Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Category: Non-Video

  • Farm Bureau Thanksgiving Survey Shows Average Cost of Holiday Meal Up One Cent From Last Year

    The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 34th annual survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $48.91, or less than $5.00 per person. This is a 1-cent increase from last year’s average of $48.90.

    The centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – costs slightly less than last year, at $20.80 for a 16-pound bird. That’s roughly $1.30 per pound, down 4% from last year. The survey results show that retail turkey prices are the lowest since 2010.

    The shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, and coffee and milk, all in quantities sufficient to serve a family of 10 with plenty for leftovers.

    Although the overall average cost of the meal was about the same this year, there were some price changes for individual items. In addition to turkey, foods that showed slight price declines include cubed bread stuffing and canned pumpkin pie mix. Foods showing modest increases this year included dinner rolls, sweet potatoes and milk. After adjusting for inflation, the cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner is $19.13, down slightly from last year.

    Despite the growing popularity of prepared foods, the vast majority of Americans, 92%, celebrate Thanksgiving at home or at a family member’s home and most cook their entire meal at home, according to the survey.

    More than 250 volunteer shoppers checked prices at grocery stores in 38 states for this year’s survey. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers are asked to look for the best possible prices, without taking advantage of special promotional coupons or purchase deals.

    The AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986. The informal survey provides a record of comparative holiday meal costs over the years. Farm Bureau’s classic survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for consistent price comparisons.

    By The American Farm Bureau Federation

  • First Genome of Spotted Lanternfly Built from a Single Insect

    Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists, in cooperation with Pacific Biosciences and Penn State University, have published the first genome of the invasive Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) in the journal Gigascience and they did it from a single caught-in-the-wild specimen.

    Not only is it the first published genome for this pest, but no closely related species has had its genome sequenced, making the data even more important, according to entomologist Scott M. Geib with the ARS Daniel K Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center.

    SLF, a native of China, Bangladesh and Vietnam, was first found in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has now spread to Virginia, Maryland and New York. This invasive pest has a taste for almonds, apples, apricots, grapes, peaches, blueberries and hops as well as hardwoods such as oak, walnut, and poplar. Various estimates put the potential economic damage in the billions of dollars, if the SLF becomes widely established in the United States.

    “Having the genome for this pest opens the door to a better understanding of its biology and behavior, and makes coming up with potential control methods much more likely to happen, such as developing a lure for a trap through understanding the insect’s olfactory genes, or exploring avenues such as gene editing or RNAi,” said Geib.

    While having the SLF genome is critical for the management and control of this invasive pest, the approach taken to obtain the genetic data is an achievement of remarkable note as well. For the first time, all of the DNA required to generate a whole genome sequence was taken from a single insect picked from a tree in the wild in Reading, Pennsylvania, across the street from the Reading Pagoda on Mt. Penn.

    One hurdle for deciphering this species’ genome is its relatively large genome size, at about 2.2 billion base pairs. Typically, with previous sequencing systems, many sequencing runs would have been needed to do the complete job, with each run using up the available DNA for the organism being sequenced.

    So often to have sufficient DNA for a complete genome sequence, many organisms would need to be pooled, introducing more opportunities for errors to be generated. To avoid such potential for errors, the subjects—especially insects—often have to be raised in colonies and inbred.

    “In cooperation with Pacific Biosciences and using their new sequencing platform—the PacBio Sequel II—that produces 10 times the data from a single sequencing run, we were able to generate sufficient coverage from just a single specimen. This allows for a very fast turn-around of data and assemblies as well as lowers cost, in this case under $2,000 in consumable supplies, not including the purchase price of the sequencing instrument of course,” explained Geib.

    For genome completeness, and since there aren’t many related genomes to compare that of the SLF to, the team checked a set of “core genes” that should be present exactly one time in all insects and verified how many of these were found in this genome project. In this case, they found about 97 percent of these single copy core genes, with a very low rate of duplication.

