Election cycle begins Friday, Feb. 7 asking candidates to declare by April 1

The 2025 election cycle for the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors launches on Friday, Feb. 7 with the call to all potential candidates to file their intent to run by April 1, 2025.

A one-year and a three-year seat are open to represent independent growers in the 2025-26 crop year, and a one-year and a three-year seat are also open to represent independent handlers. Alternate seats for those positions are open, as well. Voting starts April 21 and ends May 22.

To qualify for an independent grower or alternate seat, candidates must be a current grower and must submit a petition signed by at least 15 independent almond growers, which ABC will verify. Independent handler and alternate candidates must declare their intention in writing to ABC.

All details, documents, open positions, the election timeline and deadlines, and frequently asked questions can be found at Almonds.com/Elections.

All petitions and declarations must state the position for which the candidate is running and be sent to abcbodelections@almondboard.com or printed and mailed to ABC, 1150 Ninth St., Suite 1500, Modesto, CA 95354. The deadline for all filings is April 1. Potential candidates who’d like more information can contact ABC at abcbodelections@almondboard.com.

“The ABC Board of Directors plays a crucial role in the success of our industry,” said ABC President and CEO Clarice Turner. “More than 7,600 growers and 100 handlers count on Board leadership to guide the work of the Almond Board. It’s crucial to have dedicated people from across the industry to help navigate these complicated times and work toward a positive, prosperous future.”

The ABC board sets policy and recommends budgets in major areas, including marketing, production research, public relations and advertising, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.

Serving on the Board provides an opportunity to help shape the future of the almond industry and to help guide ABC in its mission to promote California almonds to domestic and international audiences through marketing efforts, funding and promoting studies about almonds’ health benefits, and ensuring best-of-class agricultural practices and food safety.

ABC encourages eligible women, minorities and people with disabilities to consider running for a position on the Board of Directors to reflect the diversity of the industry it serves.

The outstanding 16^th class of professionals begins a year-long immersion to become the next great leaders of the California almond industry

The Almond Board of California is proud to announce the Almond Leadership Program class of 2025, a group of 18 exceptional professionals expected to help lead the industry into the future.

Bayer Crop Science has sponsored the Almond Leadership Program (ALP) for a number of years and is again the sponsor of this 2025 class of next-generation leaders who were chosen from more than 40 highly qualified applicants. They come from diverse backgrounds across the full range of the industry and include growers and processors, sales representatives, agronomists, pest control advisors, supply chain analysts, ag realtors and more.

ALP began in 2009 and has graduated 244 industry members. Dozens now serve on ABC workgroups, committees and even the Board of Directors.

“This 2025 class is outstanding. They are bright, accomplished and they care about our industry,” said Rebecca Bailey, the ABC senior specialist who oversees ALP. “This program helps great people become great leaders and our industry continues to see the huge benefits from 16 years of this program. We are certain these 18 people will continue to be great assets and advocates for the almond industry.”

Members of this 16^th class – while still working at their jobs – will be immersed in every aspect of the industry, including ABC activities in global marketing, production, nutrition research, food safety and more. They’ll sharpen their communication skills and build lasting relationships with industry leaders, ABC staff and each other.

“The Almond Leadership Program brings together passionate people from all parts of the industry to learn, collaborate and grow,” said Katie Driver, a class member and technical service manager with UPL. “Through this experience, I hope to gain a deeper understanding of the almond industry so that I can better support the growers, who make it all happen.”

Class members are guided by volunteer mentors – many of them ALP graduates – who will help them develop the skills, knowledge and perspective to improve their industry and their communities.

“Being a mentor gives me the chance to pass along not just what I’ve learned in the last 25 years as a farmer and a conservation biologist but the new challenges we face every year,” said mentor Christine Gemperle, a grower and member of ABC’s Board of Directors. “I believe this next generation of industry leaders has the ability to take that knowledge and grow an even better future for California almonds.”

The leadership program will also offer class members thorough looks at the impacts on the industry of social, economic, environmental and regulatory issues. In addition, participants will take on a yearlong, self-directed project focused on improving the California almond industry. Some past projects have led to important breakthroughs for the industry.

Leadership class members kicked off their training with a two-day orientation at the ABC offices in Modesto, which included one-on-one talks with their mentors and hearing from ABC CEO Clarice Turner.

Once again, class members will raise money for California FFA, pledging to raise more than $25,000 in scholarships for high school students interested in pursuing agriculture in college. Through the years, ALP has raised more than $320,000 for FFA.

