Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Category: Industry News

  • Groundwater Sustainably and Protection of Vulnerable Domestic Wells

    Groundwater Sustainably and Protection of Vulnerable Domestic Wells

    The California Department of Water Resources, Western United Dairies Foundation, Almond Alliance, Self-Help Enterprises, and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers have introduced LandFlex. This solutions-based program assists vulnerable communities in solving the groundwater crisis related to the drought by protecting domestic wells through preventative fallowing, relieving supply pressures, and providing water supply certainty to critically over-drafted basins.

    “Farmers, underrepresented communities and Groundwater Sustainability Agencies share a common interest in the immediate ending of groundwater overdraft on lands near vulnerable drinking water wells,” said Anja Raudabaugh, Chief Executive Officer of Western United Dairies. “The LandFlex program is a pilot program providing farmers the flexibility to manage their land through the drought and to provide water security for rural communities.”

    The LandFlex program reduces groundwater demand by contracting with farmers to rotationally and temporarily fallow ground in areas deeply dependent on groundwater for domestic well supplies. The price paid per acre-foot of water savings is prioritized based on the enrolled lands’ proximity to domestic wells coupled with the lands’ existing subsidence levels. A crop’s evapotranspiration will be based on local average GSA data.

    “LandFlex provides during a fallowing and drought crisis to conserve and leave water in the ground to stabilize aquifers and allow our farmers to stay in operation and have operating capital on a voluntary and annual basis while supporting our communities and ensuring a secure food supply for next year,” said Aubrey Bettencourt, Chief Executive Officer of the Almond Alliance.

    Grant awards will be prioritized on lands experiencing the most severe subsidence due to groundwater depletion and on areas closest to domestic wells that have recently gone dry.

    For more information on LandFlex, and to sign up for program updates, visit: https://landflex.org

  • Fresno Chamber of Commerce Announces Ag Leader Award Winners

    Fresno Chamber of Commerce Announces Ag Leader Award Winners

    The Fresno Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Fresno County Farm Bureau, is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Ag Awards, a long-standing tradition that honors and celebrates our region’s agricultural industry leaders. The honorees were recognized at the Ag Awards Celebration on November 3rd at PR Farms.

    The 2022 Ag Awards Honorees include:

    • Moss Adams Agribusiness of the Year Award – Triple Delight Blueberries

    • Agriculturalist of the Year Award – Russel Efird, Owner & President, Double E Farms Inc.; Vice President, Efird Ag Enterprises Inc.

    • AGvocate of the Year Award – Christine Torosian-Klistoff, Teacher Fairmont Elementary School, Sanger, CA

    • Agricultural Employee of the Year – Jose Erevia, Director of Safety, Workers Compensation & Regulatory Compliance, Prima Wawona

    • Lifetime of Service Award for Significant Contributions to Fresno County Agriculture–

      Margaret Mims, Fresno County Sheriff, and Dr. Dennis Nef, Dean and Professor Emeritus, Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences & Technology and Department of Agricultural Business, California State University, Fresno

      The Moss Adams Agribusiness of the Year Award is presented to Triple Delight Blueberries; a notable leader in the Valley’s ag industry who has established market outlets for valley berries with various wholesale buyers as well as corporate kitchens, specialty grocers and various restaurants. “Triple Delight Blueberries is the absolute perfect business to receive the Moss Adams Agribusiness of the Year Award,” stated Janell Attebery, Partner, Moss Adams. “Moss Adams is proud to partner with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce in awarding Triple Delight Blueberries this year’s award because of their dedication to build their business since 1997, while simultaneously building their industry. They are true examples of pillars of the Central Valley ag community.”

      The recipient of the 2022 Agriculturalist of the Year Award is Russel Efird from Double E Farms Inc. Efird is known amongst his peers to be a mentor and teacher, spending much of his personal time educating members of the community and elected officials about agriculture. Today, Russel and his son, Matthew, farm 1,500 acres of almonds, walnuts, raisins, and wine grapes in the Caruthers, Riverdale and Raisin City areas.