    “Sequencing such a large insect genome quickly and showing there is no need to pull the insect into a colony raises the feasibility that we can complete the Ag100Pest Project,” Geib said. The ARS Ag100Pest initiative is focused on deciphering the genomes of 100 insect species that are most destructive to crops and livestock and that are projected to have profound bioeconomic impacts to agriculture and the environment. “Now, with this system, doing 100 or even 1,000 genomes is not unrealistic,” he added.

    The ability to get a complete genome from a small amount of DNA also makes it practical to consider sequencing the genomes of physically tiny insects without having to catch or raise a large number of any one species. That expands the list of insects that may be genetically sequenced.

    By Kim Kaplan, USDA-ARS

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

  • EU Once Again Largest Importer of California Tree Nuts: USDA-FAS Report

    Last year, the European Union-28 (EU-28) was once again the largest export market for U.S. tree nuts. In 2018, U.S. shipments of tree nuts to the EU-28 reached $2.8 billion. U.S. almond sales (both in-shell and shelled) totaled $1.6 billion, followed by pistachios with $516 million, and walnuts with almost $344 million. The growing popularity of healthy snacking, higher incomes, and global market dynamics are making the EU nut market more attractive than ever. As of December 14, 2019, a new framework Regulation (EU) 2017/625 will update the implementing regulations setting specifics on the recognition of the Pre-Export Check (PEC) program for almonds, and on the increased control levels for pistachios. Read the Full Annual Report from the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service HERE.

  • New California Walnuts Advertising Campaign Offers Solutions When “Life Isn’t Always Simple”

    The California Walnut Board announced today the launch of the “Life Isn’t Always Simple” The California Walnut Board advertising campaign, created to show consumers how walnuts can be an easy way to add nutrition, crunch and variety to any meal and snack. The new campaign, which focuses on the importance of small daily “wins,” like getting an easy and delicious meal on the table, marks a conscious shift to a more lifestyle-focused creative strategy than in years past. In developing the creative, the Board leaned into the emotional connection and role walnuts can play in people’s everyday lives.

    Segmentation research and a series of focus groups uncovered that women aged 25-54, primarily Millennials and Gen Xers, are optimistically embracing the challenges that accompany their full, active and busy lifestyles. Despite describing their days as ‘controlled chaos’, they are enthusiastic about life, laugh off small setbacks, and enjoy small daily victories. Lack of time is their greatest challenge and many are looking for simple solutions to make their days more manageable.

    The integrated campaign will reach 97% of adults over 18 an average of 32 times, garnering 3.7 million impressions across the U.S. The year-long campaign kicks off with national print ads, six TV spots as well as digital ads. The TV spots feature relatable examples of how modern life can often be filled with chaotic moments (ever mistake school picture day for pajama day?) then reminds viewers that California walnuts are an easy solution for incorporating nutritious and delicious recipes into everyday routines.

    “In recent years, the California Walnut Board’s advertising was focused on promoting the functionality of walnuts, their versatility and added health benefits as an ingredient,” said Jennifer Williams, Marketing Director, Domestic Advertising at California Walnut Board. “California walnuts are not just in the business of food, but in making an emotional connection with our audiences through cooking, eating, and enjoying. This new campaign is a shift towards appealing to consumers on a more emotional level – portraying walnuts in a relatable way.”

    The media plan to support this new campaign leverages various platforms including print magazines, national TV, editorial integrations, digital and social activations, blog posts, and influencer programs. The entire plan is designed to encourage walnut consumption beyond the traditional holiday season.  This effort will be supported by an unprecedented investment at retail, to remind consumers to add California walnuts to their shopping cart.

    California Walnut Board

    The California Walnut Board was established in 1948 to represent the walnut growers and handlers of California.  The CWB is funded by mandatory assessments of the handlers. The CWB is governed by a Federal Walnut Marketing Order. The CWB promotes usage of walnuts in the United States through publicity and educational programs. The CWB also provides funding for walnut production, food safety and post-harvest research.

