Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Tag: California Walnut Commission

  • USDA Secretary Rollins Supports U.S. Walnut Growers in U.K. Trade Mission

    The California Walnut Commission commends U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for her leadership and advocacy during last week’s trade mission to the United Kingdom, which highlighted significant opportunities for American agricultural exports.

    The mission – Secretary Rollins’ first since taking office – focused on advancing terms of a new U.S.-U.K. trade agreement aimed at reducing tariffs, eliminating trade barriers and expanding U.S. market access. The agreement is projected to generate a $5 billion opportunity for U.S. agriculture exports, benefiting farmers, ranchers and producers across the country.

    California Walnut Commission representatives Jack Mariani, CEO of Mariani Nut Company, and Robert Verloop, Executive Director and CEO of the California Walnut Commission, along with trade representatives Peter Meadows and Ian Forbes, from The Garden joined other commodity groups for a roundtable discussion at the U.S. Embassy in London. The event provided a platform for key stakeholders to engage with Secretary Rollins and discuss ways USDA trade promotion programs can support U.S. agricultural exports to the U.K.

    “Having a seat at the table with Secretary Rollins gave us the opportunity to reinforce the importance of the U.K. market to California walnut growers,” said Mariani. “As part of the discussion, we were able to highlight how funds from the USDA Market Access Program (MAP) have been able to support trade and consumer programs across the country. This support led to increased exports into the U.K. market, growing it into a top 10 export market for California walnuts.”

    During the mission, Secretary Rollins highlighted several U.S. agricultural products, including California walnuts, on her social media platforms, signaling support for American specialty crops abroad.

    “The California Walnut Commission applauds Secretary Rollins for her dedication to U.S. farmers, enabling access for American products in existing markets, and opening new markets with strong demand for our products,” said Verloop. “We look forward to continued collaboration with the Secretary and her team to advance the access and marketability of California walnuts around the world.”

    For more information on California walnuts and international distribution, visit www.walnuts.org.

    About the California Walnut Commission

    The California Walnut Commission (CWC) represents more than 3,700 California walnut growers and approximately 70 handlers, grown in multi-generational farmers’ family orchards. California walnuts, known for their excellent nutritional value and quality, are shipped around the world all year long, with more than 99% of the walnuts grown in the United States being from California. The CWC, established in 1987, promotes usage of walnuts through domestic and export market development activities as well as supports health research with consuming walnuts.

    To explore recipes and learn more about California walnut growers, industry information and health research, visit walnuts.org.

  • Strong California Walnut Crop Anticipated Following Ideal Spring Conditions

    In the midst of favorable growing conditions, California walnut growers are reporting outstanding early-season conditions that point to a positive outlook for the 2025 crop, according to industry experts monitoring the state’s orchards.

    Following three consecutive years of average to above-average rainfall and snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, California walnut orchards are beginning the growing season with adequate surface water and replenished soil profiles. These favorable conditions, coupled with ideal spring temperatures, have created an environment for strong bloom and early shoot development.

    “Things are shaping up to be a tremendously good start to California’s walnut growing season,” said Davin Norene, owner of Big Time Farming and walnut growing specialist. “We are predicting good things ahead of this year’s crop.”

    Early walnut varieties began bud break in mid-April, with all varieties, including Chandler, now showing strong shoot growth throughout California’s prime growing regions. The orchards are currently in a critical growth phase, setting the stage for healthy nut development throughout the season.

    “The exceptional start to this growing season is a welcome and energizing reprieve after navigating a series of tough seasons that demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of California’s walnut industry,” said Robert Verloop, executive director and CEO of the California Walnut Board & Commission. “This spring, growers are well-positioned to capitalize on ideal soil moisture and perfect temperatures, setting the stage for strong yield and quality in the 2025 crop.”

    For more information on the California walnut industry, visit walnuts.org.

    About the California Walnut Board & Commission

    The California Walnut Board (CWB) and California Walnut Commission (CWC) represent more than 3,700 California walnut growers and approximately 70 handlers, grown in multi-generational farmers’ family orchards. California walnuts, known for their excellent nutritional value and quality, are shipped around the world all year long, with more than 99% of the walnuts grown in the United States being from California.

