On February 25, the Central Valley Water Project announced an initial farm water allocation of 35%. This comes as welcome news to farmers that were hampered last year around the same time by an initial allocation of only 15%. Watch this brief interview with pistachio/carrot grower and Director at Westlands Water District William Bourdeau, as he shares his perspective on the announcement on California Ag Network with Matthew Malcolm.
Tag: American Pistachio Growers
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American Pistachio Growers Welcomes Five New Board Members
American Pistachio Growers (APG) welcomes five new board members for 2025. Three new board members were announced at the January board meeting following the tabulation of written ballots in accordance with the written ballot procedures in the APG bylaws. Two other members have been appointed to fill vacancies on the APG board for the coming year.
The three newly elected board members are Mojgan Amin of Yazd, LP, Brian Ezell of Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., Rebecca Kaser of Avellar-Moore Farms, and Michael Woolf of Mike Woolf Farming Company.
Two board members were appointed by the approved board process to finish terms of vacated seats. Doenitz Lopez of Ingleby Eriksson, LLC was appointed at the November 2024 board of directors meeting, and Adam Kusmak of Tularosa Pistachio Groves (New Mexico) was appointed during the January 2025 board meeting. They will serve the remaining terms of their respective seats.
“My team and I are excited to welcome the new board members to American Pistachio Growers,” said Zachary Fraser, President and CEO of American Pistachio Growers. “We look forward to working together to bring the next phase of American Pistachio Growers to new heights and involvement in terms of grower outreach, government affairs and marketing success.”
Reelected to serve second terms on the APG board were William Bourdeau of Bourdeau Farms, LLC and Paul Huckabay of Keenan Farming Company. At the January 2025 board meeting, APG Board Chair Rich Kreps acknowledged the contributions of five outgoing board members — Ali Amin, Raj Kahlon, Asha Munger, Gary Smith and Jim Zion.
“These members have served APG’s membership with honor and distinction,” said Kreps. “We are gratified for their volunteer leadership and for helping to guide our organization during their terms of service.”
American Pistachio Growers is the non-profit trade association responsible for driving global awareness of the quality, nutrition, and brand power of American-grown pistachios. APG represents more than 800 growers and member processors in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
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American Pistachio Growers Receives Federal Funding to Fuel Global Market Growth
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service announced recently that funds were available via the Regional Agricultural Promotions Program (RAPP) to drive exports of U.S. commodities. American Pistachio Growers is the recipient of $3.25 million dollars of federal grant funds to drive demand of pistachios worldwide.
“American Pistachio Growers is very grateful for these funds, “said Scott Fryer, Vice President of Global Marketing. “This will go a long way in our efforts to drive demand in key countries, and drive growth for the pistachio industry. We are also thankful to our growers. Because of their contributions to our organization, we can seek and apply for these grants, turning their investment into more efforts to drive demand.”
These funds, along with other federal marketing grant funds, now mark over $8 million dollars in marketing grants over the past year. Funds for the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program can be spent over a multi-year period, at the discretion of the recipient.
American Pistachio Growers is the non-profit trade association representing more than 865 growers and member processors in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
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Setton Farms Acquires 50 Owl Boxes From Tulare FFA
Supporting the next generation of farmers in sustainable stewardship of the land is a priority for Setton Farms, the second largest pistachio processor in the United States. That is why they have partnered with the Future Farmers of America Tulare Chapter to support their agricultural programs while distributing 50 student-made owl boxes across their farming operations. Watch this brief interview with Mike Smith and Jared Castle meeting with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network during the owl box exchange to learn more.
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Ag Processing Labor Contractor Thoughts on New Indoor Heat Illness Rule
California has experienced an unusually hot Summer this year, which may have had influence in Cal/OSHA’s recent approval of a new regulation “Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment” that went into effect immediately, which impacts indoor workplaces in ag such as nut hulling and processing facilities, wineries, dairies, packinghouses and more. Key indoor temperature/heat index thresholds of 82 & 87 degrees F will mandate certain procedures to ensure the health and safety of employees. Looking into the impact of the new regulation, Matthew Malcolm visited with labor contractor Robert Heredia of H&R Labor, who specializes in meeting the labor needs of food processing facilities in one of the hottest regions in the nation — the Central Valley of California. Watch this brief interview as Heredia shares his thoughts on the recent changes.
Special thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.
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Congressman Duarte Addresses Water Issues & Solutions for California Ag
Despite the great rainfall and snowpack California has experienced in the last couple years, little of this abundance has been shared with agriculture or even saved for the inevitable times of drought that lay ahead. Farmers are fed up with the state’s many years of mismanagement of our water resources and lack of practical investment in our water future. This led a farmer to run for congress and bring some new, realistic solutions to the table. Watch this brief interview with Representative John Duarte from the 13th Congressional District of California as he shares some of these priorities that offer relatively quick and longterm water availability benefits for farmers and all Californians.
Special thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.
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SGMA Progress Hampered by Insufficient Surface Farm Water Allocations
Farmers and local water districts have worked together endeavoring to rebuild and sustain California’s underground aquifers through groundwater recharge projects among other conservation practices. Much progress has been made in complying with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), but without access to adequate surface water in year’s of plenty such as this, farmers are left struggling to keep their crops alive and productive, prematurely having to tap back into groundwater supplies. Watch this brief interview with pistachio grower and Chairman of the California Water Alliance — William Bourdeau, as he explains. And read about farm water solutions in the September issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Special thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.
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Low, Late Water Allocations Undercut California Ag, Pistachio Grower Aims to Make a Difference
After years of drought conditions, California has finally had a couple years of great rainfall and snowpack — yet that has not translated to much better water availability for California growers responsible for feeding the world with some of the safest most nutrient-dense crops. With the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) taking effect in the state as well, growers are very concerned for the future of their family operations. Crippled by gov’t regulations and delayed water allocations, watch this brief interview with pistachio grower Rebecca Kaser, who farms in Westlands Water District and aims to make a difference.
Special thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.
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Smaller Pistachio Crop This Year – Can Growers Expect Higher Prices?
American Pistachio Growers held their first ever Pistachio Industry Insights Day, expanding upon their annual Summer Luncheon from years past. During this well-attended event in Visalia, CA, Jim Zion from Meridian Growers met with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to discuss the current state of the pistachio market. As pistachios are in their “off-year” and with weaker chill hours over the winter, growers are expecting a much smaller crop than last season. The big question that’s on everyone’s mind is whether this will translate to a higher pistachio price and where the market is heading. Watch this brief interview with Jim and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Special Thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.
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Sneak Preview of First Ever Pistachio Industry Insights Day Coming This Month
It’s that time of the year as pistachio harvest nears that American Pistachio Growers (APG) gathers its members together at the Visalia Convention Center. But this year, growers are invited to more than just your typical Summer Luncheon. This longtime tradition has been reinvented into an all-day event to support the booming western pistachio industry. APG’s Wes Wilson met with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to share a sneak preview of what growers can expect in attending the Pistachio Industry Insights Day. Watch this brief interview and be sure to come see Pacific Nut Producer Magazine there as a proud sponsor of this event.