     

  • California Almond Growers Vote to Continue Almond Board of California

    The Almond Board of California (ABC) is pleased to announce that California almond growers recently voted to continue their almond federal marketing order program for five more years. The vote, held from August 5-16, 2019, resulted with 95 percent of eligible growers who voted, and 97 percent of the volume represented by those voting in the referendum, favoring continuation of the marketing order.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is required to conduct a continuance referendum every five years (see USDA release). The last referendum was completed in 2014 and resulted in 91 percent of eligible growers who voted, and 94 percent of the volume represented, favoring continuation of the marketing order.

    The vote represents the California almond industry’s confidence in the Almond Board and the many programs it administers and funds with industry assessment dollars. Those programs include an extensive production and environmental research program coupled with education and outreach that has been funded to help growers continue to meet the challenges facing agriculture. This research was also fundamental to the launching of the Almond Orchard 2025 Goals, which demonstrate the California almond industry’s commitment to continuous improvement in four areas: reduce the amount of water used to grow a pound of almonds by 20%, increase adoption of environmentally friendly pest management tools by 25%, achieve zero waste in orchards by putting everything grown to optimal use and reduce dust during harvest by 50%.

    The 2025 Goals are only one of the innovative programs undertaken by ABC. The Honey Bee Best Management Practices, released in 2014, continue to educate industry members and affiliates on how to best protect and improve honey bee health. ABC has funded more than 120 research projects supporting honey bees since 1995. And, speaking of health, ABC’s commitment to human health and nutrition remains strong and is demonstrated through its over 100 projects funded to investigate almonds in relation to heart health, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, weight management, satiety and gut health, and even skin health and cognition.

    Other key program areas for ABC include domestic and international marketing, the collection and dissemination of industry statistics, and food quality and safety programs. The Almond Board, along with the growers and handlers who fund and support ABC through assessment dollars and by participating in committees and workgroups, has enabled the industry to develop the tools needed to assist growers, to build demand ahead of supply and to achieve the considerable success experienced over the years.

    Industry members with questions about the Almond Board’s programs or how assessment dollars are spent are encouraged to
    attend one of ABC’s many public committee and Board of Directors meetings held throughout the year. A meeting schedule may be found at Almonds.com/Events. Also, all industry and allied industry members are invited to join ABC at The Almond Conference 2019, held this year at Cal Expo in Sacramento on December 10-12. Register today and book your hotel at AlmondConference.com.

    ABC looks forward to continuing to work with and represent California almond growers and handlers!

    Courtesy of the Almond Board of California

     

  • USDA’s McKinney Leads Mission to Tap Trade Opportunities in Vietnam

    When Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney leads a U.S. Department of Agriculture trade mission to Vietnam Oct. 15-18, he’ll be accompanied by nearly 80 industry and government representatives seeking to expand agricultural exports to one of the fastest-growing regions of the world.

    The mission will be based in Ho Chi Minh City, and will also include buyer delegations from Thailand and Burma (Myanmar).

    “The size of this trade mission delegation speaks to the phenomenal potential that exists for U.S. exporters in Vietnam and surrounding countries,” McKinney said. “Since the United States normalized relations with Vietnam in 1995, our agricultural exports have grown exponentially, reaching a record $4 billion last year. Sales of U.S. food and farm products to Thailand and Burma also set records in 2018, topping $2.1 billion and $126 million, respectively.”

    Joining McKinney are the heads of six state departments of agriculture: Benjamin Thomas of Montana, Jeff Witte of New Mexico, Doug Goehring of North Dakota, Kim Vanneman of South Dakota, Sid Miller of Texas and Doug Miyamoto of Wyoming. Officials from the Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington departments of agriculture will participate as well.

    In addition, representatives from the following companies and organizations will attend:

