Pacific Nut Producer Magazine

Tag: CDFA

  • American Pistachio Growers Awarded $1 Million for Regional Pest Management Collaboration

    American Pistachio Growers (APG), in collaboration with Washington State University, University of California – Riverside, UC Cooperative Extension, the USDA Agricultural Research Service and regional nut industry partners, has been awarded a $1 million grant through the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Biologically Integrated Farming Systems (BIFS) Program to develop a Regional Integrated Pest Management (IPM) network for Navel Orangeworm (NOW) — the most damaging pest in California’s tree nut industry.

    The project, led by Dr. Houston Wilson (UC Riverside), Dr. David Crowder (WSU), Dr. Jhalendra Rijal (UC IPM), and Dr. Charles Burks (USDA ARS) will pilot a groundbreaking Decision Aid System (DAS) that integrates real-time trap data, weather models, and crop phenology into a single communication platform. The goal is to improve the timing and precision of pest control decisions while fostering regional cooperation among almond, pistachio, and walnut growers.

    “This project moves us beyond the farm gate,” said Joe Coelho, APG’s Director of Sustainability and Member Outreach, who serves as Technical Agronomist and PCA on the project. “For the first time, growers across commodities will have access to shared regional data and communication tools that allow them to anticipate pest pressure before it hits their fields and ultimately make precise, timely treatment decisions. The outcome is fewer sprays, lower costs, and higher quality nuts.”

    Through field-level data acquisition, the system’s meta-analytics will identify regional flight trends coupled with crop-specific phenological development and enhance forecasting of NOW flights — critical steps in breaking the pest’s lifecycle across neighboring farms. Ultimately, the program is expected to help reduce pesticide use, improve nut quality, and lower aflatoxin risk associated with pest damage.

    APG will serve as the grower administration partner, coordinating grower participation and outreach. Carlee Branco, APG Grant Programs Administrator, will conduct on-farm grower coordination, engagement and data collection. “This is a major milestone for sustainable pest management,” said Coelho, “and it demonstrates APG’s leadership in advancing research that directly benefits growers.”

    The Regional IPM for Navel Orangeworm Project represents a pivotal step toward the state’s Sustainable Pest Management (SPM) Roadmap by providing a scalable, data-driven framework that can be expanded statewide.

    “This is exactly the kind of innovation California agriculture needs,” said Dr. Wilson. “Regional coordination is essential to long-term pest reduction, especially for highly mobile insects like the navel orangeworm, and this project will now put those ideas into practice at scale.”

    The program launches in early 2026, with pilot regions in West Fresno County and Modesto, serving as the foundation for a future statewide expansion. Growers within these territories who are interested should contact Carlee Branco for more information at cbranco@americanpistachios.org.

    American Pistachio Growers (APG) is a non-profit trade association representing more than 800 growers and processors across California, Arizona, and New Mexico. APG’s mission is to enhance grower profitability through global marketing, industry research, and sustainability initiatives that promote economically viable and environmentally responsible pistachio production.

  • California Walnut & Ag Industry Leader Jonathan Field Passes

    California’s agriculture industry is mourning the loss of Jonathan W. Field who served as Manager of the California Tree Fruit Agreement for over a decade, led the Walnut Bargaining Association and served as the Compliance Officer for the California and Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreements and the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board.

    Field, 77, of Lincoln, California, passed away peacefully August 5, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

    Field’s passion for agriculture began at age six when he received his first sheep on Christmas morning. A lifelong 4-H member, he spent nine months in Kenya, Africa with the 4-H and Peace Corps, teaching crop rotation and agricultural best practices. He always maintained his own sheep and cattle, fulfilling his lifelong dream of farming.

    He attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo where he earned an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Business and then a master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from University of California, Davis.

    Field’s professional journey as part of California’s agricultural industry was as expansive as it was impactful. He began his career with California Agricultural Statistics Service and then as an economist for the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) where he worked on programs for iceberg lettuce, fresh tomatoes, carrots, celery, potatoes, cling peaches and processing pears. While at CDFA, Field wrote the first Marketing Agreement program and was the economist assigned to the first Commission laws created in California.

