Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Category: Pistachios

  • Pistachio Week Begins Aug. 10

    Pistachio Week will begin Aug. 10, with restaurants throughout California sharing dishes that showcase American-grown pistachios.

    “Pistachio Week celebrates the culinary versatility of American-grown pistachios by partnering with restaurants, cafés, ice cream shops and other food-service businesses across California to showcase unique pistachio-inspired menu offerings,” American Pistachio Growers (APG) wrote in its promotion.

    This is the fifth year that APG has hosted the event.

    “We’re seeing everything from pistachio-crusted fish to really innovative ice cream flavors at Ampersand,” said APG Marketing Manager Hannah Young. “And we are also tapping into some of the bakeries, coffeeshops, and people are getting really, really excited about playing with pistachios and creating some really great products and recipes from them.”

    Click HERE for a full list of participating restaurants.

     

  • 2026 Pistachio Week Kicks Off August 10th

    Pistachio Week is returning for its fifth year. Restaurants across California are creating new dishes to showcase American-grown pistachios with everything from desserts, to drinks and main entrees. Hannah Young of American Pistachio Growers spoke with Matthew Malcolm from California Ag Network to talk about the event and some of the creations that will be available. Watch this quick video and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Mike Forbes Named Next CEO of American Pistachio Growers

    Mike Forbes will take over as CEO of American Pistachio Growers on Sept. 1, bringing over 20 years of experience in the food, ag and health and wellness industries. Forbes spoke with Matthew Malcolm at the 2026 APG Pistachio Industry Insights Day in Visalia to talk more about his incoming role with promoting American-grown pistachios. Watch this quick video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • California’s Pistachio Industry Is Looking Ahead

    Growers, researchers and industry leaders gathered in Visalia for the 2026 American Pistachio Growers Industry Insights Day to discuss the future of the industry. Topics ranged from global market expansion and nutrition research to sustainability and one of California agriculture’s biggest challenges, water reliability. Subscribe to Pacific Nut Producer Magazine free to stay up to date on what’s going on in the Pistachio Industry.

  • Leading Entomologist and PCA: How to Control Navel Orangeworm and Aflatoxin

    How can almond, pistachio, and walnut growers control navel orangeworm and reduce aflatoxin risk? UC Cooperative Extension entomologist Houston Wilson joins pistachio and almond grower and pest control adviser (PCA) Joe Coelho and Arielle O’Connor of the Arizona Cotton Research & Protection Council to discuss practical strategies for preventing infestations, limiting crop damage, and reducing the effects of aflatoxin.

    Presented by title sponsor Liphatech and premier sponsor the Arizona Cotton Research & Protection Council.

    Learn more about postharvest fumigation at https://liphatech.com/

  • Setton Farms Chocolate Pistachios Selected as Good Housekeeping Awards Winner

    Setton Farms announced that their Dark Chocolate Pistachios with Sea Salt have been named Best Sweet Pistachios in Good Housekeeping’s 2026 Snack Awards. The full list of awards can be found on goodhousekeeping.com/snacks2026.

    Setton’s Dark Chocolate Pistachios with Sea Salt are made in-house in small batches. They’re made with whole pistachios, dry-roasted, with a touch of sea salt that enhances the chocolate’s flavor while balancing overall sweetness. Made with a simple ingredient list, they provide 3 grams of protein per serving. Forgoing a traditional glaze, the Dark Chocolate Pistachios with Sea Salt presents a natural chocolate finish, complemented by a new packaging design.

    Setton also has a premium, award-winning line of seasoned pistachio kernel flavors, including hot honey, Tajín®, buffalo wing, jalapeño, garlic onion, salt and pepper and scorpion pepper. Other products include an in-shell and shelled organic line and a selection of premium dry-roasted in-shell pistachios. — Story contributed by Setton Farms

  • Hot March Results in a Lighter Pistachio Crop

    Hot March temperatures are leading to a lighter pistachio crop this year. However, growers and processors remain optimistic that the 2026 growing season is a fluke, and that the industry will have an excellent yield in 2027. Jeff Gibbons with Setton Farms and Joe Coelho with American Pistachio Growers discussed this anomalous year in the pistachio industry with Matthew Malcolm from California Ag Network. Watch this quick video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Roof Rat Bait Stations Available for Pistachio Growers

    American Pistachio Growers (APG) is offering free roof rat bait stations to all grower members.

    There is no limit on the number of bait stations growers may receive. Bait stations can be picked up at the APG office, or by contacting Joe Coelho to inquire about delivery options that may be available in the grower’s area.

    Roof rats can cause significant damage in orchards, and proper bait station placement is an important part of an effective management program. To help get the most from this resource, APG included links to a roof rat bait station guide, instructional video tutorials, and informational article below.

    If you have questions or would like to arrange pickup or discuss delivery options, please contact Joe Coelho at JCoelho@americanpistachios.org.

  • Researchers Requesting the Help of Pistachio Growers

    California pistachios now cover more than 600,000 acres and generate over $2.5 billion annually. As demand for pistachios continues to grow worldwide, production remains concentrated in the Central Valley with some acreage in coastal counties. However, a changing climate is creating new challenges for growers.

    Although the 2025–2026 winter felt “normal” with cold, foggy days, a closer look at the data shows that some pistachio orchards may not have received adequate winter chill. The March heatwave, which coincided with bloom, further intensified bloom and nut-set irregularities, issues many growers have already reported. However, some orchards were severely affected while others showed little or no impact, pointing to underlying factors that are not yet fully understood.

    This situation presents a valuable opportunity to better understand how unseasonable weather affects bloom, fertilization and set. To this end, the University of California, Davis (UCD) and the California Pistachio Research Board (CPRB) have developed a short grower survey. The information collected will help researchers evaluate the impacts of climate variability during this critical developmental stage. Several CPRB-funded research trials focused on improving yield and quality may also benefit from the survey data. These findings will help researchers develop strategies to prevent or mitigate similar impacts in the future and identify priority areas for targeted research. Grower participation is essential: the more orchards represented, the clearer the picture will be for guiding future research and management decisions.

    The California Pistachio Research Board encourages growers to complete the survey and share observations from their orchards this season. Growers with multiple orchards showing different performance under the same cultural practices (e.g. irrigation, fertilization) are welcome to submit separate responses for each site. The survey takes only a few minutes to

    complete but will provide valuable insights for future research.

    All responses are anonymous unless you choose to provide contact information. Growers can use the link or QR code below to access the survey.

    Pistachio Survey: https://forms.gle/vyeXgnoGfYG3aDDQ9

  • Market Growing for Organic Pistachios

    The conversion to organic can take three to four years for pistachio growers, but it has significant potential as the market grows. Leading these efforts is Setton Farms, the largest producer of organic pistachios in America. Setton COO Mia Cohen recently spoke with Matthew Malcolm from California Ag Network to discuss the recent trends in marketing and the industry. Watch this quick video and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.