The 2025 Almond Leadership class members are:

• Arik Bains of Turlock, a pest control advisor with Wilbur Ellis.
• Cristal Da Silveria of Modesto, a plant and food safety supervisor with Grizzly Nut.
• Katie Driver of Woodland, a technical service manager with UPL.
• Raquel Gomez of Atwater, a technical agronomist with Brandt.
• Zach Harcksen of Ballico, a pest control advisor with Mid Valley Agricultural Services.
• Evan Koftinow of Los Banos, an operations manager with RPAC.
• Laine LaGrande of Colusa, a product and system specialist of high value crops with John Deere.
• Brenden Lusk of Modesto, an ag realtor with Real Broker.
• Joseph McManus of Shafter, a farm manager with Wilson Ag.
• Luis Mendoza of Denair, a sales representative with Syngenta.
• Rajan Nagra of Yuba City, a sales representative with Flory Industries/COE Orchard Equipment.
• Crystal Nay of Manteca, the managing editor of Modern Ag Media.
• Ricky Robledo of Colusa, a sales manager with TRECE Inc.
• Kiki Sandrini of Bakersfield, a regional sales manager with Chandler Automation.
• Ranvir Tung of Selma, the general manager of Tung Corporation.
• Elizabeth Vander Weide of Sacramento, a supply chain analyst for Blue Diamond Growers.
• Jake Wiley of Chico, a sales manager with ProFarm Group.
• Bobbie Williams of Tracy, a clinical dietitian and almond grower with Sutter Memorial Medical Center in Modesto and WMD Farms.

Irrigating Almonds, Four Crops Per Drop

By Patrick Cavanaugh, Ag Information Network

There are significant myths regarding almonds. Most of it is about how they use too much water, but they get four crops from every drop of water. They’re very efficient.

Clarice Turner is president and CEO of the Almond Board of California. “Part of what we’re doing is just making sure that the public is aware of the facts, Turner said.  “And by the way, it’s not marketing hype because we are a quasi-government overseen by the USDA. Everything we publish has to be fact-based. That’s coming from at least three peer-reviewed academic studies in the traditional process. That’s how we get our information,” she said.

“It’s unfortunate that people think almonds use too much water.  A statement like this grows arms and legs.  When you irrigate almonds, you get four crops per drop— There’s the kernel we eat, which grows inside a woody shell, fuzzy outer hull, and the tree. The trees store tons of carbon each year, the shells become livestock bedding, and the hulls are nutritious dairy feed, reducing the water needed to grow other feed crops,” explained Turner.

About 90% of almond farms are owned by families. “And that’s the sad part: misstatements negatively impact the multi-generation family farms. And I’m pretty sure the end consumer doesn’t understand that either,” noted Turner.

“We’re trying to set the record straight on many things and also continuing to try to help our farmers prosper in the state,” she said.  “I feel excellent about the direction we’re going and the input I’m getting from all over the world. I genuinely hear everywhere you guys produce the highest quality, most consistent volume of almonds worldwide.

Courtesy of the Almond Board of California 

Harvest 2024 predicted at 2.8 billion pounds while carryout expected to drop significantly. 

The 2024 California Almond Objective Measurement Report published Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) estimates that the crop harvested in 2024 will come in at 2.80 billion meat pounds.

The estimate is down 7 percent from USDA-NASS’s Subjective Forecast in May. It follows a generally solid bloom as well as a year in which growers faced a range of economic challenges. It also comes when the carryout is projected to drop to levels not seen in years as almond shipments set a record of 10 months straight of at least 212 million pounds shipped.

“The Objective Measurement is in line with what the industry expected and a drop from the Subjective Estimate. It reflects both a good bloom and hard work by California almond growers during trying times,” said Clarice Turner, president and CEO of the Almond Board of California. “For perspective, demand has been strong, consistent and continues to grow, which has reduced the carryout to what may be the smallest in years. California almonds shipped at least 212 million pounds each of the first 10 months of this crop year and averaged 230 million pounds a month. Never before has the industry shipped even 200 million pounds 10 months in a row in the same crop year.”

Turner said the Almond Board expects the almond supply to be similar to what was available in the past 2023-24 crop year.

“The actual supply of California almonds available for the market is the combination of crop size and carryout from the previous year,” she said, “We expect only minor changes, if any, to the supply for market this next crop year because the forecasted increase in crop size will mostly be offset by the smaller carryout. Clearly, global demand is strong and consistent. We will continue to work hard to meet growing demand.”

The 2023 harvest yielded 2.47 billion pounds, 5% below the 2023 Objective Report estimate, reflecting the difficulty of precisely forecasting crop size given the current fluctuations in weather and economic factors.