    In 1981, Field became Assistant Manager for the California Tree Fruit Agreement (CTFA), a conglomerate of marketing order programs representing California-grown peaches, plums, nectarines and pears. He became Manager in 1987, serving until 2000 where he championed growers, strengthened industry standards and left a lasting mark on California’s tree fruit sector. Importantly, he was integrally involved in the litigation which went successfully to the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the legality of mandatory commodity programs.

    “During the 1990s, the California Tree Fruit Agreement was extremely fortunate to have Jonathan Field as its Manager,” said Melvin Enns, a tree fruit grower-shipper who served on the CTFA Board for many years.  “Jon was well-versed in the intricacies of government regulations. He formed a diverse team of experts in the areas of merchandising, export development, communications and grower relations to create programs that complied with these directives. And, together with the 1500+ growers of California peaches, pears, plums, and nectarines, Jonathan and his team built a federal and state marketing order that was the envy of tree fruit growers in every other state.”

    Not only did Field leave a lasting impression on the California fruit industry, but he championed several causes impacting California agriculture in general. Working with a group of marketing order and commission managers (who are now retired) including:  Bruce Obbink, California Table Grape Commission; Dennis Balant, California Walnut Board; Rich Peterson, California Prune Board; Terry Stark, California Raisin Advisory Board, and Dave Riggs, California Strawberry Commission, Field was instrumental in founding the Alliance for Food and Farming, the Agricultural Issues Forum, the Minor Crop Farmer Alliance, the California Specialty Crop Council and the Buy California Marketing Agreement, or “California Grown”.

    After leaving CTFA, Field formed Paradigm Consulting Company where he worked for several organizations including as Executive Director of the Walnut Bargaining Association, a cooperative of California walnut growers.

    “Jon Field was a true representative for our industry,” said Donald Norene, Chairman of the Walnut Bargaining Association (now known as the Walnut Alliance of California.). “He was committed to empowering walnut growers with the financial information necessary to successfully negotiate a fair return for their walnut crop and his analysis was highly regarded by bankers, growers and handlers.”

    In 2007, Field began working as the first Compliance Officer for the newly formed California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) and its sister organization the Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement to help ensure leafy greens growers are following stringent food safety practices. In 2012, he began performing these same functions as the Compliance Officer for the California Cantaloupe Advisory Board. Field finally retired in 2023.

    “I had known Jon for many years prior to bringing him on at the LGMA as our very first Compliance Officer,” said Scott Horsfall, former president and CEO of the California LGMA. “He was the perfect person for this role with his strong background in working with CDFA, his knowledge of marketing orders and agreements and his strong desire to help the agricultural industry through challenges. He will be missed.”

    Jon is survived by his wife, Christine, of 52 years; and children Erin, Jonathan and Heather; seven grandchildren, sister, Shirley and many nieces, nephews and cousins.  The family will provide more information about a Celebration of Life at a later date.

  • Walnut Growers: Help Tell California Walnuts’ Sustainability Story

    SPONSORED CONTENT

    By: Robert Verloop, Chief Executive Officer, California Walnut Board & Commission

    California walnut farmers know the great care they put into their orchards. From maintaining healthy soils, to conserving water and minimizing waste, California walnut farmers have been acting as sound stewards of the environment for generations, but this story isn’t always shared or understood outside the industry.

    At the same time, customers, food and ingredient manufactures, and consumers are increasingly interested in the industry’s sustainability efforts. The California Walnut Board & Commission is committed to sharing this story — but we need your help. By participating in a voluntary online survey, you can help highlight the great work being done by walnut growers.

    The survey follows a 2024 effort by the California Walnut Board & Commission’s Sustainability Working Group (SWG), which gathered insights and provided recommendations on the topics, metrics and goals most meaningful to the walnut industry.

