Tag: Almond Board of California

California’s total almond acreage dropped again in 2023, this time by about 74,000 acres, making two years in a row that acreage has decreased, something that has not happened since at least 1995, according to a new report from Land IQ to the Almond Board of California (ABC).

Total acreage dropped from just under 1.64 million acres last year to about 1.56 million in 2023, even though bearing acres – orchards producing almonds and planted in 2020 or earlier – increased slightly to 1.37 million acres compared with 1.34 million acres at this time last year. But the amount of non-bearing acreage – new orchards planted in 2021, 2022 or 2023 – sank about 105,000 acres from 294,000 acres in 2022 to 189,000 acres in 2023, according to the Land IQ 2023 Standing Acreage Final Estimate.

“The latest Land IQ California almond acreage analysis continues to point to a reduction in total acreage driven by fewer new plantings and an increase in orchard removals,” said Richard Waycott, ABC president and CEO. “The 1.37 million bearing acreage in 2023 established a new record, reflecting plantings in 2020 or earlier, but going forward, the analysis points to a lowering of bearing acreage in 2024.”

Orchard removals increased again in 2023 to about 83,000 acres as of Aug. 31, compared with 60,400 acres removed in 2022 and continuing a trend of an increasing pace of removals that started in 2021, according to the accompanying Land IQ 2023 Removal Update. That contributes to the analysis pointing to fewer acres next year and possibly beyond, Waycott said.

In addition, nearly 41,000 acres are classified as either stressed or abandoned. They were included in the standing acreage total because the orchards “may have the ability to recover,” Land IQ said.

The estimates come from multiple lines of evidence, including agronomic and remote sensing knowledge, robust on-the-ground verification, customized image analysis, artificial intelligence and more. Land IQ said the 2023 standing acreage estimate is 98.8 percent accurate.

Land IQ’s acreage estimates are commissioned by ABC to provide statistical transparency and a robust picture of California almonds to industry stakeholders around the world. In 2018, ABC first commissioned Land IQ, a Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental scientific research and consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive, living map of California almonds. The map is the result of more than a decade of research.

The Almond Board of California Board of Directors and President and CEO Clarice Turner engaged almond industry members up and down the Central Valley in an eight-stop listening tour to answer questions and hear concerns and ideas.

Board members and Turner hosted gatherings starting in Shafter in the south valley and ending in Orland in the north to hear what growers and handlers have on their minds and to give people a chance to ask questions in informal settings. Turner also participated with  outgoing Almond Board President Richard Waycott in delivering the State of the Almond Industry address at Malcolm Media’s recent Tree & Vine Expo in Turlock and Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo in Fresno.

“While the long-term outlook for the industry seems promising, the short-term economics have left many growers contemplating their next steps,” said Alexi Rodriguez, chair of ABC’s Board of Directors. “The listening sessions were a great opportunity to engage with industry members to share information, experiences and ideas. It was also great for Clarice to hear from stakeholders in each region, as their challenges and priorities vary. Unfortunately, the Almond Board can’t solve every problem and many will be left to make some tough decisions going forward. That said, the Board and the organization are working hard to tackle the areas where we can make a positive difference for the future of the industry.”

The listening sessions were casual and designed to be small so the questions and conversations could go deep. They are one of the ways Turner, who started as ABC president and CEO in September, is introducing herself to the industry and learning more about the people in the industry she serves.

“I enjoyed meeting so many interesting, caring and knowledgeable people across the valley,” Turner said. “I heard many stories and learned so much about the history of this great industry, people’s hopes and concerns, and about their commitment to their land, roots, communities and to almonds. Despite the current difficult macro environment, we had very constructive conversations about the future of the industry. It was an inspiring week.”

Subjects ranged from broad policy to technical questions, and the conversations will help guide sessions at The Almond Conference 2023 in Sacramento Dec. 5-7 where topics and issues will be addressed by experts during in-depth panel discussions. Rodriguez, Turner and Board of Directors members will also be available at The Almond Conference for industry members who have questions of their own.

About the Almond Board of California

California almonds make life better by what we grow and how we grow. The Almond Board of California promotes natural, wholesome and quality almonds through leadership in strategic market development, innovative research and accelerated adoption of industry best practices on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond farmers and processors in California, most of whom are multi-generational family operations. For more on California almonds visit Almonds.com.