    The CWB, established in 1948, 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. The CWC, established in 1987, is involved in health research with consuming walnuts as well as domestic and export market development activities.

    To explore recipes and learn more about California walnut growers, industry information and health research, visit walnuts.org.

  • CA Walnut Commission Awarded $7 Million in 2nd Round of USDA’s Regional Ag Promotion Program

    The California Walnut Commission, representing more than 4,600 California walnut growers, mostly multi-generational family farms, and approximately 70 handlers, is pleased to announce it has been awarded $7 million in funding as part of the Regional Agricultural Program’s (RAPP) second round of grants to expand distribution and sales of California Walnuts in international markets.

    The CWC thanks Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Foreign Agricultural Service for enacting the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program and awarding a second round of funding to help support the expansion of California Walnuts and other US commodity exports into emerging markets. This additional funding will allow the industry to expand programs into new markets, as well as boost activities in existing strategic export markets currently funded through the Market Access Program (MAP), with the goal of increasing distribution and driving sales of high-quality California walnuts globally.

    “Funding from the Market Access Program has been essential to our success over the years, and the additional funding from the RAPP program will provide more resources to drive new distribution and grow sales for California walnuts in even more new and exciting ways” said Robert Verloop, CEO for California Walnut Commission. “We’re eager for the opportunity of RAPP to further expand sales of and market access for California walnuts.”

    About the California Walnut Commission

    The California Walnut Commission (CWC) represents more than 4,600 California walnut growers and approximately 70 handlers, grown in multi-generational farmers’ family orchards. California walnuts, known for their excellent nutritional value and quality, are shipped around the world all year long, with more than 99% of the walnuts grown in the United States being from California. The CWC, established in 1987, promotes usage of walnuts through domestic and export market development activities as well as supports health research with consuming walnuts.

    To explore recipes and learn more about California walnut growers, industry information and health research, visit walnuts.org.

  • Postharvest State of the California Walnut Industry Highlights Improving Market

    Did you miss the State of the Walnut Industry address at Malcolm Media’s recent Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo in Fresno or the Tree & Vine Expo in Turlock?  Following his presentation, Robert Verloop, CEO of the California Walnut Board & Commission met with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to share highlights from this year’s walnut harvest and improving global market conditions. Watch this brief interview, and read the full State of the Industry report in the coming issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

  • California Walnut Crop Mid-Harvest Update

    Fall is here, and the California Walnut Commission is pleased to provide a mid-harvest update on the 2024 walnut crop. With harvest progressing smoothly, we are excited to share some positive developments.

    While early varieties of California walnuts are nearing completion, the California-developed Chandler variety is at the peak of harvest and the industry is pleased with the quality of this year’s crop. Reports indicate that the walnut crop held up well to the summer temperatures, which were less severe than temperatures seen in 2022. The Chandler variety, which represents over 65% of the California industry acreage, shows excellent color and condition. With the continual advancement of optical sorters and enhanced inspections, processors can remove imperfect walnuts prior to the final pack and provide the high quality product customers expect.

    Gary Thiara, President and CEO of Empire Nut Company

    Gary Thiara, President and CEO of Empire Nut Company, stated, “The quality of walnuts this year is very good and meets the high expectations of our global buyers.”

    Additionally, demand for California walnuts is strong with early bookings for new crop already shipping to many global markets. The robust demand underscores the recognition of California walnuts as a premium product.

    In addition to providing a world class product, food safety is a top priority for the California walnut industry. Our walnuts are grown, harvested, and processed under stringent regulations, adhering to both federal and state food safety regulations. This commitment to food safety ensures that consumers receive a high-quality, safe product.

    The 2024 estimated crop size of 670,000 tons (607,814 MT), while moderate, is large enough to meet the current demands. The California Walnut Commission continues its efforts to expand and develop export markets, building more consumer excitement for premium, nutritious California walnuts around the world. We look forward to the successful completion of the harvest and continuing to meet the high demand for our walnuts.

    Note: The official 2024 California walnut crop production will be released in January 2025.

    About the California Walnut Commission

    The California Walnut Commission (CWC) represent more than 4,600 California walnut growers and nearly 70 handlers, grown in multi-generational farmers’ family orchards. California walnuts, known for their excellent nutritional value and quality, are shipped around the world all year long, with more than 99% of the walnuts grown in the United States being from California. The CWC, established in 1987, is involved in health research with consuming walnuts as well as domestic and export market development activities.