    1. Agri Export International LLC, Columbia, S.C.
    2. All Berry and Fruits, Portland, Ore.
    3. Almond Board of California, Modesto, Calif.
    4. American Feed Industry Association, Arlington, Va.
    5. Appellations Cellar, Napa, Calif.
    6. Bard Valley Date Growers, Yuma, Ariz.
    7. Blue Diamond Growers, Sacramento, Calif.
    8. Bridgepathway LLC, Jericho, N.Y.
    9. California Blueberry Commission, Clovis, Calif.
    10. California Prune Growers Marketing Association, Yuba City, Calif.
    11. Clark Lumber Company, Red Boiling Springs, Tenn.
    12. Coconut King Miami Beach Inc., Miami Beach, Fla.
    13. Commercial Lynks Inc., Alexandria, Va.
    14. East West International Group, Inc, Moreland, Ohio
    15. Fidelis Forest Management, LLC, Baxter, Tenn.
    16. Food Export Association of the Midwest USA, Chicago, Ill.
    17. Food Export USA – Northeast, Philadelphia, Pa.
    18. Ginseng Board of Wisconsin, Marathon, Wis.
    19. Global Processing Inc., Kanawha, Iowa
    20. Graceland Fruit, Inc., Frankfort, Mich.
    21. Herr Foods Inc, Nottingham, Pa.
    22. Hess Brother’s Fruit Company, Lancaster, Pa.
    23. International Market Brands, Bellevue, Wash.
    24. International Nutrition, Omaha, Neb.
    25. Isa Beefmasters, San Angelo, Texas
    26. MEM Fairway Inc., Irvine, Calif.
    27. Nargo Industries USA Inc., San Ramon, Calif.
    28. Oregon Berry Packing, Inc., Hillsboro, Ore.
    29. Organic Valley, La Farge, Wis.
    30. Pacific Cheese, Co., Hayward, Calif.
    31. PacRim Wine & Spirits, San Rafael, Calif.
    32. Redwood Trading Group, Inc, Novato, Calif.
    33. Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, Huntland, Tenn.
    34. U.S. Dairy Export Council, Arlington, Va.
    35. U.S. Grains Council, Washington, D.C.
    36. US International Foods LLC, St. Louis, Mo.
    37. U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc., Mount Horeb, Wis.
    38. U.S. Soybean Export Council, Chesterfield, Mo.
    39. U.S. Wine Exports Company, Ltd., Ravenna, Ohio
    40. United Dairy Ingredients Group LLC, Montebello, Calif.
    41. United Natural Foods Inc., Tacoma, Wash.
    42. USA Foods, Oakland, Calif.
    43. Western United States Agricultural Trade Association, Vancouver, Wash.
    44. Wholesome Direct, Inc., Ridgefield, N.J.
    45. World Import/Export Trading Co., Belmont, Calif.

  • AgSafe Salutes Departing President and Launches Candidate Search

    AgSafe (agsafe.org), a leading provider of health and safety education to the agricultural community, has announced that President & CEO Amy Wolfe will be leaving the organization and that a search for her replacement is underway. Wolfe, who has led the organization for more than a decade, will vacate her position in June 2020.

    “Amy has been a remarkable leader, and both our organization and the employers and workers that we serve owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude for her dedicated service and guidance,” said Don Winn, Board Chairman of AgSafe. “We’ve launched an exhaustive search to find the candidate best qualified to take the reins at AgSafe and continue our mission of providing practical health and safety education to the agricultural community.”

    AgSafe is leveraging many platforms in its search for a new president and CEO, whose responsibilities will include providing strategic direction for the organization, managing the AgSafe leadership team, ensuring regulatory compliance and representing the organization as its lead public spokesperson.

    “My work at AgSafe has been extremely fulfilling and rewarding,” said Wolfe. “It’s not easy to leave but doing so is the right thing for me and my family at this stage of life. And, I’ll move on knowing that this incredible organization is in good hands with an outstanding leadership team who will find an exceptional agriculture industry professional to take on the president/CEO role.”

    AgSafe is seeking candidates with backgrounds that include:

    • Minimum six to eight years of non-profit management and fund development experience, preferably within a comparable business environment
    • Expertise in occupational safety and health, human resources, agricultural business management and/or workforce development
    • Expertise in cultivating and stewarding partnerships and other collaborative business agreements
    • Strong communication skills including written, verbal and listening
    • Proven track record in fund and resource development, including traditional and emerging strategies
    • Minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with major course work in business administration/management, public policy and/or a related field
    • Professional certifications, licenses and/or accreditations specific to fund development, agriculture, human resources and/or occupational safety and health desirable