USDA-NASS said the 2024 harvest is expected to be on schedule. “The 2024 almond crop experienced mostly favorable weather during the bloom period,” the report said. “Bee hours were reported to be significantly higher than last year. Wet and warm weather in April increased pest and disease pressure, but dry conditions and mild temperatures in May helped the developing crop. Multiple heat waves across the state during June and July required growers to increase irrigation on their orchards.”

USDA-NASS’ forecasted yield is 2030 pounds per acre, up from 1,790 in 2023. The forecast for the average nut set per tree is 4,072 up from 3,953 in 2023, while the average kernel weight for all varieties sampled was 1.61 grams, down from the 1.67 grams in 2023. The Nonpareil average nut set of 4,137 is up from 4,004 last year, and the average Nonpareil kernel weight was 1.64, down from 1.69 grams last year.

The 2024 Objective Report is based on actual almond counts using a statistically rigorous methodology. The survey was conducted from May 25 to June 28 and 1,904 trees were sampled in 952 orchards, the most ever, USDA NASS said. It was 40 more orchards than in 2023. USDA-NASS conducts the annual Objective Report, Subjective Forecast and Nursery Survey to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions.

Voting ends May 23

Voting begins today, April 29, to select two independent grower positions and two independent handler positions on the Almond Board of California Board of Directors. Alternate seats for those spots are also on the ballot. Voting ends May 23.

Candidates for the independent grower positions:

Grower Position #1, Member (1-year term):             Grower Position #1, Alternate:

Paul Ewing, Los Banos (incumbent)                         Katie Staack, Hughson (incumbent)

Grower Position #3, Member (3-year term):              Grower Position #3, Alternate

Joe Gardiner, Earlimart (incumbent)                          No declared candidate

Candidates for the independent handler positions:

Handler Position #2, Member (3-year term):             Handler Position #2, Alternate:

Bob Silveira, Williams (incumbent)                            Dexter Long, Ballico (incumbent)

Justin Morehead, Coalinga (petitioner)

Handler Position #3, Member (1-year term):             Handler Position #3, Alternate:

Darren Rigg, Le Grand (incumbent)                           Chad DeRose, McFarland (incumbent)

Ballots and instructions have been mailed to all independent growers and handlers whose names are on file with ABC. Ballots must be received by ABC by May 23. Any independent grower or handler who does not receive a ballot can contact Toni Arellano at tarellano@almondboard.com.

“Every vote is important, and it’s equally important to have as much of the industry as possible represented in the voting,” said ABC President and CEO Clarice Turner. “The Board of Directors represents more than 7,600 growers and 100 handlers. They guide the work of the Almond Board to help the industry build a positive future in these complicated times.”

All details, documents, open positions, timelines and frequently asked questions can be found at Almonds.com/Elections.

The ABC board is made up of five handler and five grower representatives. It sets policy and recommends budgets in major areas, including marketing, production research, advertising, public relations, nutrition research, statistical reporting, quality control and food safety.

Results will be announced June 1 and the new board will start its term Aug. 1.

The decrease follows two years of drops in overall almond acreage.

Courtesy of the Almond Board of California

California’s bearing almond acreage decreased slightly over the past year, according to a new report from Land IQ to the Almond Board of California (ABC). It is the first time since at least 1995 that the total of bearing acres has not grown.

Land IQ’s 2024 Standing Acreage Initial Estimate issued Wednesday looked at bearing acreage – orchards planted before 2022 and that have matured enough to produce a crop for the coming 2024 harvest. It estimated that bearing almond orchards at harvest will cover 1.373 million acres across California, a decrease of about 600 acres.

In addition, Land IQ estimates that approximately 71,000 acres of orchards will be removed by the end of the crop year, adding to the 83,000 acres removed in the 2023-24 crop year, according to Land IQ’s estimate issued in November last year.

While the bearing acreage drop may be small – far less than 1 percent – it marks the first time since at least 1995 that bearing acreage has not increased, according to numbers issued previously by the USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS), and with the orchard removals continues a trend over recent years of decreasing almond acreage in California.

“The decrease in bearing acreage and continued orchard removals, coupled with drops in overall acreage and non-bearing acreage the last two years, signal a probable trend toward lower overall California almond acreage,” said Clarice Turner, ABC president and CEO. “We continue to see strong shipments this year, so we know global demand for California almonds continues to grow. There is no doubt that almonds will continue to have a very significant role in California and global agriculture and food industries for the foreseeable future.”

The Land IQ report is a snapshot of the coming 2024 harvest but does not offer an estimate on the actual almond yield this 2024-25 crop year. The first look at yield will come on May 10 with USDA-NASS’ Subjective Estimate. A fuller picture of crop size will come with USDA-NASS’ Objective Report in July.

