Meeting with the Chair of the Almond Board of California, watch this brief interview with Alexi Rodriguez as she shares what they are doing to grow the worldwide demand for California almonds. Read more about it in the December issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
The California almond industry relies heavily on the export market, and navigating logistical challenges and trade barriers has become quite complicated in recent years. Watch this brief interview with Julie Adams from the Almond Board of California as she shares their role and progress in keeping the exports flowing. Read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
In the 1970s, the Almond Board of California began supporting Regional Variety Trials (RVTs) to provide a mechanism to test the performance of new varieties across the diverse almond growing regions in the State of California and to extend that information to local growers. Previous and current RVTs have been designed to evaluate new varieties or selections in a semi-commercial (20 to 40 trees per variety) manner and compare them to standard varieties such as Nonpareil, Mission, and currently accepted pollinizer varieties.
One of the main outputs of the first two generations of RVTs was to fully document the performance of the top 14 out of 15 varieties most currently adopted in California. These first two RVTs identified good pollinizers for Nonpareil, collected key horticulture and almond quality data, and discarded many undesirable pollinizers before they were widely adopted.
The third, and current generation of RVTs started in 2014 and is already in the process of identifying top performers. For instance, the USDA breeder recently released selection Y116-161-99, as the new variety ‘Yorizane’ variety due to the consistent novelties of the variety, including self-fertility, high yields and good kernel quality recorded in the current RVT. The current RVT brings key novelties in comparison to the previous generations such as the fact that all the trees were planted in the same year (2014), in multiple locations (Butte, Stanislaus & Madera Counties) and with statistical repetitions.
For nearly 50 years the Almond Board has partnered with the University of California (UC) to conduct Regional Variety Trails (RVTs) that provide a mechanism by which ABC, researchers and industry members can evaluate new varieties across the diverse almond-growing regions in the state.
Due to the contribution of these RVTs, our industry has been able to adopt a wide range of varieties that offer a versatile supply of almond kernel and confer competitive advantage to growing almonds in California. Thanks to the outputs of these RVTs, our industry counts on multiple pollen compatible varieties (i.e. Fritz, Price, Aldrich, Wood Colony, Monterey, etc) that adequately cover Nonpareil bloom. The RVTs have identified varieties that are more resistant to pests and diseases such as NOW (i.e. Price and Butte) and Hull Rot (i.e. Monterey, Carmel, and Fritz), respectively. RVT outputs have expanded our harvesting and processing operations by identifying the Sonora group (harvested 7-13 days after Nonpareil), the Price group (harvested 15-21 days after Nonpareil), and the Carmel group (harvested 29-34 days after Nonpareil), among others. Also, the data collection in these RVTs have served to group varieties by their ease of nut removal (i.e. Butte, and Price fall in the easy category while Merced falls in the difficult category), hull split date, vigor, etc.
This investment in varietal research has resulted in the commercialization of new UC varieties in the past 20 years such as: Kester, Sonora, Sweetheart and Winters. And thanks to the RVTs and the ongoing collaboration with the USDA breeder Craig Ledbetter, we can now add Yorizane – another self-compatible variety with many intriguing characteristics — to the mix. It is the latest example of ABC research and collaboration with the UC coming to fruition, with many other new varietals potentially still in the pipeline from the current RVT.
Understanding the benefits, trade-offs
At The Almond Conference (TAC) 2020 breakout session in December, ABC Associate Director of Agricultural Research Sebastian Saa told growers that evaluating more self-compatible varieties like Yorizane remains a priority. Self-compatible varieties potentially require fewer pollinators in the orchard because the pollen only has to move a short distance – from one blossom to another blossom of the same tree – rather than from one blossom to another blossom a tree row or more away.
There are other advantages, Saa said: “Self-compatible trees can be grown in blocks of the same variety, allowing for more efficiency at harvest time. ‘One shake, one harvest,’” he said.
Many of the most recent new varieties created in California and around the world are also are self-compatible. Saa said that CA new varieties typically bloom about the same time as Nonpareil but are harvested a couple of weeks later and therefore could be viable options for growers seeking to transition to off-ground harvesting.
During the online discussion at the breakout session, a grower asked Saa if there is an increased risk of resiliency to diseases or pests with self-compatible varieties, especially if there is less genetic diversity within an orchard.
“If we adopt one self-compatible variety, then there is a potential risk,” Saa acknowledged, “but if we adopt multiple self-compatible varieties from different genetic background, then the risk remains low, and our resilience is improved. Our goal is to enhance variety diversification for the California almond industry by adopting better almond varieties that respond to different market demands as well as provide enhanced traits such as self-compatibility.”