    We know that for some, “sustainability” means environmental stewardship. For others, it also includes considerations of impacts on people and communities. For many California walnut farmers, it means the ability to keep the family farm going for generations to come.

    After more than eight months of planning and industry input, the Sustainability Working Group identified four key areas that make up a Sustainability Index, which will demonstrate the industry’s good work. Importantly, the industry’s efforts in the areas outlined in the index will not only showcase the contributions walnut growers make to people and the planet, but also pave the way for a more economically viable industry over the long haul, as sustainability and industry resilience go hand-in-hand.

    In fact, I often hear from walnut growers who are seeing first-hand how the adoption of environmentally friendly growing practices have benefited the quality of their walnuts and health of their trees while improving soil and natural resources. Often, sustainable practices, such as cover cropping, no till, and sustainable pest management can lead to reduced inputs and costs — something critical for growers seeing rising production costs in many areas. And as growers in California continue to see challenges for conventional pesticides through a more stringent regulatory environment and market pressures, the adoption of new tools and techniques will be critical.

    While learning and implementing new practices can be seem daunting, it’s okay to start small. Talk to your neighbors or farm advisor about how growing practices are evolving. Attend grower meetings hosted by the California Walnut Board & Commission and get involved with other industry meetings and events. In the coming years, we’ll be doing more to empower the walnut industry in implementing sustainable practices and gather data to showcase its progress. In addition, grant opportunities through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and others are periodically available to offset costs.

    By continuing environmentally sustainable practices or adopting new ones, our industry can build its sustainability story as a point of differentiation and ensure a more prosperous future for decades ahead.

    California walnut growers are asked to join us in this effort by taking the survey at WalnutSurvey.com. All responses will be aggregated for analysis; individual results will remain confidential and will not be shared publicly.

  • Compost Tax Credit Bill for California Farmers Progresses Through Legislature

    California growers investing in compost to boost soil fertility on the farm may soon reap additional benefits in the form of a tax credit. Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) joined Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to share how this promising CAWG-sponsored bill is currently making its way through legislature. Watch this brief video to learn more.

  • Growers Optimistic about Pre-Season 2023 California Walnut Outlook

    What a difference a year makes! The California walnut industry is gearing up for a stellar 2023 harvest and shipping season after several years of drought, record low grower returns, COVID disrupted markets with supply chain challenges and a devastating heat wave in September 2022 that negatively impacted the entire crop. Here’s why this season is lining up to be a different story.

    Quality is expected to be excellent due to favorable growing conditions.

    Last winter’s prolonged heavy rains in the California walnut growing regions helped restore deep soil moisture and provided for healthy root zones, enabling trees to better tolerate late season high temperatures. The state also benefitted from an extensive snowpack which has provided all growing regions with sufficient water to support the trees and the crops through this season.

    The much-needed chilling hours were at normal levels, placing the trees into a much-needed deep winter dormancy and a prolonged “rest and recuperation” period. Mild spring temperatures were ideal and produced full, vibrant, vigorous tree canopies which supported strong pollination, resulting in robust nut sets throughout the orchards.

    “This year, our trees are more capable of handling higher temperatures than the previous years when the trees were under stress due to long-term deficit irrigation,” commented fourth-generation grower and handler Bill Carriere of Glenn, California. “Long-time growers have commented that the trees have not looked this strong and healthy in at least six to seven years. The full leaf canopy provided excellent temperature control and sun protection during the spring and summer months, allowing the walnuts to grow evenly with minimal sunburn. I am very optimistic that this year will mark a return to the premium quality walnuts we are known for in California.”

    Acreage adjustments

    Record low prices, brought on by an oversupply of darker than normal walnut kernels and weak demand in international markets, have taken a toll on growers, some opting to remove orchards from production. “Our family decided to pull out a productive orchard planted by my father in the early 2000s, it was a difficult decision, but the numbers told the story,” said Don Barton, a fourth-generation family farmer in Escalon, California. “We pulled a few acres with legacy varieties that are no longer desired by the broader buying community. Further south, walnut growers had removed trees due to new water restrictions that resulted in a lack of long-term availability to groundwater. Overall, the last few years have been devastating for growers and we are making some difficult decisions.”