    Returning this year after a 2021 debut is the AGvocate of the Year Award. This year’s AGvocate of the Year is Christine Torosian-Klistoff, teacher to K-8 students at Fairmont Elementary School in Sanger, CA. Torosian-Klistoff has lead the team within Sanger Unified to develop plans on a 2-acre parcel adjacent to the school to build a state of the art, one of a kind Ag/STEM Educational center, which includes a comprehensive K-8 agriculturally based curriculum and adheres to state-mandated NGSS science standards.

    The Agricultural Employee of the Year will be given to Jose Erevia from Prima Wawona. Erevia’s experience working in the various departments and his noticeable work ethic has enabled him to find solutions and improve areas within the department of regulatory compliance & environmental health & safety.

    “Each of the awards presented represent an integral facet of Fresno’s agricultural community,” Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO Ryan Jacobsen said. “With the addition in 2021 of the AGvocate and Agricultural Employee of the Year Awards, the Ag Awards Celebration now recognizes an additional set of people who are key to the success of the local industry and the Central Valley itself. Because of these amazing leaders, Fresno County is the agricultural capital of the nation.”

    The Lifetime of Service Award for Significant Contributions to Fresno County Agriculture went to Sheriff Margaret Mims and Dr. Dennis Nef. Sheriff Mims began her career in 1983 as the first female police officer in Kerman and continued her career to attain the rank of Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Sheriff, and elected Sheriff in 2006. Showing her dedication to the agriculture industry, she was awarded the Common Threads Award for the California Agricultural Leadership Foundation in 2018.

    For the last 39 years and counting, Dr. Nef has impacted countless students and graduates along with faculty, staff and administrators at Fresno State as well as agriculturalists throughout the Central Valley and beyond. As Dean, the University Agricultural Laboratory became a focus and priority. This 1,000 acre laboratory is home to research, teaching and learning for the nearly 2,000 students studying agriculture at Fresno State. From 2003 to 2019, he served as vice provost, interim provost and associate dean of undergraduate studies, and most recently appointed to lead the Jordan College.

  • Changing Labor Laws & Regulations Ag Employers Need to Know

    Changing Labor Laws & Regulations Ag Employers Need to Know

    As California farmers prepare for the New Year, there are some labor-related changes to laws and regulations that ag employers need to be aware of.  Watch this brief interview with Adam Borchard from the California Fresh Fruit Association as he explains, based on his recent presentation at the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • Blue Diamond Growers Annual Meeting Highlights Record Profitability

    Blue Diamond Growers Annual Meeting Highlights Record Profitability

    At the 112th Blue Diamond Growers Annual Meeting held mid-November in Modesto, CA, Blue Diamond Growers President and CEO, Mark Jansen, highlighted the accomplishments of the past year, while recognizing remarkable headwinds the cooperative tackled through creative solutions, strategic partnerships, and world-class innovation.

    “Although 2022 was marked by supply chain disruptions, the ongoing COVID-19 impact, and a continuing drought, we still fulfilled our mission and provided considerable competitive advantage with our grower returns,” said Jansen. “It could not have happened without the dedication of our 3,000 grower-owners or the 1,800 hard-working Blue Diamond team members.”

    Jansen further reported that despite the many challenges of the year, Blue Diamond was able to increase payments by an average of $.20 a pound and deliver a record competitive advantage in grower returns.

    In an additional highlight, he shared that to counter global transportation disruptions, the Blue Diamond Supply Chain Team worked with the Almond Alliance, California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the California Governor’s Office of Business Development to build a new multi-port export strategy. This included implementing a pop-up yard at the Port of Oakland to stage products closer to the port to reduce wait times at congested terminals. In addition, the Supply Chain Team partnered on the launch of the first inland direct-rail port from Fresno to the Port of Los Angeles. Based on these learnings, the team spearheaded the Almond Express train to carry containers from Oakland to Los Angeles, Long Beach and Norfolk, Virginia. The containers were then offloaded onto terminal docks for guaranteed export to Asia, the Middle East and India.