In addition to learnings around self-compatible varieties, TAC attendees also had an opportunity to hear from Phoebe Gordon, a UC Cooperative Extension orchard crops farm advisor in Merced County. Gordon manages one of the RVT sites in Madera County (others are located in Butte and Stanislaus counties). Since 2017, she and her peers have tested various pollinator varieties paired with alternating rows of Nonpareil trees.
“We test all varieties for bloom timing, bloom profusion, hullsplit timing, yields, defects and insect damage, and observe any disease issues,” Gordon explained.
She said early results in the RVT indicate that some of the pollinator varieties may have higher yields than Nonpareil, but cautioned that “we need to look at entire lifespan of these varieties.”
Research requires patience
Developing a new variety can take many years, if not decades. Craig Ledbetter, a research geneticist with the Agricultural Research Service, based at the San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center in Parlier, was directly involved with the development of Yorizane.
He said the first seedling was planted in 1999. Its kernel attractiveness and ease of cracking – combined with self-fertilization — quickly separated it from other alternatives, Ledbetter said. Annual tests on roller crackers also showed its kernels damage less often than Nonpareil. Then, the RVT that began in 2014 revealed Yorizane’s heavy yield potential.
“Yorizane provides a varietal option to growers to establish a more efficient single-variety orchard,” Ledbetter explained. “As a part of the RVT, it has been evaluated in blind tests by industry personnel for kernel attributes and has been found to have excellent kernel appearance and marketing potential.”
Limited quantities of Yorizane already are available at many of California’s leading tree nurseries.
Partners key to long-term success
Yorizane is just one example of the ongoing value and importance of the Almond Board’s long-term investment in research, development and real-word, in-the-orchard testing of new varietals. It is a critical partnership between the industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS), the University of California system, and private breeders and nurseries in California.
Chuck Fleck, director of horticulture research at Sierra Gold Nurseries near Yuba City, said there are many other exciting scientific advances on the horizon. Although Sierra Gold’s variety development program is relatively young, he said its team plans to eventually release almond varieties and rootstocks that provide growers with many advantageous genetic characteristics.
Fleck pointed to the work of two researchers – Malli Aradhya of the USDA and Tom Gradziel of UC Davis – as being especially promising. Aradhya’s has focused on helping growers overcome abiotic (atmosphere, chemical elements, sunlight/temperature, wind and water) as well as biotic (soil, floom, leaves and wood) challenges in their orchards. Gradziel is working to bring new germplasm into almonds’ fairly narrow genetic base as well as exploring alternative rootstock options to more effectively deal with abiotic and biotic issues.
“Perennial crop breeding takes years to see successes and breakthroughs,” Fleck explained. “Because it can take decades before such successes come to light, the resulting varieties — and therefore the breeding program’s true value — is not easily discerned until long after their inception.”
Factsheets will inform growers
It hasn’t always been easy to efficiently communicate breakthroughs in the genetic world or promising results from RVTs to growers. That’s why so many industry officials are excited about the rollout of varietal fact sheets co-created by the Almond Board, UC-ANR, and the Fruit and Nut Center (FNC) at UC Davis.. These factsheets are housed on a new website that will launch later this year at the FNC center. The first fact sheet debuted is on Yorizane and can be viewed here.
“The data that is being generated is important and frequently actionable, but to date there has not been a particularly convenient way to access the results from these research projects,” said Julia Stover-Blackburn, director of Fruit and Nut Center. “ABC and UC-ANR do a great job of communicating findings at The Almond Conference and other meetings throughout the year, but we anticipate that making these results findable in the same place will help extend the reach.”
She said the website will have an overview of various almond-breeding resources but primarily will serve as a repository for the findings of the most recent Regional Variety Trial. A second site is under construction to serve as a repository for almond rootstock trial findings. The hope, Stover-Blackburn explained, is that the sites “will be a resource for both researchers and growers looking to see how various varieties and rootstocks compare in these extensive trials.”
“These data are valuable for growers making decisions about new plantings and for researchers making decisions about what varieties to include in other projects,” she said.
The importance of RVTs cannot be overstated. Saa said 14 of the 15 most popular almond varieties in California are the product of trials. Initiation is already under way for the next RVT, which Saa expects to plant on the ground late in 2022 or early in 2023 and continue for a decade or more. He said the next trial likely will include many novelties in comparison to the current regional trial and that ABC is already working to identify the ad hoc research team.
“Having third-party data collection about how that variety performs in different regions of the state is very valuable to growers, nurseries and handlers,” Saa said. “We need to know the weaknesses and strengths of varieties. There is no perfect variety. Some growers are looking for different things, like harvest times or kernel characteristics. There is no doubt that we need a diverse supply of almonds varieties.”
Gordon said RVTs allow horticultural characteristics like yield, bloom overlap and harvest timing to be compared in an unbiased setting.