    They must also exhibit leadership competencies that include confidence, organizational awareness, trustworthiness, initiative, optimism, empathy and achievement orientation. Interested parties can apply by sending a cover letter, resume and contact information for five individuals who can speak to their accomplishments and potential for success to:

    Don Winn, Chairman
    AgSafe
    PO Box 1011
    Modesto, CA 95353
    (209) 526-4400 business
    (209) 526-4404 fax

    About AgSafe:

    AgSafe is a membership-based, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide practical health and safety education to the agricultural community. Founded in 1991 and based in Modesto, CA, our organization has trained over 75,000 employers, supervisors and farm workers in the most critical issues impacting worker safety, human resources, pesticide safety and food safety. Visit agsafe.org for more information.

  • Want a Strong Start to the Crop Year? You Need To Mummy Shake

    Even though growers are just completing this year’s harvest, it’s never too early to start thinking about winter sanitation.

    Winter is the time to remove and destroy mummy nuts that harbor navel orangeworm (NOW) larvae, which can hatch in the spring and wreak havoc in the orchard. By removing the nuts, growers are eliminating both a shelter and food source for these overwintering pests. This practice falls in line with the strategic and effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for NOW, one that includes different tactics depending on the time of the year.

    “Winter sanitation is the core of IPM programs,” said David Haviland, a UCCE farm advisor in Kern County who specialist in entomology and pest management.

    Here are some quick tips growers should keep in mind when preparing to remove mummy nuts from their orchards, a.k.a. “mummy shake”:

    • Mummy nuts become most obvious after trees have shed their leaves, and growers should look to knock all the mummies off the trees no later than Jan. 15.
    • A good time for winter sanitation is when dew has formed or after it’s rained because mummy nuts will have absorbed some moisture, making them heavier and more likely to fall. In addition, a wet orchard floor helps to increase NOW mortality rates.
    • Growers can remove mummy nuts by bringing the shaker through their orchards or hiring crews to knock mummies to the ground using long poles.
      • To note: Both hard- and soft-shell varieties can harbor overwintering NOW, so growers must be sure to remove mummies in both types.
    • Growers should aim to have fewer than two mummers per tree before bud swell (around Feb. 1). However, growers in the San Joaquin Valley should aim for less than one mummy per tree.
    • Once on the ground, mummy nuts should be swept into windrows and destroyed, either with a flail mower or by disking them into the soil, by March. 15.

    Removing mummy nuts and reducing NOW levels using environmentally friendly techniques is key to helping the California almond industry achieve its Almond Orchard 2025 Goals, one of which is to increase adoption of environmentally friendly pest management tools by 25% by 2025.

    Josette Lewis, the Almond Board’s director of Agricultural Affairs, said growers must realize that in the end the cost of efficient winter sanitation pays for itself.

    “It is important to recognize that the return on investment comes from both a higher yield after shelling and a higher price premium at the handler,” Lewis said. “In other words, without good winter sanitation, yield loss occurs due to rejection of mummy nuts from the previous year and heavily NOW-damaged nuts from the current season.”

    To help remind growers to break the link between mummy nuts and NOW, the Almond Board of California created a parody song that’s sure to be an “orchard smash.” It’s “The Mummy Shake” — and if you and your family dance and sing along, you’ll be in the running to receive tickets to a luncheon at The Almond Conference 2019 in Sacramento in addition to either tickets to Disneyland or a $500 Amazon gift card! Visit Almonds.com/NOW to learn more.

    Courtesy of the Almond Board of California

  • Seeds For Bees Deadline Approaching

    Growers who would like to participate in the Seeds for Bees program have until Nov. 22, 2019 to submit their applications. Seeds for Bees is organized by Project Apis m. (PAm.), one of the nation’s leading honey bee research organizations. The program encourages the planting of bee forage as part of riparian areas or cover crops in and around California orchards, farms and vineyards to increase and provide variance in forage available to pollinators.

    Why is forage important?

    Planting additional forage is good for bees and good for pollination. Research funded by the Almond Board of California (ABC) shows that supplementary forage does not compete with almond blossoms for pollination and improves bee health, allowing for more robust hives. As the California Fish and Game Commission considers listing native bees under the state’s Endangered Species Act, being a good partner to all bees is in agriculture’s best interest.

