Harvest 2025 predicted at 3.0 billion pounds.

The 2025 California Almond Objective Measurement Report published Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) estimates that the crop harvested in 2025 will come in at 3.0 billion meat pounds. 

The Objective Estimate is up 7 percent from USDA-NASS’s Subjective Forecast in May and 10 percent higher than last year’s crop of 2.73 billion meat pounds.

“The Objective Measurement reflects the hard work by California almond growers during uncertain times,” said Clarice Turner, president and CEO of the Almond Board of California. “While shipping has remained consistently strong, we know uncertainty remains surrounding future trade policies. We continue to engage with trade partners and stakeholders to encourage constructive solutions that support fair and stable trade so California almonds can continue to be enjoyed by consumers around the world.”

The 2024 harvest yielded 2.73 billion pounds, 2.5% below the 2024 Objective Report estimate, reflecting the difficulty of precisely forecasting crop size given the current fluctuations in weather and economic factors.

The report shared the 2025 almond crop experienced variable weather during bloom, which began in early February and peaked in the middle of the month. Storms brought rain, wind and hail, which hindered bee hours and blossom growth. Conditions improved in early March with warm temperatures accelerating the crop’s progress through the end of bloom. Mild temperatures and timely rain in spring supported nut growth and continued through early summer, lessening heat stress in orchards. Lower than normal pest and disease pressure have been reported. Harvest is expected to begin on time.

USDA-NASS’ forecasted yield is 2,160 pounds per acre, up from 1,980 in 2024. The forecast for the average nut set per tree is 4,364, an increase of 7 percent compared to 2024. The Nonpareil average nut set of 4,526 is 9 percent higher than last year. The average kernel weight for all varieties sampled was 1.60 grams, down 0.6 percent from the 2024 average weight. The Nonpareil average kernel weight was 1.60 grams, down 2 percent from the 2024 average weight.

The 2025 Objective Report is based on actual almond counts using a statistically rigorous methodology. The survey was conducted from May 24 to June 28 and 1,892 trees were sampled in 946 orchards. 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.

Scholarship winners will each receive a $1,000 scholarship toward their post-secondary education

Westlands Water District is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Westlands Scholarship. This Westlands Scholarship program celebrates the extraordinary accomplishments of 20 graduating seniors from Westside high schools and supports these exceptional young leaders in the next steps of their educational journey.

These inspiring scholarship recipients emerged from a competitive selection process that evaluated their academic records, leadership capabilities, community service, and career aspirations. Each winner represents the very best of our region’s emerging talent—bright minds poised to make significant contributions in their chosen fields.

“As we celebrate our 19th year of the Westlands Scholarship program, we’re incredibly proud to support these 20 exceptional students as they pursue their academic dreams,” said Allison Febbo, General Manager, Westlands Water District. “These scholarships represent our ongoing commitment to investing in the bright minds who will shape our region’s future. By reducing financial barriers to education, we hope to empower these talented young individuals to return and contribute to the prosperity of the Central Valley.”

Westlands congratulates the following 20 recipients of the 2025 Westlands Scholarship. Amongst our recipients we have future leaders in education, healthcare, business, and science.  Below are excerpts from each recipient’s application when asked about the importance of agriculture and water in the San Joaquin Valley.

Abigail Lee, Future Computer Scientist

Coalinga High School– Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

“Agriculture has affected my life in more ways than I can count. It has influenced my upbringing, my perspective on work and education, and my future goals. Even if I do not end up working directly in this field, agriculture will always be part of who I am and where I come from.”

Angel Jimenez Farias, Future Public Relations Specialist

Lemoore High School – San Jose State University

“Throughout my life, agriculture has shaped my perspective on work, family, and community. Moving to Lemoore and seeing the impact of water on farming made me realize how important it is to protect water resources. Ensuring that water continues to flow to farms in California is essential to keeping agriculture alive and ensuring families, especially Hispanic workers like mine, can continue to rely on it for income.”

Bret Orton, Future Civil Engineer

Lemoore Middle College High School – Brigham Young University-Idaho

“Farming has been a cornerstone of my family’s success in California, shaping our past and guiding our future. It is not just a livelihood but a legacy—one that I am proud to be a part of and one that will likely continue for generations to come.”