“If there are conditions that are conducive to disease development, they can also be a way to compare relative susceptibilities to diseases,” she said. “They also allow growers and PCAs to see new varieties in person before committing.”
Industry members interested to learn more about ongoing research should stay tuned for a report that will be issued this spring summarizing the RVT data collected in the past four years.
In addition, industry members are encouraged to check out this session from The Almond Conference 2020 during which Gordon and other experts provide information on the latest varieties and selections under evaluation, in addition to discussing ABC’s overall breeding strategy.
Finally, in 2020, the Almond Board published a comprehensive breeding report that provides an evaluation of national and international varieties and selections currently under evaluation or available in the market. Those interested in sinking their teeth into this topic are welcome to review this report. — Almond Board of California
Almond Board of California – Logging in instead of looking for a place to sit. Walking from the coffee pot to the office chair instead of driving to Sacramento. Connecting with attendees via online chat instead of shaking hundreds of hands while walking the trade show floor. Instead of sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in session rooms, participants of The Almond Conference (TAC) 2020 connected remotely from their office, the seat of their pickup truck, or, perhaps for some, from their favorite recliner.
The 48th annual staging of The Almond Conference on December 8-10 looked much different than past events. Still, the structure and offerings of the Conference provided an opportunity for industry members to gather and learn about the latest research, marketing efforts, and global developments impacting the industry. From the (un)usual State of the Industry to 30 educational sessions, an exhibit hall and even an online version of the Passport Game, the Conference provided many of the same features that attendees have come to expect from the premier almond industry event.
The Almond Board of California (ABC) Industry Relations team saw the need to host a virtual event as an opportunity, not a hindrance. The online setting provided the opportunity to host a truly global event, bringing attendees and speakers from across California, the U.S. and the world. More than 3,000 attendees representing 45 countries participated in TAC 2020 and had virtual access to 149 exhibitor booths, 30 educational sessions and 14 sponsor presentations.
“It was a pretty amazing experience. The three days just flew by,” said ABC President and CEO Richard Waycott during the live Closing Remarks. “It was a great example of the flexibility of our staff and the resilience of the industry throughout this year.”
Amid Challenges, Industry Continues Onward & Upward
This year’s State of the Industry address featured Waycott hosting ABC Board Chair Kent Stenderup and Vice Chair Brian Wahlbrink in a “late-night” TV show setting at the historic State Theatre in downtown Modesto. Stenderup and Wahlbrink provided an overview of key trends and marketing challenges faced by the industry throughout 2020, as well as insights into strategic ABC initiatives aimed at further supporting the industry’s profitability. From the massive responsibility of marketing a projected record 3-billion-pound crop to ongoing trade tension with China and growing advancements in production technologies, the address set the stage for the rest of the Conference.
“Growers were worried about what we were going to do with all these nuts,” Stenderup noted, referencing the fact that production is up 32% (about 730 million pounds) compared to just two years ago. And yet, he said, processing facilities are working harder than ever before to get almonds out the door. “With the advent of a possible 3-billion-pound crop, I witness handlers very responsibly getting out in front of it and moving product, setting monthly shipping records.”
Wahlbrink praised ABC’s Global Market Development Committee, of which he is a member, for building global demand in emerging markets beyond traditional export leaders like India, Spain, China and Germany.
“Despite everything, we increased shipments by almost 5% [in the last crop year], which is a real testament to building global demand year on year,” said Wahlbrink.
While the industry is ready to turn the page on 2020, Waycott praised the California almond community for remaining headstrong in facing each challenge. “It has been a remarkable year,” he said, “but there were a number of curveballs that came our way. COVID-19. A lockdown in India, our biggest market, fires in California, a perfect bloom, and now we’re headed to a 3-billion-pound crop. Just an awful lot to deal with.
“Still, the resilience and the ability of this industry to handle a large crop, and to be able to ship the numbers we’ve shipped, is really admirable—congratulations to all of you.”
Leadership Recognizing Leadership
During the State of the Industry address, Waycott, Stenderup and Wahlbrink honored two esteemed, established industry leaders, the first being Dr. Karen Lapsley. Lapsley, who retired earlier this year after 22 years of service for the California almond industry, began her ABC career as director of Nutrition Research and then acted as the Almond Board’s Chief Scientific Officer for many years before retirement.
“She catapulted us into the area of super foods,” said Waycott. Stenderup referred to Lapsley as the “matriarch of nut nutrition,” crediting her with developing “a health halo” around almonds through her work with food researchers and experts in a variety of human health and nutrition specialties.
While reflecting on Lapsley’s myriad of contributions, Waycott got a special twinkle in his eye and introduced a surprise guest to the stage – Lapsley herself! In her remarks Lapsley praised ABC’s long-term commitment to human health research and commitment to scientific excellence. When asked to share the most fun she had during her time at ABC, she said that her efforts to create the Almond Board’s biomass program over the past five years would be among the top of her experiences.