Land IQ’s estimate covers bearing acreage and removals from Sept. 1, 2023 to Aug. 31, 2024. Note that the almond crop year runs Aug. 1-July 31, so this estimate looks at the harvest for the 2024-25 crop year.

Land IQ will issue a final acreage report on the 2024-25 crop year in November that will include total acreage along with bearing and non-bearing acres. Their report in November 2023 found that California’s total almond acreage had dropped two years in a row to 1.56 million acres.

Land IQ’s Initial Estimate and its Final Acreage Estimate in November are commissioned by ABC to provide statistical transparency and a robust picture of California almonds to industry stakeholders around the world. In 2018, ABC first commissioned Land IQ, a Sacramento-based agricultural and environmental scientific research and consulting firm, to develop a comprehensive, living map of California almonds, with the first report issues in 2019. The map is the result of more than a decade of research.

Courtesy of the Almond Board 

Almond Board of California thanks industry and government partners for helping reduce obstacles to California almond imports.

The United Kingdom’s government announced it would suspend tariffs for at least two years on raw kernel and inshell almonds from all origins – including the U.S. – beginning April 11, 2024.

The Almond Board of California has been working for many years with the UK’s Nut and Dried Fruit Trade Association (NDFTA), the group that represents the UK processors buying California almonds. This past year, ABC provided factual information and trade data to NDFTA, which they used to officially apply to have tariffs suspended on imported almonds.

“We are grateful for our long-time partnership with the UK’s Nut and Dried Fruit Trade Association and appreciate the UK government’s approval of the application to suspend tariffs on almonds,” said Julie Adams, ABC’s vice president for global technical and regulatory affairs. “This will certainly benefit UK consumers with increased availability of healthy almond products.”

The tariffs – 4% on inshell almonds and 2% on raw kernels – have been in place since the UK left the European Union in 2021.

UK trade officials on March 18 issued a list of commodities, including almonds, that will have tariffs suspended until June 30, 2026. UK officials said there is a possibility they will reassess before that date, possibly to extend the suspension or make a permanent change.

Estimates put the costs of the soon-to-be-suspended tariffs to UK importers at about $4 million a year. The suspension will allow UK importers to offer a more competitive price on raw California almonds to UK processors, and ultimately to consumers.

UK duties of 8-10% still remain on roasted almonds (which includes flavored almonds), 8% on marzipan and almond flour, and 20% on almond paste.

“We plan to work with NDFTA to assess further tariff suspensions in the UK, and with other partners overseas to identify opportunities for additional tariff suspension requests to lower costs for importers and processors and boost demand for California almonds,” said Keith Schneller, ABC’s senior advisor on trade policy.

Courtesy of the Almond Board of California

BEAM Circular, the Almond Board of California, Stanislaus County and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the issue of a rare ‘AA’ rating to the North San Joaquin Valley Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone centered in Modesto, CA, North America’s first BDO Zone rating for Orchard Biomass, Nut Tree Shells and Almond Hulls.

The North San Joaquin Valley BDO Zone investment grade rating denotes ‘very high quality’ feedstock supply chains and infrastructure. The region exhibits a longstanding industry supported by 6,300 nut tree growers and suppliers along with a robust network of processors and separators of nuts from shells and hulls in concentrated locations. Decreasing local demand for local biomass along with significant quantities of feedstock currently available for the cost of transportation create ideal conditions for large-scale bio-project development. Significant infrastructure advantages include flexible zoning, access to natural gas, rail connectivity, and proximity to an extensive highway system.

“The ‘AA’ rating for the North San Joaquin Valley’s BDO Zone is a testament to our region’s unique positioning for global leadership in the bioeconomy,” stated Karen Warner, CEO of BEAM Circular. “Local communities here are proactively investing in the infrastructure, partnerships, and innovation that will allow us to grow world-class bioindustrial manufacturing facilities in the heart of the most productive agricultural state in America. This region is ready to support and scale the future of sustainable bioproduction.”

“Almond biomass is uniquely concentrated with well established transport systems. With this rating and the research investments made by the almond industry, we stand ready to partner with companies in bio-based industries,” said Josette Lewis, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Almond Board of California.

“Rated for over a million tons of underutilized project-available feedstock, this first ‘AA’ BDO Zone rating for tree nut biomass underscores the high level of regional readiness for biomanufacturing within the North San Joaquin Valley,” said Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative. “The zone offers very low-risk supply chains and is positioned as a prime target for top-tier and innovative bio-based projects. The collaborative efforts of organizations dedicated to realizing this BDO Zone highlight the region’s visionary approach and the bold stance it takes in the global bioeconomy.”