    The extent of the acreage shift became more evident in an acreage survey conducted by the California Walnut Board between October 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. For the first time ever, the acreage of California walnuts declined with 23,000 acres removed during the nine-month period. The industry will likely see additional reductions between July and December 2023, as more growers decide to shift to other crops and the needed tree removal equipment becomes available.

    Favorable New Crop Volumes and Inventory levels

    However, even with the removal of these orchards, the industry has a strong production base with approximately 380,000 producing acres and 37,000 younger non-bearing acres. USDA/National Agricultural Statistics Service Information (NASS) is currently conducting the annual walnut crop objective evaluation which counts and measures walnuts in a representative cross-industry sampling protocol. Incorporating the recently updated acreage report with the sampling results. USDA will release the official California walnut industry crop estimate on September 1, 2023.

    “This week, the California Walnut Board released the monthly and year-to-date shipment report which highlighted an additional reason why I am bullish about the upcoming season,” remarked Martin Mariani, a grower/processor from Winters, California, “The data shows that we have shipped the equivalent of 730,488 tons this season from an available inventory of 880,000 tons.” He went on to explain that when taking into consideration the high sales commitments going into the fall, “we are virtually sold out of available inventory, which bodes well for the industry. I can’t wait to bring the new crop to market.”

    Global and Domestic Market Outlook

    With a focus on inshell markets, Chile is anticipated to be sold out by the time the new California crop starts shipping this fall. With minimal inventories of export-quality walnuts on hand, coupled with the current limited supply of walnut halves in global markets, the fresh California crop of premium quality walnuts, inshell and kernels, will be in high demand.

    “Domestically, sales have increased 28% which helped our industry work through the high inventory numbers we saw at the start of the season” said Mike Poindexter of Poindexter Nut Company in Selma, California. “Major US retailers significantly increased their promotional efforts, which stimulated consumer sales.  This is continuing through the fall and will provide nice momentum going into the U.S. holiday season for new crop kernels and inshell sales.”

    Market Development and Sales Expansion

    Acknowledging the difficulty California walnut industry growers have faced in recent years, Robert Verloop, CEO and Executive Director for the California Walnut Commission (CWC) and Board, said the organization has taken several steps to aid growers.

    Robert Verloop, CEO and Executive Director, California Walnut Commission (CWC) and Board

    “There have been successful efforts during the season to respond to the heat wave impacted crop, yet with low prices and high input costs, the squeeze on family farms has been relentless. Through the Commission, we continue to work with our representatives in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento for emergency relief for growers,” he said.

    “Also, working with the CWC Board of Directors, industry handlers/processors, many volunteer leaders and elected officials and regulators, we have successfully secured a record USDA Section 32 purchase this season for up to $90 million; this funding is being used to help move the current crop out of our storage and into 1,400 food banks across the U.S., providing additional nutrition to thousands of families. In addition, the 20% reduction in tariffs recently announced by India will help us regain our footing in the Indian market.”

    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.

  • Robert Verloop Named CEO of California Walnut Board and California Walnut Commission

    The California Walnut Board (CWB) and the California Walnut Commission (CWC) are pleased to announce that Robert Verloop has been named executive director and chief executive officer, effective July 11, 2022. The CWB and CWC represent over 4,500 California walnut growers and nearly 90 handlers, producing over 1.4 billion pounds of walnuts in 2021 that ship to more than 50 countries around the world.

    “We are excited to bring onboard an experienced strategic leader such as Robert, his background will well serve the California walnut industry. He has the unique experience of leadership roles as a grower/shipper of highly perishable produce and in commodity organizations. Robert understands the challenge to ‘move the crop.’ In addition, he has extensive knowledge and creativity as a marketer working in complex domestic and international markets,” said Bill Tos, the California Walnut Board’s Executive Committee Chairperson.

