing services…everything a “growing” business needs. For a link to this article and for more information, visit www.farmcreditalliance.com
About the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee:
The Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee is a program for agriculturalists between the ages of 18 and 35 involved in production, banking, business, and many other areas of the industry. YF&R provides opportunities to develop leadership skills through involvement in Farm Bureau at the county, state, and national levels. YF&R members are a vital part of the organization. Each member’s efforts help California Farm Bureau to effectively represent the diversity of farmers and ranchers across the state. For more information, visit https://www.cfbf.com/ag-programs/young-farmers-ranchers
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Almond Board of CA 2023 Elections Have Begun
Voting began Friday, April 21, to select one independent grower position and two independent handler positions on the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors. Alternate seats for those spots are also open as well as a second grower alternate seat that was not filled in 2022. Voting ends May 25.
Candidates for the independent grower positions:
Grower Position #1, Member (1-year term):
Mallvinder Singh Kahal, Madera, (petitioner)
Paul Ewing, Los Banos (incumbent)Grower Position #1, Alternate:
Katie Staack, Hughson (incumbent)Grower Position #2 Alternate (3-year term**):
Brad Klump, Escalon, (petitioner)
Jaime Silva Esteves, Denair (petitioner)
**2 years remaining on term.Candidates for the independent handler positions:
Handler Position #1, Member (3-year term):
Alexi Rodriguez, Caruthers (incumbent)Handler Position #3, Member (1-year term):
Darren Rigg, Le Grand (incumbent)Handler Position #1, Alternate:
Ron Fisher, Modesto (incumbent)Handler Position #3, Alternate:
Chad DeRose, McFarland (incumbent)“Every vote is important, and it’s equally important to have as much of the industry as possible represented in the voting,” said ABC President and CEO Richard Waycott. “The Board of Directors represents more than 7,600 growers and 100 handlers and guides the work of the Almond Board to help the industry succeed in these continuing complicated times.”
Learn more about the candidates here.
The ABC board, made up of five handler and five grower representatives, sets policy and recommends budgets in major areas, including marketing, production research, public relations and advertising, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.
Results will be announced June 1 and the new board will start its term Aug. 1.
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LeadOn, American Pistachio Growers Leadership Program Introduces Largest Class Ever
American Pistachio Growers (APG) recently announced its 13th LeadOn pistachio industry leadership class. Selecting motivated individuals with vested interest in the success and future of the U.S. pistachio industry, APG has developed this program to prepare the next generation of pistachio industry leaders. This year-long program is designed to provide a unique experience, consisting of leadership training and industry education seminars led by APG and industry leaders, hands-on educational opportunities that build upon the knowledge base provided by seminar presenters, field experience and a firsthand view of how the pistachio Committees/Board work, to prepare participants for leadership service.<
En route to graduate at APG’s annual conference in February 2024, this will be the largest class to go through the program. The LeadOn class this year includes:
-Mindy Cunha, P Cunha Farms
-Phillip Cunha, P Cunha Farms
-Yazmin DeLeon, Horizon Nut Company
-Adrian Diaz, Chandler Automation
-Amarinder Dosanjh, Doaba Farming
-Karandeep Gill, Prestige Ranch LLC
-Carolyn Gleason, West Hills Farm Services
-Matthew Guzman, Sol Aureus Farms
-Martin Herrera, California Ag Solutions
-Udhay Kahlon, RHM Farms
-Mitchell Keenan, Keenan Farms
-Matthew Malcolm, Pacific Nut Producer Magazine
-Amir Pars, Primex International
-Julio Ramos, Setton Farms
-April Ramos, Touchstone Pistachio Company
-Jonathan Romero, Laborde Land Co LLC
-Scott Schuil, Schuil Ag Real Estate
-Jason Searle, Searle Ranch
-Brandon Spain, Manulife Investment Management Farmland Management Services
-Holly Sylvester-Lopez, Horizon Nut Company
-Chase Thomas, Ultra Gro
-Hector Vaca, M&E Vaca Farms
-Jimi Valov, Valov Brothers Farms
-Tyler Zion, Meridian Growers
Pacific Nut Producer Editor Matthew Malcolm Pacific Nut Producer is proud to have its Editor-In-Chief, Matthew Malcolm, in the LeadOn program this year. “I have always admired American Pistachio Growers, the organization’s leadership and members,” Malcolm shared. “I’m thrilled to participate with my fellow class members in learning to become a stronger advocate and voice for the western pistachio industry through this program.”
APG convened its 13th LeadOn program at the International Agri-Center in Tulare on March 16th, where APG President, Richard Matoian provided an orientation of the program and overview of the mission of APG, which is to collectively advance the American Pistachio industry through research, promotion, advocacy and programs that directly benefit our members. Following Matoian’s remarks, UCCE Farm Advisor Emeritus Bob Beede spent the rest of the day with the group covering Pistachio Production 101. This was the first of many gatherings for the new LeadOn class. Those going through the program will invest 62-74 hours over the course of a year participating in board/committee meetings, training seminars, industry tours, and of course, APG’s annual Pistachio Industry Conference.
American Pistachio Growers President Richard Matoian addressing the 13th LeadOn class for their initial orientation and training in Tulare, CA.