    To explore recipes and learn more about California walnut growers, industry information and health research, visit walnuts.org.

  • 2024 California Walnut Harvest Begins With More Optimism

    California walnut growers are expecting a shorter crop this year, but high quality product. With a lower carry-in inventory, things are looking more positive in the market ahead. Watch this brief interview with Robert Verloop, CEO of the California Walnut Board & Commission, as he met with Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to share highlights of this year’s walnut crop and a look at global market trends. Verloop will be sharing the State of the Walnut Industry report at Malcolm Media’s Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo on Nov. 8th at the Fresno Fairgrounds and at the Tree & Vine Expo on Nov. 12th at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, so be sure to register to attend free at https://agexpo.biz/.

  • State of the California Walnut Industry with Robert Verloop

    The California walnut industry has suffered tremendously in recent years due to many factors outside of the grower’s control.  But the future is not all doom and gloom.  In fact, the quality of this year’s crop was outstanding.  Watch this brief interview with Robert Verloop, CEO of the California Walnut Board & Commission, as he shares some highlights from his State of the Walnut Industry address at the Malcolm Media’s recent Tree & Vine Expo in Turlock.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Thunder Creek Equipment for their industry support.

  • 2023 California Walnut Industry Crop Estimate Released

    The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s (NASS) official walnut industry crop estimate provides the California walnut industry with crucial information to support an orderly sales process. Using scientific methodologies, USDA field staff counted, measured, weighed and evaluated thousands of walnuts from major growing regions in July and August for use in a statistical acreage model to establish the annual walnut crop estimate.

    The 2023 California walnut production is forecast at 790,000 tons, up 5% from 2022’s production of 752,000 tons. The forecast is based on 385,000 bearing acres, down 4% from 2022’s estimated bearing acreage of 400,000.

    “The California walnut industry has increased its focus on providing handlers and growers the most accurate crop information by accelerating the collection of various data points,” said Robert Verloop, CEO and Executive Director for the California Walnut Commission (CWC) and Board (CWB).

    While official final shipment, inventory and close-out figures for the 2022 crop year will be released within the month, preliminary figures indicate last year’s crop is virtually sold out.

    “Last year, we were facing a completely different scenario with 130,000 tons in inventory brought on by the lingering effects of the COVID-impacted global marketplace and a record heat wave last September that negatively impacted the entire crop, which led to lethargic sales and record-low grower returns,” added Verloop.

    “With minimal carryover from the previous crop year and favorable weather throughout the growing season, we’re optimistic about the new crop year,” said Tim Sabado, CEO of Prima Noce, based in Linden, California. “The upcoming crop promises a return to the exceptional quality that defines California walnuts globally.

    “Harvest will begin in September, and may extend into November due to the early season cooler temperatures,” added Sabado. “Our focus is on an aggressive harvest, picking the crop at its peak quality and freshness.”

    Inshell walnut shipments for international destinations will start in October. In the U.S. and Canada, retail customers are currently placing orders and building sales plans for their traditionally large holiday promotions and their health-focused kernel campaigns for January and February.

    About the California Walnut Board  

    The California Walnut Board (CWB) 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.

    About the California Walnut Commission 

    The California Walnut Commission, established in 1987, is funded by mandatory assessments of the growers. The Commission is an agency of the State of California that works in concurrence with the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). The CWC is mainly involved in health research and export market development activities. For more industry information, health research and recipe ideas, visit www.walnuts.org.

  • Relief Programs Now Available to Walnut Growers

    In this video, Joshua Rahm from the California Walnut Commission shares details on some new and upcoming government programs to aid walnut growers amidst these difficult times — some of which growers can act on now.  So watch this video now and read more about it in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.

  • State of the Walnut Industry & Future Prospects with Robert Verloop

    There is no question, the California walnut industry is navigating through some challenging times, but hope is on the horizon. Bringing a fresh perspective to the industry is Robert Verloop, the new CEO of the California Walnut Board & Commission.  Watch this brief interview based on his first State of the Walnut Industry address at the recent Tree & Vine Expo, and read more about it in the December issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.

    Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.