    “Navigating the global supply chain issues and devising creative solutions – while working alongside our partners – is just one way we remained true to our vision of delivering the benefits of almonds to the world,” said Jansen.

    At the meeting, it was shared that during fiscal year 2022 Blue Diamond was able to:

    • Deliver its share of the California almond industry’s second largest crop of 2.8 billion meat pounds; closely following the record 3.1-billion-pound crop of 2020
    • Develop new value-added uses for almonds through ongoing new product development via the Almond Innovation Center (AIC). As a result, AIC delivered $90 million in innovation revenue and 18.9 million pounds of innovation volume for Blue Diamond.
    • Launch several new Blue Diamond branded consumer products including Extra Creamy Almond Breeze®, Almond & Oat Almond Breeze® (international markets) and new Snack Almonds (Chilé ‘n Lime, Probiotics, Elote, Korean BBQ, and Mash Ups)
    • Sell 83 million pounds of almonds as part of Blue Diamond’s Snack Almond line alone, while remaining the No. 1 almondmilk in the plant-based milk category
    • Achieve 17% volume growth compared to the previous year for Almond Breeze® products in more than 70 countries – via a global network of licensee partners
    • Increase Global Ingredient sales from new customer applications of almond butter, almond flour, and almond protein powder
    • Open new markets in Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Bolivia and Argentina, while driving 33% volume growth in Asia

    “Blue Diamond has experienced substantial growth in recent years through thoughtful, smart decisions and actions,” said Dan Cummings, Chairman of the Board, Blue Diamond Growers. “With our focus on innovation, deeply established partnerships, and steadfast commitment to going above and beyond to deliver on consumer and retail demands, I expect this progress to continue well into the future.”

    Blue Diamond Announces Continuing Board Members

    In addition to sharing highlights from the past year, Blue Diamond also announced its continuing board members, including:

    • Dan Cummings, Chairman, District 1, Chico
    • John Monroe, District 2, Arbuckle
    • Dale Van Groningen, District 3, Ripon
    • George A. te Velde, District 4, Ripon/Escalon
    • Steve Van Duyn, Vice Chairman, District 5, Modesto/Ripon
    • Nick Blom, District 6, Turlock
    • Dan Mendenhall, District 7, Winton
    • Matthew Efird, District 8, Fresno
    • Kent Stenderup, District 9, Arvin
    • Joe Huston Director-at-Large, Monterey
    • Kristin Daley Director-at-Large, San Francisco
    Blue Diamond Annual and Sustainability Reports Now Available

    In conjunction with the Annual Meeting, Blue Diamond Growers is also releasing its “Partnering for a Sustainable Future” Annual Report and inaugural “Growing a Better Tomorrow” Sustainability Report. Both reports are available on the Blue Diamond 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.

  • Almond Board of California Search Committee Preparing for 2023 CEO Transition

    Almond Board of California Search Committee Preparing for 2023 CEO Transition

    Almond Board of California President and CEO Richard Waycott has informed the board of directors that after 21 years he plans to step away from his Almond Board responsibilities at the end of 2023 to pursue other interests.

    A search committee for the Almond Board of California (ABC) has begun the process to ensure a smooth transition. The committee is being led by ABC Board of Directors Chair Alexi Rodriguez and will be conducting a nationwide search to find a CEO successor.

    “On behalf of the board of directors, we are thankful for Richard and his many years of service to the industry. He has been part of a period of tremendous growth,” Rodriguez said. “Richard set the end of 2023 as the right time to step away from ABC and we believe this timeline will allow for a seamless transition.

    “He will be available as appropriate during the search and transition process, and I’m confident that with the knowledge and support of our board of directors and search committee members, we will find the right candidate for the organization,” Rodriguez said

    Richard Waycott providing the State of the Almond Industry Address at the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo in Fresno this Year (Photo by Matthew Malcolm)

    Waycott joined ABC as president and CEO in 2002, bringing strategic leadership experience to the global development of the California almond industry.