    Mr. Verloop recently held the position of COO for Coastline Family Farms, a family-owned vegetable grower/shipper. Previously, he held executive/ leadership roles with Naturipe Farms/Naturipe Brands, Sunkist Growers Inc., and the California Avocado Commission. In those capacities, Robert worked in such areas as marketing and sales promotions in retail, foodservice and ingredient channels in domestic and global markets; issues management; strategic planning; and government relations, working with various state and federal agencies, including USDA, FAS/ATO, CDFA, and FDA.

    “When he was a member of the then-Produce Marketing Association Board of Directors, Robert showed a true drive to help find and create solutions for the global produce and floral community. His focus on disciplined marketing and uncovering the implications in challenges and opportunities helped us immensely, and I expect the walnut industry will realize these same leadership benefits,” said International Fresh Produce Association CEO Cathy Burns.

    “I am looking forward to working with the staff, the two Boards (CWB and CWC), and the growers and handlers that make up the California walnut industry. Walnuts are highly versatile and nutritious, ideal for plant-based eating. In collaboration with the growers and handlers we must respond to rapidly evolving market conditions with a sense of urgency and purpose and continue to build an ongoing dialogue with key customer segments in order to drive sales in all market segments,” added Verloop. “I am also keenly aware of the multi-generational nature of an industry dating back more than a century. The new generations are inheriting a dynamic industry that continues to evolve through innovation, starting with new advances in orchard management practices, post-harvest management, and developing exciting new consumer products that showcase the versatility and delicious taste of nutritious California walnuts.”

    The CWB and the CWC play a vital role in expanding walnut usage occasions and understanding walnuts’ health benefits, solving for production and post-harvest challenges, protecting the industry against burdensome regulations, and building demand for California walnuts globally. Despite current supply-chain challenges, there is rising demand for walnuts given their versatility and wide range of studied health benefits. Interest in plant-based eating around the globe is an opportunity for walnuts, which contain protein and fiber, and are the only nut that is an excellent source of essential plant-based omega-3 ALA.[1]

    “We look forward to Robert and the CWB and CWC staff working in collaboration with the industry to address the near-term challenges in supply chain logistics, port congestion and rising costs. At the same time, we will refresh and refocus our long-term strategies given the evolving marketplace and not waiver our focus on the mission of market development and increasing consumer demand globally for our future crops,” added Tos.

    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.

  • CA Walnut Board Supports Industry Growth In New Ways With Retail, Research And Advocacy Programs

    During the 2020-2021 crop year, California walnut growers and handlers worked together with the California Walnut Board and California Walnut Commission to advance the industry in new ways. Growers produced a record crop of 785,000 tons, a 20 percent gain over the 2019 crop. The California Walnut Board (CWB) and Commission (CWC) promoted walnuts through marketing campaigns that increased sales, leveraged new CWC-funded health research to sustain consumer interest in walnut consumption, conducted new production and post-harvest research to help maintain competitiveness, and accessed government dollars.

    “In a year where a pandemic has altered so many aspects of the way Americans live and work, the Board’s contributions to the industry have been critical,” says Michelle Connelly, Executive Director of California Walnut Board.

    Retail Campaign Generates Double-Digit Sales Growth

    Retail programs drove sales and consumption during seasonal time periods when walnuts are not typically a priority for consumers. During American Heart Month in February, the CWB worked with retailers nationwide on a campaign to display walnuts with messaging about their heart-health benefits*. With 34 participating retailers, operating 10,400 locations, retailers saw an average sales lift of 22.5 percent. Additionally, television and radio advertising during this program reached 52% of US households.

    In May through August, a summer snacking campaign signed-on 26 retailers with 7,400 locations to execute in-store promotions and specials. The first-of-its-kind snacking-focused program encouraged retailers to think of new ways to promote walnuts by tying into the consumer trend. Retail elements were supported with consumer outreach, and the average US consumer saw the message on walnuts and snacking six times. The campaign drove year-over-year walnut sales increases, when comparing the summer months.