Brynn Close, Future Agricultural Business Leader

Riverdale High School – CSU Bakersfield (California State University, Bakersfield)

“Once I reached high school, agriculture became more than just where I live, but how I live. Learning about agriculture and the connections that I have made in the last four years has made it one of the biggest things that have impacted my life as a young individual. Through the agricultural community, I know that any question I have can be answered through a phone call. What is so heartwarming about this community is that you are working with others to essentially provide for the world.”

Carlos Pizano Hernandez, Future Chemist

Riverdale High School – UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles)

“When I began doing research in a university lab through Project SEED, I realized just how far those early mornings in the fields had taken me. I was studying the effects of plasma on polymer surfaces, running experiments, and analyzing data. But the patience, focus, and persistence I needed there weren’t new to me. I’d learned them long before, packing grapes beside my mom.”

David Cox, Future Agricultural Business Leader

Riverdale High School – California Polytechnic State University

“Agriculture has had a profound impact on my life because it’s supported my family, allowed me to network with successful businesspeople from all over the state, and revealed to me that I would like to go into an agriculture career.”

Eliana Freitas, Future Physician’s Assistant

Lemoore High School – University of San Diego

“I have learned first-hand what it is like to have parents who rely on rain, prayers, and good people to work alongside. Over time it has become apparent that hard work, dedication, and faith are how goals are achieved.”

Gloria Mayenci Escobar, Future Agricultural Educator

Mendota High School – California State University, Fresno

“Growing up, I have witnessed how agriculture has evolved and advanced around my hometown, and I have learned how beneficial and important it is. All of this affected my way of viewing the agricultural industry and helped me find plenty of opportunities and pathways that it offers.”

Joanna Garcia, Future Human Biologist

Firebaugh High School – University of California, Davis

“Agriculture has taught me to be grounded, humble, and hardworking. It has given me a deep respect for labor and for the people who often go unseen but are the backbone of our food system. I carry that with me in everything I do.”

Juan Mendoza, Future Physical Therapist  

Tranquility High School – Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

” Thousands of farms in the San Joaquin Valley support California’s economy and give agricultural workers jobs. Drought-related changes to water supplies result in fewer acres being grown, which lowers farmworkers’ incomes and gets rid of jobs. Furthermore, lower agricultural output may result in higher food costs, which would impact consumers throughout the state and globally.”

Keysi Lopez Gonzalez, Future Nurse

Mendota High School – Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

“Agriculture has impacted my life physically and academically, but in the end, I have to give a huge thanks to agriculture because it taught me to always work hard no matter what.”

Luis Zarco, Future Mechanical Engineer

Riverdale High School – Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

“Agriculture has made me who I am today and cemented the bonds in my local community. It’s not dirt and plants, it’s people, tradition, and growth. Among the vines of grapes and from the encouragement of neighbors, I’ve found purpose, yes, but more significantly, a sense of place like the roots we’ve grown over the years.”

Madison Ball, Future Agricultural Business Leader

Lemoore High School – Texas Tech University

“The crops planted here rely on essential water for their irrigation and sustainability. The area’s reliance on water from Westlands Water District could be the difference between a successful crop harvest and a farmer shutting down a generational family farm. Water is what makes this valley live.”

Melissa Ochoa Villegas, Future Architectural Engineer

Mendota High School – Fresno State (CSU, Fresno)

“Without agriculture, my parents wouldn’t have survived their journey here, and I wouldn’t have the opportunities I do today. Because of the doors agriculture has opened for my family, I’ve committed myself to giving back through my education.”

Monique Silva, Monique Silva, Future Nurse

Sierra Pacific High School – College of the Sequoias

“It was in the late 1980s that my grandparents made the difficult decision to leave their hometown of Irapuato, Mexico in pursuit of a better life, thus establishing our family roots in the Central Valley. As the child and granddaughter of first-generation immigrants, I am appreciative of the impact that agriculture has had on my family and how it has shaped the trajectory of my life.”