    “I’m honored and humbled to have served our hard-working, forward-thinking, down-to-earth almond industry for two decades,” Waycott said. “This will be an outstanding opportunity and a privilege for the next president and CEO, and I look forward to supporting our board, growers and ABC work family in the next year and throughout this transition.”

    During Waycott’s tenure heading up ABC, the almond industry has grown from 545,000 acres and production of 1.09 billion pounds to 1.62 million acres with production topping 3 billion pounds. The farmgate value of the crop grew from $1.2 billion in 2002 to more than $5 billion in 2021, the last year fully measured.

    Before coming to ABC, Waycott worked more than 20 years in the food manufacturing and agribusiness industries, mostly in Latin America, with extensive experience in consumer products and business-to-business grains and oilseeds markets. — By the Almond Board of California

  • Attention Oregon Hazelnut Growers: 2022 Ag Census Now Underway

    Attention Oregon Hazelnut Growers: 2022 Ag Census Now Underway

    Last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) mailed an invitation to all known agriculture producers across Oregon and the nation to respond online to the 2022 Census of Agriculture at agcounts.usda.gov. By completing the survey, Oregon producers can tell their story and help generate opportunities that better serve current and future generations of farmers.

    The 2022 Census of Agriculture will be mailed in phases, with paper questionnaires following in December. Producers need only respond once, whether securely online or by mail. The online option offers timesaving features ideal for busy producers. All responses are due Feb. 6, 2023. Farm operations of all sizes, urban and rural, which produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products in 2022, are included in the ag census.

    Conducted every five years by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Census of Agriculture helps provide a complete picture of American agriculture. It highlights land use and ownership, producer characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, among other topics. For 2022, new questions about the use of precision agriculture, hemp production, hair sheep, and updates to internet access questions are included. 

    “The Census of Agriculture is so important because it provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every state and county in the nation. Through the ag census, producers can show the value and importance of Oregon and U.S. agriculture and influence decisions that will shape the future of their industries,” says Dave Losh, Oregon State Statistician. 

    Responding to the Census of Agriculture is required by law under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105- 113. The same law requires NASS to keep all information confidential, to use the data only for statistical purposes, and only publish in aggregate form to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation. NASS will release the results of the ag census in early 2024.

    To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus. Follow @usda_nass on Twitter for the latest information. 

  • What the Coming Farm Bill Could Mean for Specialty Crop Agriculture

    What the Coming Farm Bill Could Mean for Specialty Crop Agriculture

    As specialty crops become a bigger topic of conversation in the development of a new US Farm Bill, California growers could potentially receive more national support than ever before.  Watch this brief interview with Sara Arsenault, new Vice President of the Almond Alliance of California as she explains — based on her presentation at the recent Tree & Vine Expo.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • 2022 Postharvest State of the Pistachio Industry

    2022 Postharvest State of the Pistachio Industry

    The 2022 western pistachio crop came in considerably shorter than was expected with all the new acreage coming into production. Watch this brief interview with Richard Matoian, President of the American Pistachio Growers, as he shares some of the factors that led to this as well as an update on shipments — based on his State of the Pistachio Industry address at the Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo. Read more about it in the December issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • State of the Walnut Industry & Future Prospects with Robert Verloop

    State of the Walnut Industry & Future Prospects with Robert Verloop

    There is no question, the California walnut industry is navigating through some challenging times, but hope is on the horizon. Bringing a fresh perspective to the industry is Robert Verloop, the new CEO of the California Walnut Board & Commission.  Watch this brief interview based on his first State of the Walnut Industry address at the recent Tree & Vine Expo, and read more about it in the December issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • 2022 Postharvest State of the California Almond Industry

    2022 Postharvest State of the California Almond Industry

    The 2022 California almond harvest is in the books now, and growers are appreciating a much needed breather. The crop came in considerably short in comparison with the last couple years. How will this reflect on the market and what other factors are currently at play? Watch this brief interview with Richard Waycott, President of the Almond Board of California, as he explains. Read more about it in the December issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.