    Production Research Delivers Short- and Long-Term Benefits

    The CWB continued investment in research programs to maintain competitiveness in walnut production and processing, as well as invested in applied projects that directly benefit immediate grower needs. Topics including pest management, food safety, product quality, and more were prevalent in these programs. UC Davis’ CWB-funded walnut breeding program released a new varietal, UC Wolfskill, in hopes of finding more desirable traits such as a late leafing, early harvesting Chandler-like variety.

    The CWB Grades and Standards Committee approved 11 post-harvest research projects, three of which are exploring byproduct utilization for the walnut industry to add further value across the supply chain while promoting sustainability. The Committee also funded a project to develop methods and a database to help differentiate walnuts from various origins and cultivators which can help preserve the integrity and reputation of California walnuts.

    “Our research programs are key in providing growers and handlers the resources they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive space,” says Connelly.

    Steps Taken to Increase Efficiencies and Mitigate Market Disruptions

    In September, the CWB voted to suspend the mandatory outbound inspections of walnuts to mitigate market disruptions like labor shortages or shipping constraints, while reducing redundancies. The suspension brings further efficiencies to the industry, while allowing resources to be saved.

    “The Federal Marketing Order rules governing inspections are obsolete as market and customer quality demands have since surpassed USDA grade standards,” added Connelly. “The Board’s vote to suspend the inspections stands to benefit both producers and processors.”

    CWC and CWB Do More Together to Advance Industry

    In lock step with the CWB, CWC activities also contributed to and supported the industry throughout the year. As a result of the Commission’s efforts, walnut growers received over $85MM in direct payments from the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) 1 alone and millions more through CFAP 2. Ensuring the walnut industry’s voice was heard, the CWC, as part of a coalition, also worked with sectors of the CA government to urge lawmakers in the Department of Pesticide Regulations to not increase mill tax for at least two years.

    Furthermore, 17 scientific papers published that were funded or supported by the CWC, including findings in the areas of heart health, cognition, gut health and longevity. Sharing those health findings with health professionals and reporters resulted in 431 articles mentioning the health benefits of walnuts in mainstream media. The average US consumer saw the message 22 times.

    Connelly shared more about why a robust, ongoing health research program is important, “Health is a top reason why consumers eat walnuts and demands are always evolving. New research discovers breakthrough results and makes important health advancements.”

    Growers who want to learn more about how the CWB/CWC are doing more for the walnut industry are encouraged to sign up for newsletters to hear directly from the Board, follow our social channels on LinkedIn and @GrowCAWalnuts on Facebook, and learn more at walnuts.org/walnut-industry.

    *Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet and not resulting in increased caloric intake, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. (FDA) One ounce of walnuts offers 18g of total fat, 2.5g of monounsaturated fat, 13g of polyunsaturated fat including 2.5g of alpha-linolenic acid – the plant-based omega-3.

    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 CWC represents over 4,800 growers and approximately 90 handlers (processors) of California walnuts in export market development activities and conducts health research. The CWC is an agency of the State of California that works in concurrence with the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).

  • CDFA 2020 Walnut Crop Report & Average Prices

    Information contained in this report was supplied by walnut handlers to fulfill reporting requirements of Sections 55601.7 and 55601.8 of the Food and Agricultural Code. The report includes all tonnages of walnuts that were either produced by the handler or purchased from producers. The final weighted average price, including bonuses and allowances, has been reported for all contracts which were finalized.

    All 2020 crop transactions completed through the close of business on August 31, 2021 are included in this report. A “good faith” estimate of final weighted average price was reported for those contracts which were not final on the same date. The data are shown by major varieties at the State level only.

    SUMMARY OF WALNUT HANDLERS’ REPORTS

    Walnuts produced by handlers in 2020 totaled 12,572 tons. This figure does NOT include walnuts purchased from other handlers or producers.