“Stanislaus County is proud to be investing in the growth of our region’s bioproduction leadership,” said Mani Grewal, Chairman of the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors. “We are building upon our historic strengths in agriculture and manufacturing to grow the bio-based industries of the future. We welcome collaboration with new projects that create quality jobs and advance the economic vitality of our community.”

To see the full BDO Zone Rating for North San Joaquin Valley please click here, or visit www.bdozone.org.

BDO Zone Business Contacts:

Guangwei Huang,

Associate Director for Food Research & Technology

Almond Board of California

ghuang@almondboard.com

Matthew Godinez
Community Engagement Director
BEAM Circular
matthew@beamcircular.org
(209) 241 0562

About the North San Joaquin Valley

The North San Joaquin Valley (NSJV) is the ideal location for scaling globally competitive biomanufacturing. The NSJV is a tri-county region of 1.6 million people consisting of Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus Counties, located in the heart of the most productive agricultural land in the United States. A global leader in large-scale agricultural production and food processing, the region’s combination of existing manufacturing infrastructure and abundant biomass feedstocks are unparalleled. The NSJV’s proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area and regional centers of technology innovation gives it access to world-class biotechnology and advanced manufacturing innovation.

About BEAM Circular

BEAM Circular is building a vibrant regional ecosystem for the circular bioeconomy in California’s agricultural heartland. Anchored in the North San Joaquin Valley, the non-profit organization facilitates public-private collaboration through the BioEconomy, Agriculture, & Manufacturing (BEAM) Initiative to scale the most promising innovations in bioindustrial manufacturing and to advance solutions that support economic and environmental outcomes for local communities.

For more information about BEAM Circular, visit www.beamcircular.org. The BDO Zone Local Development Leader (LDL) is Matthew Godinez, Community Engagement Director (matthew@beamcircular.org).

About the Almond Board of California

California almonds make life better by what we grow and how we grow. The Almond Board of California promotes natural, wholesome and quality almonds through leadership in strategic market development, innovative research, and accelerated adoption of industry best practices on behalf of the more than 7,600 almond farmers and processors in California, most of whom are multi-generational family operations. Established in 1950 and based in Modesto, California, the Almond Board of California is a non-profit organization that administers a grower-enacted Federal Marketing Order under the supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture.

For more information about the Almond Board of California, visit www.almonds.com or contact Guangwei Huang, ABC Associate Director for Food Research & Technology (ghuang@almondboard.com).

About Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County is located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, the geographical center of California. The county, with an economy and heritage deeply rooted in the agricultural sector, is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing regions of the state and a center of bioindustrial innovation. The bioindustrial manufacturing sector was identified as a strategic priority industry in the Stanislaus 2030 Investment Blueprint, and Stanislaus County provided seed funding to launch the BioEconomy, Agriculture, & Manufacturing (BEAM) Initiative in January 2023.

For more information about Stanislaus County, please contact Sonya Severo, Public Relations & Communications Director (severos@stancounty.com).

About The BDO Zone Initiative

The BDO Zone Initiative certifies regional readiness for bio-based manufacturing, creates global connections with project developers, and ignites an influx of clean energy opportunities.

A BDO Zone rating is an internationally recognized standards-based technical risk assessment of biomass feedstock, supply chain, and infrastructure risk with respect to the development potential of new biofuel, renewable chemical, biogas, and bioproduct plants. Investment grade ratings attract new bio-based manufacturing plants to the areas where they are most likely to succeed– and create jobs.

For more information on the BDO Zone Initiative, please contact info@bdozone.org. To view all current and upcoming BDO Zone designations, visit www.bdozone.org or check out the BDO Zone LinkedIn page for all news and updates.

About Ecostrat

Ecostrat is the North American Leader in supplying biomass due diligence for biofuels, renewable chemicals, biogas, and bio-product project development and finance. Ecostrat led the USDOE/BETO funded project to develop the new investment Standards and Ratings for Biomass Supply Chain Risk

which were subsequently used in the development of the CSA W209:21 Biomass supply chain risk National Standard of Canada.

Ecostrat’s Advisory Group combines the BSCR Standards with powerful predictive analytics to understand and minimize supply chain risk. It’s Biomass Supply Group has 25 years of experience in sourcing and supplying more than 5 million tons of biomass feedstock for bioenergy, biofuel, and biochemical projects across North America.

Jordan Solomon is Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative and President of Ecostrat. He can be reached at jordan.solomon@ecostrat.com. For more information about Ecostrat, visit the company’s website at www.ecostrat.com or check out the Ecostrat LinkedIn page for all news and updates.