    In addition to providing food and habitat for bees, Almond Board-funded research shows cover crops also provide other benefits to an orchard by:

    • Adding organic matter to soil
    • Increasing water infiltration and water-holding capacity
    • Reducing erosion
    • Providing a natural weed control
    • Suppressing parasitic nematodes
    • Driving carbon back into the soil

    During the 2018-19 Seeds for Bees program, PAm. reported that 149 California almond growers planted 8,005 acres of cover crops in and around their orchards, representing 27 counties throughout California.

    “We’re trying to expose this program to more and more growers,” said Billy Synk, director of Pollination Programs at Project Apis m. “We believe there’s more opportunity for cover crops to be utilized, and while we don’t think cover crops are appropriate on every inch of every orchard, they have worked from Bakersfield to Chico. We want to provide the information to help growers make the right decision.”

    The Almond Board joins Project Apis m. in its efforts to preserve honey bee health. Last year, the Almond Board updated its Honey Bee Best Management Practices, originally produced in 2014, which provide simple, practical steps that almond growers, together with beekeepers and other pollination stakeholders, can take to protect and promote bee health in and around their orchards, and in their surrounding community. These management practices also include information about the benefits of cover crops where orchard conditions are favorable (see pages 16-17).

    “Overall, the indication is that planting additional forage for bees helps pollination,” said Josette Lewis, director of Agricultural Affairs for the Almond Board. “Investing in bee health makes sense in the short term by improving pollination, and in the long term it promotes hive health after the bees leave our orchards. Healthy hives will also help bring down the cost of pollination services in the future.”

    To participate in Seeds for Bees, growers can apply to receive seed mixes specifically designed to “bloom at critical times of the year when natural forage is scarce but managed and native bees are active,” according to Project Apis m. There are five different seeds mixes to choose from, each one best suited for specific soil types, climate and nearby crops.

    Synk said cover crops should be planted in October and early November in order to help bees during the critical bloom in February. He encourages growers to check out the PAm. website for more information on Seeds for Bees and opportunities to learn more about the value of cover crops, including dates and times for in-orchard cover crop demonstrations being held next spring.

    Courtesy of the Almond Board of California 

     

  • California Walnuts Social Media Engaging New Audiences

    Last September, the California Walnut Commission launched a new social media strategy, and over the past year, all metrics have soared. The result of all of these strategic changes, including more storytelling, the introduction of the blog, use of recipe collections, and new social ad formats, is that clicks to the website from social media reached 154,789, up from 20,726 the previous year. The primary purpose of the new approach was to increase engagement with consumers across social media sites (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn) where California walnuts is active and as a result, increase the number of visitors to walnuts.orgwho hope to learn more, and it worked.

    A key component of accomplishing these goals was a brand new point of view with an encouraging, unified voice. Content continues to focus on walnuts in the kitchen but also takes walnuts beyond the kitchen, weaving them into many aspects of today’s consumers’ lifestyles. For example, showing consumers how to live a more healthful and balanced lifestyle by incorporating walnuts was a focus this year. Back-to-the-roots “orchard origins” content helped connect consumers to the broader community of California walnuts, and the story of ‘orchard to table’.

    This larger range of content themes has allowed California Walnuts to reach new audiences, including men, millennials, health enthusiasts, and more.

    In fact, since the launch of the new social media strategy, the California Walnuts social media community has grown nearly 16% — which means over 30,235 people have liked or followed California Walnuts on social media. Instagram was up 90%. It’s not just followers, though. The number of people seeing our content across all social media channels are up 140% comparing year over year, with 67 million total impressions delivered.

    A critical metric in social media is engagement, which is the public’s way of letting you know if the content is resonating. These engagements could be likes, shares, comments or saves. These active engagements are up 336% over the previous time period. Some of the most-liked content has been from the monthly #MeatlessMonday series, which celebrates plant-based meals and Power Pairings, where walnuts are showcased with a seasonal ingredient along with a link to a recipe collection on walnuts.org.