    The total 2020 walnut crop purchased from producers, for whom pricing had been finalized, reached 728,746 tons at an average price of 60.5 cents per pound. This price is rounded to the nearest tenth of a cent per pound and includes all bonuses and allowances.

    Purchases from producers, for whom pricing was NOT finalized, totaled 45,543 tons. The average “good faith” estimate of the final weighted average price for this tonnage was 56.3 cents per pound.

    The quantity of all walnuts purchased from producers was 774,289 tons for the 2020 crop. This figure does not include walnuts produced by the handler or purchased from other handlers. The tonnage produced by the handler plus tonnage purchased from producers for the 2020 walnut crop was 786,861 in-shell tons.

    DEFINITIONS

    Producer: A person or operator who is responsible for the walnuts in the unprocessed state.

    Handler: Firm that processes and markets walnuts.

    Finalized Purchases: Tonnage purchased from producers, for which a pricing contract has been completed.

    Non-Finalized Purchases: Contracted tonnage, for which a final price has not yet been determined.

    Free Tonnage: Tonnage received by a handler, for which the only Federal marketing order regulation is a minimum quality or size standard. Reserve tonnage is the tonnage set aside as authorized by a Federal marketing order.

    Weighted Average Price: Weighted average price reflects prices or “good faith” estimates of prices as reported by handlers and include any bonuses or allowances.

  • Dairy and Almond Groups Partner on Healthy Soils Research

    UC Davis researchers are evaluating the use of pelletized compost made from dairy manure and almond tree twigs, to create safe, pathogen-free, value-added amendments to boost soil health.

    Building healthy soils has tremendous benefits. Increasing the amount of organic matter within the soil can improve water retention and protection, reduce erosion, sequester carbon, and improve crop yields. Increasing water scarcity and severe drought conditions make boosting soil resilience an even greater priority for California. Researchers are exploring how the environmental benefits of healthy soils initiatives can extend even further when readily available agricultural resources are used in regenerative ways.

    A team of UC Davis researchers, led by Dr. Ruihong Zhang, has recycled dairy manure and almond twig waste into a nutrient-rich, safe, organic soil amendment. The new product was created and applied, and its effects continue to be studied. The idea is that the woody material can capture nutrients in the manure and slowly release them, as needed, into the soil. Because the product is also pelletized, it can be applied to croplands and orchards with standard farm equipment. Ultimately, the researchers hope to create a new model for using recycled agricultural resources to sequester carbon and provide benefits to the soil, crops, and the environment.

    The partnership was a natural fit, as the Central Valley is home to many neighboring dairy farms and almond orchards, which have a long history of collaboration. Dairies are already major consumers of almond co-products, including hulls (used as a highly nutritious feed ingredient) and shells (used as a bedding material). With a goal of achieving zero waste by 2025, the California almond community has been actively investigating a wide variety of ways to utilize woody biomass, including twigs, pruned branches, and tree removals. Meanwhile, the dairy community has been exploring ways to expand use of manure nutrients across California’s diverse agricultural landscape.

    “Creating valuable manure-based soil amendments is an area that the dairy sector has been focusing on, but there are some challenges,” said Denise Mullinax, Executive Director of the California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF). “We know that farmers want a soil amendment with a consistent and reliable nutrient profile. It also needs to be easy to transport and apply. That’s why we are thrilled to support this team of esteemed researchers and to partner with the almond industry on this project. Together, we’re piloting a new avenue to enhance the benefits of both manure and woody biomass.”

    The initial project was funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA)’s Healthy Soils Program. As the project scope grew, the researchers were awarded additional funding from the demonstration category of CDFA’s Alternative Manure Management Program. With supplemental support from the CDRF and the Almond Board of California, the research project developed to include a team of more than 20 individuals—including researchers, farmers, and industry collaborators—contributing throughout a three-year timeframe. The project includes two seasons of creating soil amendments and applying them to the orchard, and three years of studying effects on soil health, emissions, tree health, and crop yield, while ensuring food safety.