Samantha Garcia – Future Business Administrator

Avenal High School – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

“Agriculture is a very important part of our lives, it is a way that provides food on our table, supports people’s livelihood, and offers many diverse opportunities for growth economically. With all this being said I strongly believe that agriculture has affected my life positively and I am very thankful for it.”

Samantha Selliers – Future Agricultural Communications Specialist

Coalinga High School – Kansas State University

“Agriculture has shaped my identity, my future, and my purpose. What began as an unwanted class has become the foundation of my aspirations. I now know that agriculture is not just about crops and livestock—it is about leadership, education, and advocacy.”

Sophie Walker, Future Doctor

Coalinga High School – UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles)

“Communities like Coalinga and many others across the Central Valley depend on agriculture to survive. Without reliable access to water, farms can’t operate, jobs are lost, families face hardship, and opportunities begin to disappear. That’s why it’s so important for us to raise our voices, advocate for water rights, support our local farmers, and work together to ensure agriculture not only survives but continues to thrive.”

Stephanie Berber, Future Nurse

Firebaugh High School – UC Davis

“Agricultural water is at the heart of California’s economy. As someone who lives in Firebaugh California, a small town dependent on agriculture, irrigation is crucial to maintaining our livelihood. Firebaugh grows crops such as almonds, pistachios, tomatoes, cotton, and melons. We rely on a prosperous harvesting season for people in our community to receive the paychecks they need to support their families. The irony here is that Firebaugh gets very little rainfall due to the ongoing drought in California, leading to those hard-working agricultural workers receiving less financial support.”

Valerie Garcia, Future Ag Business Leader

Mendota High School – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

“Westland Water District has helped me and my family by conserving and managing the water needed to grow crops. Without this district, my dad would probably not have a job, because in this small town, agriculture is the main provider of jobs. Without having someone to manage the amount of water used, there would be tons of waste everywhere, and our small town would be gone forever. It would no longer be one of the best providers for cantaloupes, and many companies would have to shut down.”

Lions Park Basin began receiving surface water for the first time on April 14 thanks to a new intertie connection to Fresno Irrigation District (FID)’s Siskiyou Canal. Construction on the intertie was completed in December 2024 to improve the city’s groundwater recharge capabilities.

The City of Kerman is a groundwater-dependent city, so the intertie helps put water back into the ground to replenish the aquifer during wet years. 

“We are grateful for the partnership with FID to receive surface water. Kerman is committed to making an impact on groundwater sustainability now and for the future,” said City of Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco.

Fresno County Supervisor Brian Pacheco, who also serves on the North Kings Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) board of directors, said the project relieves pressure on the local aquifers that are threatened with overdraft as the community continues growing. 

“The Lions Park recharge project is a great example of bringing community agencies together for the greater good,” Supervisor Pacheco said. “This project is a way to add underground water storage to achieve more sustainable water tables for both agricultural and residential users in growing communities like Kerman.”

The basin has the capacity to recharge up to 260 acre-feet in a year when supplies are available. A meter was installed as part of the project, which will help track water diversions off the canal and recharged.

“It’s exciting to see sustainability in action here. This is what partnership is all about — working together toward groundwater sustainability,” said Bill Stretch, Fresno Irrigation District General Manager.

The City of Kerman and FID are both member agencies of North Kings GSA, an agency formed after the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) was passed in 2014. North Kings GSA exists to fulfill state requirements for sustainable groundwater levels by 2040, under local jurisdiction. The project is a picture of how effective partnerships can locally accomplish groundwater sustainability goals under SGMA.

“Every agency has a responsibility to mitigate the impacts of their own pumping so we achieve sustainability together. This partnership gets us all closer to the goal line,” said Kassy Chauhan, North Kings GSA Executive Officer. 

A water conditions report in early spring indicated that local surface water runoff conditions remain near average. FID began delivering water supplies to customers, including agricultural growers, April 1. 

Read more highlights about the project here, or watch the video to see the ribbon cutting recap.

Hear that buzz?

The long-awaited update of the landmark UC Davis-authored book, Queen Bee Rearing and Bee Breeding by Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. (1907-2003), “the father of bee genetics,”  and his former doctoral research mentee Robert E. Page Jr., now an internationally known bee geneticist, is about to be published.

