Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Tag: Almond growers

  • When to Spray for Navel Orangeworm

    Navel orangeworm can be devastating for almond and pistachio growers and knowing when and where to spray can often depend on weather. Researchers have been working with state weather services to collect data and determine the best spraying times. Washington State entomologist Dave Crowder discussed these efforts recently with Matthew Malcolm from California Ag Network. Watch this quick video and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Almond Market Reaching Stability

    Bearing acreage for California almonds has declined for the first time since 1995 and total acreage has been declining for over four years as the business reaches equilibrium. However, growers in California will continue to contribute about 80% of the global supply as production in other countries remains flat. Matthew Malcolm with California Ag Network talked to the Almond Board of California President and CEO Clarice Turner about these recent developments in the almond industry. Watch this quick video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • High Heat Could Lead to Early Almond Harvest

    High early heat could result in a smaller nut set for almonds, though some larger hulls are being found. Meanwhile, orchards enjoyed a good bloom and growers may expect to harvest as early as July. Bountiful.ag Founder and CEO Megan Nunes spoke with Matthew Malcolm from California Ag Network about these findings in their first almond crop forecast of the 2026 season. Watch this video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Best Practices for Nighttime Applications

    Honey bee health remains a top priority for almond growers as bloom approaches. According to the Almond Board of California’s Honey Bee Best Management Practices (BMP), one of the most effective ways to reduce bee exposure to crop protection materials is to schedule applications during the evening or nighttime hours, when foraging bees have returned to their hives. The BMPs also emphasize strong communication among growers, beekeepers, PCAs, and applicators to ensure everyone involved knows when applications will occur and can coordinate accordingly.

    Working after dark though can be dangerous. While doing so helps to reduce pollinator exposure to applications, it also requires growers to operate within California’s specific nighttime safety regulations.

    Understanding Nighttime Safety Requirements

    California’s Outdoor Agricultural Operations During Hours of Darkness standards apply to all agricultural work occurring between sunset and sunrise. These regulations require growers to ensure adequate visibility throughout the work environment. Orchard areas, walkways, and paths to restrooms must meet minimum illumination levels measured directly where workers walk or perform tasks.

    Additionally, equipment such as trucks, tractors, and other self-propelled machinery must have headlights and rear lights capable of illuminating at least 50 feet ahead and behind, improving safety for both operators and ground crews. These lighting requirements help reduce the risks posed by diminished nighttime visibility, especially when work involves multiple people and moving equipment.

    Preparing Crews with Pre‑Shift Safety Meetings

    Before each night shift begins, California regulations require supervisors to hold a safety meeting to review important site information. Workers must be informed of the locations of restrooms, drinking water, designated break areas, nearby bodies of water, and high traffic zones. Because nighttime conditions can make familiar surroundings more difficult to navigate, these meetings ensure workers can safely move around the orchard and are aware of any specific hazards.

    Employers are also required to provide and ensure the use of Class 2 high‑visibility garments, helping equipment operators maintain awareness of workers on the ground. Review the Outdoor Agricultural Operations During Hours of Darkness fact sheet for more information and all of the requirements.

    A Unified Approach for Safer, More Effective Operations

    When growers pair honey bee protection guidelines with the required safety measures for nighttime work, the result is a more sustainable and efficient approach to orchard management. Bees remain safely inside their hives during nighttime applications, greatly reducing their exposure to crop protection materials. At the same time, crews can work confidently and safely under proper lighting, with clear preparation and the right equipment.

    As bloom approaches, these practices support the long‑standing commitment of the almond industry to safeguard both pollinators and people. This thoughtful balance ensures that orchards remain not only productive, but also safe and welcoming places for the bees that sustain them. To learn more about protecting pollinators, download the ABC Honey Bee Best Management Practices guide. — Article and image courtesy of Almond Board of California

  • Almond Conference Updates Growers on Best Practices for Bees & Pollination

    As almond growers prepare for pollinating their orchards — one of the most important tasks for establishing the new crop — here are insights from the Almond Conference to consider.  A “Honey Bees & Pollination” panel was moderated by Josette Lewis of the Almond Board of California (ABC).

    Hives Per Acre for Self-Fertile Cultivars: Elina Niño

    Following a string of bee losses over the past twenty years, 2025 was especially severe, with a 62% loss.  According to Elina Niño, apiculture scientist at UC Davis, the losses are becoming unsustainable.

    Niño pointed out that, in spite of having only 0.6 million of the 2.5-2.7 million colonies in the US, California ranks third in honey production, after North and South Dakota.

    Niño conducted a study of the pollination needs of self-fertile cultivars.  She excluded bees from some trees and for others used one or two hives per acre.  She counted the number of bees per flower per hour and after harvest she measured the kernel mass of 100 nuts per tree.

    The results showed that the number of visits per flower was similar for one hive as for two hives per acre.  Although the trees set more nuts and yielded more weight when one or two hives were present, kernel mass was higher where bees were excluded, presumably due to spreading the trees’ resources over fewer nuts.

    State of the US Commercial Beekeeping Industry: Matt Beekman

    The biological state of the beekeeping industry is precarious, according to Matt Beekman, a beekeeper based in Hughson, California who spends summers in North Dakota.  He presented a biological and financial State of the Beekeeping Industry report.

    Parasites & Pathogens: Varroa Mites & Viruses

    The varroa mite parasite continues to afflict beehives.  Reproducing quickly, the mites vector viruses that then spread from bee to bee in the densely populated hive.  The viruses can also spread in semen.  Area-wide applications of miticide help manage the mites.