Waycott, Stenderup and Wahlbrink also announced the winner of the 2020 Almond Achievement Award, Jim Paiva, who sadly passed away in November before the award was announced.
Paiva planted his first orchard in 1970 in Lost Hills and his properties grew to about 5,000 acres in the Sacramento Valley as well as Kern County. He also started Paiva Hulling and Shelling – which serves hundreds of growers in Northern California – and later co-founded Riverwest Processing in Glenn County.
“I cannot think of one person in our industry who is more deserving of this honor,” said Stewart & Jasper CEO Jim Jasper, who was the Almond Achievement Award recipient in 2015 and, among multiple other industry members, nominated Paiva for the award.
Paiva is survived by his wife Geraldine and sons Jim and Dan. The Almond Board is proud to recognize Paiva’s years of service and dedication to the California almond industry and sends its sincerest condolences to the Paiva family in Jim’s passing.
Trade, Policy & Election Outcomes Highlight General Sessions
On Wednesday morning, ABC hosted a general session featuring two nationally recognized agricultural leaders with deep experience in trade issues.
Former U.S. Trade Representative Darci Vetter, now vice president at Edelman Communications in Washington, D.C., and former USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden, who today is executive vice president of Global Environmental Strategy for Dairy Management, Inc., shared the virtual stage to discuss the global agricultural scene and how the events of 2020 may affect the future.
Vetter said the pandemic is taking an “economic toll that is hugely significant in terms of unemployment, the food and beverage industry, restaurants… We should expect that while trade is really important, there are lots of things on the plate of the administration coming in that will likely take priority.” 
She also encouraged growers to become more transparent about and comfortable with communicating to consumers, trade regulators and others about what they do and how they grow their product.
“Telling our story is important, and when that story comes from the mouths of farmers themselves, it’s even more effective,” Vetter said.
Harden agreed, saying American growers are “very committed to the environment” even if “they don’t always know how to measure it or talk about it, and don’t want the spotlight on what they’re doing.”
“No one can produce more than U.S. farmers, but having the best product is not enough. You have to be accountable,” Harden said. “Some farmers don’t want to have these conversations, but if they don’t, they may not be farming in a decade.”
The following morning respected political journalist Charlie Cook, publisher of The Cook Political Report, addressed the Conference from his home in the Nation’s Capital. For more than 35 years, Cook has been highly regarded as a non-partisan observer of U.S. politics. During this general session, he provided insight into the state of our nation’s political landscape after one of the most divisive presidential elections in American history.
“I think we are losing our fabric as a nation,” Cook warned. “We are supposed to be the United States of America, but we’re not very united right now.”
On a positive note, Cook believes Tom Vilsack – President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to run the U.S. Agriculture Department – is a good choice for the California almond industry. Many industry members will remember Vilsack as he served in the same role for eight years under former President Barack Obama.
“I think Biden made a good decision to pick someone from the ag side who knows the whole set of issues,” Cook said. “Vilsack knows about your sector. My guess is you’ve dodged a bullet, because if he went with a more urban-oriented person, you wouldn’t have gotten the time of day.”
Educational Sessions, Virtual Exhibit Hall ‘Just Awesome’
The Conference virtual exhibit hall – though missing the buzz of attendees rubbing elbows as they migrated from booth to booth – still provided a way for exhibitors and sponsors to interact with participants. “The exhibit hall was really well done – it was just awesome,” Wahlbrink said. “It made it really easy to access information and have a quick chat.”
Similarly, the format of this year’s educational sessions allowed attendees to tune in while on the road or in the office, an element of the virtual event that was largely well received.
“I appreciated the ability to still work during this busy time of year while also attending the sessions. I was better able to focus on the sessions,” commented one attendee in the post-Conference survey.
Even though the Conference is expected to return to Sacramento next year, Waycott predicts a hybrid model will be put in place to allow attendees the option to participate in at least a portion of the Conference virtually.
Final session recordings and presentation slides are now available at Almonds.com/Conference – be sure you check out any sessions you could not attend! And be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s event, The Almond Conference 2021 is scheduled to be held Dec. 7-9 at the Sacramento Convention Center.
At the recent Almond Board Conference in Sacramento, Bob Curtis shared a new tool growers have to control Aflatoxin levels in nut crops, other than just effective Navel Orangeworm management. Known as AF36, watch this brief interview with Bob, and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
If you missed the State of the State of the Industry presentation at the annual Almond Conference, watch this brief interview with Richard Waycott and Mike Mason from the Almond Board who shared their outlook of the future of the California almond industry. Read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine. Don’t currently receive it? Subscribe for free HERE today!