    Using composted manure from Wickstrom Dairies, the study will shine a light for future research on expanding and improving manure utilization. Like many California dairies, the farm uses a separator system to remove solids from liquid manure streams. The solids are then sun dried in rows that are turned over periodically, as a form of composting. Dried manure solids are traditionally used for bedding or are applied to dairy forage fields. For this study, a portion of the finer manure solids were co-composted with twigs from almond production and then ran through a pelletizer. Pelletizing the compost is intended to provide a more consistent blend, while creating an easy-to-use product. The pelletized compost product has now been applied to the pilot orchard for two consecutive seasons. Four treatments were used to examine differences in manure-only verses manure-twig and pelletized versus non-pelletized compost products.

    “We look forward to seeing the final results,” said Mullinax. “Dr. Zhang and her team are demonstrating that it’s possible to make a pelletized product that is safe and easy to use, while fully assessing the environmental benefits. It’s projects like this that will pave the way for implementing advanced nutrient management on a larger scale, greatly enhancing soil health and further improving water conservation and protection.”

    The research team highlighted the project by providing a virtual field day, and they plan to host another outreach event this fall. Research is scheduled to conclude in March 2022. However, longer-term effects on soil health will continue to be studied. And the final report will only be the beginning of more learnings to come.

    Potential research areas to be explored next include applications on different kinds of crops, comparing a pelletized versus granulated product, and using varying types of dairy manure solids (from different types of separators, settling basins, and lagoon solids). Additionally, the use of infrared technology versus composting will be explored prior to pelletization or granulation. All options will also need to be assessed for cost-effectiveness and potential scalability.

    The manure-twig project is part of a broader, collaborative effort to expand manure’s role in healthy soils. California dairy farmers will continue to work with researchers, state officials, and other agricultural professionals to find more ways to maximize manure’s role in building healthy soils and protecting our air, water, and climate. The possibilities for sustainable solutions are bright when farmers and scientists come together to make new use of existing resources and technologies.

    California dairy farmers will continue partnering to help make an underutilized resource an important part of a healthy-soil future.

    — By Dairy Cares

  • California Walnut Commission Electing New Members

    This year the California Walnut Commission will be holding elections for members and alternates for the term beginning September 1, 2021 and ending August 31, 2023.

    “The diversity of our growing and evolving membership brings valuable perspective to the industry. The CWC in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) welcomes participation of women, minorities and people with disabilities,” said Michelle McNeil Connelly, CEO of the California Walnut Commission.

    Following are the specifications for the election:

    Every two years the Commission law provides for the nomination of 13 members and 13 alternates that will be appointed by the California Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

    The following is a list of the member and corresponding alternate positions for the Commission:

    Eight Producer Members (four from each district, see below)

    Four Handler Members

    One public member (nominated by 12 elected members)

    All producers and handlers participating in the election must complete a nomination form in order for their name to appear on the ballot. The nomination period is May 1-31. All producer candidates must return the form with at least 15 eligible grower signatures. All handler candidates must submit a petition with at least five other handler signatures.

    We anticipate that ballots will be mailed to growers and handlers in late June. The election results will most likely be announced in August.

    District 1 is comprised of counties in the state that lie north of a line drawn on the south boundaries of San Mateo, Alameda, San Joaquin, Calaveras and Alpine counties. District 2 consists of all other walnut producing counties in the state south of this boundary line.

    If you have any questions please feel free to call the CWC office at (916) 932-7070.

    About California Walnut Commission

    The California Walnut Commission, established in 1987, is funded by mandatory assessments of the growers. The CWC represents over 4,800 growers and over 90 handlers (processors) of California walnuts in export market development activities and conducts health research. The CWC is an agency of the State of California that works in concurrence with the Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). For more industry information, health research and recipe ideas, visit www.walnuts.org.