Wicwas Press of Kalamazoo, Mich., published the landmark book in 1996 and now will publish the updated book, Honey Bee Genetics and Breeding, written by Page and dedicated to Professor Laidlaw.

“This book is long overdue,” said Page, whose career took him from doctoral student to professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology to provost of Arizona State University. “Although it isn’t actually a revision of Queen Rearing and Bee Breeding that I wrote with Harry Laidlaw 25 years ago, it does bring that book up-to-date with respect to genetics and breeding.  And there is still a lot of Harry in it.”

The Laidlaw-Page book was “for beekeepers who know little about genetics, and geneticists who know little about beekeeping.”

Page said he never expected Wicwas Press would still be selling the inaugural book nearly 30 years later.  “Harry used to remind me frequently that a revision was needed, we intended to do it, but he passed September 19, 2003, at the age of 96. I considered revising the book many times, but life got in the way, and I struggled with what more I could say about queen rearing.”

Reviewers hail the 182-page book as “probably the best reference for learning about bee breeding theory and practice and the history of honey bee genetics.” Page offers examples of both successful and unsuccessful bee breeding programs.

The chapters include “Principles of Inheritance,” “Mechanisms of Inheritance,” “Principles of Breeding,” “Disease Resistance,” “Defensive Behavior” and “Honey Production.”

“The fundamentals of queen rearing have been with us since G.M. Doolittle’s book Scientific Queen Rearing first published in 1889,” Page related. “Methods have evolved through a process of natural selection with different queen producers developing their own specific modifications that get passed on, shared, and adopted or rejected by others until we have the practices used by queen producers today. But still, they are not far from the fundamentals of Doolittle.”

Page noted, however, that “our understanding of the genetic basis of inheritance and the development of genetic tools for exploring the genetic architectures of honey bee traits has undergone a major transformation since 1996. The biggest leap in honey bee genetics came with the sequencing of the honey bee genome, published in 2006, an enormous international effort to assemble 240 million base pairs (building blocks of DNA) that contain about 10,000 genes.”  Gene Robinson of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagne, spearheaded that effort.

“Colony and individual traits are now routinely explored by genetic mapping, facilitating the identification of associated genes whose expression may be altered, thus enabling the investigation of their effects,” Page writes in his book. “We are on the cusp of the next great transformations: (1) the use of gene sequence information to reliably identify specific genes and enhance classical selection for economically important traits, and (2) the ability to transform genes, by editing them, into more favorable forms that may affect behavior and/or disease resistance.”

Since 1996, the main emphasis of bee breeding “has shifted from increasing honey production and reducing defensive behavior to controlling diseases,” Page wrote. “The increasing apicultural problems presented by varroa mites and their associated diseases puts pressure on bee breeders to find solutions through genetic stock improvement to reduce the use of chemical treatments in hives.”

“The purity of honey is paramount in the perception of the public,” Page shared. “We must do all we can to preserve that. The tremendous worldwide effort to breed varroa resistance mechanisms into commercial honey bees has had only limited success, so far. But much has been learned about honey bee genetics and breeding, varroa biology and potential mechanisms of resistance in honey bees. Hopefully, the new genetic tools being developed will be employed and lead to more success.”

Internationally recognized bee breeder and geneticist Susan Cobey, a mentee of Laidlaw, a former manager of the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility at UC Davis,  and a newly retired Washington State University scientist, praises the book as demystifying technical aspects and filling in the knowledge gaps.  “Honey bee breeding is a lifelong adventure and passion,” she writes in the foreword. “As a young, idealistic beekeeper venturing into developing a commercial stock, Dr. Harry Laidlaw told me, ‘You will never be bored by the challenge of selecting the ‘super’ bee. She doesn’t exist, the journey will be the reward.’ Four decades later, this has proven true.”

Cobey applied the Page-Laidlaw Closed Population Breeding Program (CPBP) theory to develop and maintain her New World Carniolan line. “The practicality and simplicity of the program gave it longevity. Many bee breeding programs have now converted to use this breeding scheme, including the USDA Hilo project.”