    Only one chemical had been approved to suppress varroa mites since 2005.  That chemical, Amitraz, was registered for beehive use in 2013 in California, the last state to do so.  Some softer chemistries are available, but they are temperature dependent.

    California approved two new products in 2025, one oxalic acid-based and the other RNA-based.  They are expensive, though, costing $74 per colony per year.

    Nutrition: Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

    Each hive needs about 50 pounds of pollen and 100 pounds of nectar year.  With fewer acres enrolled in the federal Conservation Reserve Program, pollen and nectar may be scarce.

    Alternatively, almond growers can plant cover crops in the orchards to meet the need.  Seeds for Bees supplies free, appropriate cover crop seeds the first year and a discounted price the second year.  Many growers continue buying the seeds annually after seeing how effective they are.

    Pesticides: No to Organosilicon Adjuvant

    Used to amplify the effectiveness of pesticides, organosilicon surfactants harm bees.  Growers should ask their PCA to use one of the available alternatives instead.

    Beekman said that fungicides need to be sprayed during bloom, but advised using no tank mixes, adjuvants or insecticides during bloom, and applying fungicides in the early evening when bees are not flying.

    Financial Snapshot

    The net profit for beekeepers in 2024 was $11 per hive.  Overtime wages adversely impacted beekeepers, who need workers to do nighttime maintenance and overnight travel.  US honey production is declining due to fewer locations where bees can be placed to collect nectar.  The bees need more access to public land.

    Meanwhile, honey imports are increasing.  Imported honey is sometimes cut with synthetic sugar syrups.  Since honey is one of the few commodities for which the US does not have a standard definition, ambiguity and adulteration occur.

    India is now the largest exporter of honey into the US, with prices of $0.99-1.08/lb.   The US price is $2.69/lb., and the yield is declining.   

    Endangered Pollinator Species: Alexi Rodriguez

    Some insect species have been proposed for endangered species status for the first time, according to Alexi Rodriguez of the Almond Alliance.  One such insect is the monarch butterfly, which has little overlap with agriculture except for coastal sites in winter.

    A 2018 petition proposed adding four bumblebee species.

    Rodriguez said that if growers take reasonable, research-based steps to support pollinators, they will be immune to prosecution if incidental harm occurs.  The steps include using IPM (Integrated Pest Management) and planting pollinator habitat.

    Questions from the Audience

    Q: Is it worth getting mason bees to complement honeybees?

    A: Yes — blue orchard bees (a type of mason bee) — but you have to contract it separately.  They fly in colder temperatures and in rain.

    Q: Was there a bee shortage in 2025?

    A: That was not studied, but growers were saying that they did not get the number of frames they contracted for.  It’s possible that insufficient bees caused the lower yield last year, because everything else was good in 2025.

    Q: What about indoor cold storage of bees in empty warehouses to break the varroa mite cycle?

    A: It did not go well when tried in Kern County.

    Q: Does supplementing the almond orchard with pollen help with pollination?

    A: There is no research on that, but it is unlikely to help based on flower anatomy and the need for insects to get into the blooms to move pollen.

    Q: Does it help to move hives around during pollination?

    A: Yes, but it is a tradeoff economically due to the cost of labor to move the hives.  The most important variable is having morning sun on the hive to warm the bees enough to fly.  The bees will fly over the entire acre once they are warm.

    Q: What is a fair contract between grower and beekeeper?

    A: Eight frames average per hive; four to five frames minimum, 60% coverage.

    Q: Do herbicides impact bees?

    A: There is no research on that, but herbicides are not needed during bloom anyway.

    For more information about preparing for pollination, see Honeybee ABC.  – By Nancy Power, PhD, Assistant Editor, Pacific Nut Producer

  • Nematode Management Tips for Tree Nut Growers

    Nematodes can be a headache for growers. Luckily, ways to manage them are being researched and developed. At the Malcolm Media Tree & Vine Expo and in an interview with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network, Andreas Westphal with UCCE Riverside discusses nematode management. Watch this quick video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Almond Board of California Gets Major Win in Japan Exports

    The Almond Board of California has reached an alignment with the USDA and the Japanese government on a pre-test protocol for aflatoxin in almonds. This will allow for easier shipping of almonds to Japan. Julie Adams from the Almond Board of California speaks about it with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network. Watch this quick video and learn more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Almond Industry Requests EPA Follow Sound Science in Essential Product Registration

    The almond industry is has just received Section 18 emergency approval for the use of an essential bactericide for the sixth year. A product that has been fully registered in other commodities, Kasumin should be permanently registered for use in almonds, but the EPA is ignoring the sound science showing that it’s safe and beneficial for almonds under critical weather conditions. Watch this brief interview as Jim Adaskaveg from UC Riverside explains with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Almond Board Guides Industry Recovery with 3rd Largest Shipping Year

    The California almond industry experienced its 3rd highest shipping year ever in conjunction with the Almond Board of California’s 75th anniversary as a Federal Marketing Order. At the Almond Conference in Sacramento, President/CEO Clarice Turner spoke with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to discuss current almond supply and demand dynamics and the Board’s role in creating a healthier future in the California almond industry. Watch this brief video and read more in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • Five-Year Almond Forecast Bright with Stronger Prices

    The future looks bright for the California almond industry with the release of a special five-year almond economic forecast. In an interview with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network during the Almond Conference in Sacramento, Roland Fumasi from RaboResearch at Rabobank discussed their five-year almond outlook and what growers can expect in the coming seasons. Watch this brief interview and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.