Almond Board of California — Salinity poses a significant challenge to almond growers in certain areas and can greatly impact the performance of an orchard over time, costing producers in lost income. According to Mae Culumber, nut crop advisor from the University of California Cooperative Extension, almond trees are salt-sensitive and understanding soil salt levels and water sources become crucial even before planting an orchard.

There are two types of salt stress that impact almond trees — osmotic stress and specific iron toxicity. “It’s important to know the type of problem that you’re dealing with, particularly when you have a change in water source, to know what the composition of salts is,” Culumber said.

Osmotic stress arises from salt accumulation, hampering water and nutrient uptake, leading to reduced vigor and early yield loss. If salt accumulates over time, specific iron toxicity becomes evident, causing the tree to absorb salts and accumulate in the roots, resulting in necrotic leaves. This damages the tree’s ability to photosynthesize and nourish developing kernels.

Culumber said maintaining a balance between salinity and amendments is essential and regular soil sampling helps decide between water or soil applied amendments. “Annual sampling is recommended for the soil, and we want to sample at both depth and the top zero to three inches,” Culumber said. “That will help us decide whether or not we’re going to use water applied or soil applied amendments.”

A newly introduced management guide provides insight into different salt types, their impacts on almonds and sources of stress. The Salinity Management Guide for Almonds, written by Culumber and co-produced by the Almond Board of California and UC ANR, simplifies complex calculations, and helps growers develop customized strategies based on their soil and water analyses.

“The guide tries to break it down into individual steps and tell you exactly what measurements that you need from those soil and water analysis to make those calculations. We tried to make a complicated subject of calculating these amendments into something that everyone can do based on looking at that information.”

This comprehensive guide offers a solution-driven approach to tackling salinity issues, empowering almond growers to make informed decisions and implement effective strategies for successful yields. The resource is available in a physical copy that can be ordered through ABC’s Grower Resources order form, and as a downloadable PDF on Almonds.com.

Almond Board of California — The Almond Board of California launched a new marketing campaign in the German market this August. Germany is the largest economy in Europe and has an almond-per-capita consumption that is tied with the U.S. at 2.27 lbs. The campaign – The Mother of All Snacks – repositions almonds from a baking ingredient to a snack, providing a daily dose of natural goodness for health and wellness-conscious Germans.

There is strong momentum in the German market, which constitutes 25 percent of Europe’s gross domestic market (GDP) and is home to 19 percent of the total European Union (EU) population. Almond shipments to the country totaled over 10 million pounds in 2017 and 2018, prior to the COVID pandemic. Germany shipment numbers have rebounded post-COVID and eclipsed the 14 million pound number in 2023.

While recent global developments such as the pandemic, the war in the Ukraine and economic challenges have caused uncertainties across Europe, the German market is known for stability as well as resilience and there is still much opportunity for growth in almond consumption.

Less oven, more handfuls

The new campaign builds on insight that Germans are looking for a healthy and natural snack in a market where power bars, protein products and supplements are booming. Almonds are often overlooked, seen primarily as a baking ingredient. The new campaign aims to change this perception and capitalize on the fact that almonds are among the longest-cultivated plants in the world. From health benefits to portion size, they naturally have the attributes that are valued by German consumers.

About the campaign

This campaign is set in Mother Nature’s paradise and shows how even Mother Nature’s day can go off the rails. And when it does, she turns to the natural power of almonds to refocus, reset and take back her day. The tone is modern, bright and humorous, and highlights the natural, energizing attributes of almonds.

The campaign is targeted towards women who believe food should be exciting, convenient and healthy. German consumers also really care about the earth as well as sustainability and the more they learn about how almonds are grown, the better they feel about eating them.

The Mother of All Snacks campaign launched August 21 across TV, social and digital media. Also, the Bring! mobile shopping app will connect almonds directly to users with digital shopping lists via their mobile devices. The campaign will be accompanied by various public relations activities such as media outreach and partnerships as well as working with a variety of social media influencers. All media will link to an online webpage which will act as a source of information on the campaign, almond health & nutrition and sustainability efforts by the Almond Board and highlight dedicated partnerships and influencers.