“The literature addressing bee genetics, breeding scheme methodologies and assays for selecting desirable traits are scattered in the scientific, research and beekeeping journals,” Cobey wrote. “It’s like a large puzzle with missing pieces. Finally, in this book, Rob Page covers these subjects clearly, comprehensively, supported by his research with a highly informative and fascinating presentation.”

Page, considered by his peers as “the most influential honey bee biologist of the past 30 years,” is known for his research on honey bee behavior and population genetics, particularly the evolution of complex social behavior. One of his most salient contributions to science was to construct the first genomic map of the honey bee, which sparked a variety of pioneering contributions not only to insect biology but to genetics at large.

Page pioneered the use of modern techniques to study the genetic basis of social behavior evolution in honey bees and other social insects. He was the first to employ molecular markers to study polyandry and patterns of sperm use in honey bees. He provided the first quantitative demonstration of low genetic relatedness in a highly eusocial species.

For 24 years, from 1989 to 2015, Page maintained a UC Davis honey bee-breeding program, managed by bee breeder-geneticist Kim Fondrk. Their contributions include discovering a link between social behavior and maternal traits in bees. Their work was featured in a cover story in the journal Nature. In all, Nature featured his work on four covers from work mostly done at UC Davis.

 Page is also the author of The Spirit of the Hive: The Mechanisms of Social Evolution (Harvard University Press, 2013) and the Art of the Bee: Shaping the Environment from Landscapes to Societies (Oxford University Press, 2020).  In 2023, he launched a publicly accessible  and free YouTube Channel, https://youtube.com/@artofthebee.

A native of Bakersfield, Page received his doctorate in entomology in 1980 from UC Davis, studying with major professor Norman Gary and Laidlaw, his doctoral research mentor. Page  advanced  to professor and chair of the Department of Entomology (now the Department of Entomology and Nematology), serving as the chair from 1999-2004. A second career emerged when Arizona State University (ASU) recruited him in 2004.

Today Page holds the titles of ASU University Provost Emeritus and Regents Professor Emeritus as well as UC Davis Distinguished Emeritus Professor and Emeritus Chair of the UC Davis Entomology Department.

UC Davis Professor Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. with graduate student and mentee Robert E. Page Jr., circa 1980

Robert E. Page

The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association (CCGGA) and Western Agricultural Processors Association (WAPA) in partnership with Cardinal Professional Products conducted a day long tour and training session on cotton gins and tree nut hullers and processors on air pollution permitting and issues. 24 engineers from all three regions (North, Central and South) of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District attended the training which included classroom training on fumigation practices and procedures, as well as cotton gin operation and how its air pollution control works. In addition, basic tree nut huller operation was introduced and demonstrated. The purpose of the training was to help permitting engineers know and understand the process of these operations to help expedite permitting times. The group toured Perfect PAC  LP, led by WAPA Board Member Jason Baldwin, Sierra Valley Almonds, led by WAPA Board Members Jim Sears, and Olam Cotton’s Silver Creek Gin, led by CCGGA Board Member Matt Toste. The training was led by the Association’s Director of Technical Services Christopher McGlothlin and President/CEO Roger A. Isom. Representing Cardinal Products was Doug Belle and Kevin Willet.

Courtesy of the CDFA 

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) announces two vacancies on the Feed Inspection Advisory Board Technical Advisory Subcommittee (TASC).

This subcommittee provides technical and scientific advice to the Feed Inspection Advisory Board and CDFA on animal food nutrition, safety and efficacy data review of new and unapproved feed ingredients, research project oversight and other issues that will affect the Commercial Feed Regulatory Program, Livestock Drug Program and Safe Animal Feed Education (SAFE) Program.

Applicants must demonstrate technical, applied and scientific expertise in the fields of toxicology, pathology, ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, as well as possess general knowledge of the California feed industry.

The term of office for subcommittee members is three years. Members receive no compensation but are entitled to payment of necessary travel expenses. Individuals interested in being considered for appointment should send a resume and a Feed TASC Prospective Member Appointment Questionnaire (http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/ffldrs/pdfs/FIAB-TASC_PMAQ.pdf) to SAFE@cdfa.ca.gov. The application deadline is October 21, 2024.