Almond Board of California “fueling farms of the future” with US$5.9m investment

11 Dec 2019 --- The Almond Board of California (ABC) is investing US$5.9 million in 85 independent research projects exploring next-generation farming practices as California almond farmers continue their long history of using research as the catalyst to evolve their methods. With this commitment, the California almond community has invested US$89 million in research since 1973 to build a foundation of knowledge on responsible farming practices, food quality and safety and almonds' impact on health.

The Almond Orchard 2025 Goals, launched in January, will leverage this research as farmers strive to meet measurable objectives to grow almonds in better, safer and healthier ways. The Almond Orchard 2025 Goals Roadmap, which was released yesterday, outlines the almond community's sustainability journey in four goal areas, as well as the metrics that the industry's progress will be measured against.  

“The California almond community takes a long-term view of success based on respect for the land and local communities. Earlier this year, the California almond community set four ambitious goals aligning with our vision to make life better by what we grow and how we grow,” says Holly King, Chair of ABC. “The Almond Orchard 2025 Goals build on decades of progress, fueled by research. Fulfilling these commitments will require hard work, dedication and resources, including funding independent research to test new technologies and sharing the results as these approaches are proven,” she adds.

Almonds are often referred to as a “Hero ingredient” and earlier this year were crowned the most popular nut in new product introductions across Europe for the fourth consecutive year. According to Innova Market Insights, there were over 4,500 new product introductions with almonds in Europe in 2018, representing 45 percent of all new product introductions with almonds globally. ABC says that this popularity is due to almonds’ versatility and ability to tap into trends including clean label and plant-based foods.

As well as being the top nut for European snacks, almonds are also popular in confectionery, which is the top category for almond introductions (27 percent). Bakery is the second most popular category for new almond product introductions (17 percent). Meanwhile, the cereal category has seen the strongest growth for almonds (8 percent).

Reducing water in almond production 
Of this year's projects, ten focus on water with an investment of US$678,000. Since 1982, California almond farmers have committed US$8.1 million to 221 different water research projects spanning irrigation efficiency, groundwater recharge and water quality. Together this investment has helped reduce the amount of water needed to grow each pound of almonds by 33 percent over the past 20 years.

By 2025, the California almond community commits to reducing the amount of water used to grow a pound of almonds by an additional 20 percent.

Progress towards this goal is being measured against almond farmers' annual irrigation water applied per unit of crop yield. While 77 percent of almond farms utilize efficient micro-irrigation, nearly double the 42 percent average for California farms, further improvements are underway. ABC is working with farmers to support their progress up the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum, a roadmap created by irrigation experts that outlines key irrigation management practices and how to achieve increasing levels of precision in each area.

Using everything the orchard grows is key to achieving zero waste
Almonds grow in a shell, protected by a hull, on a tree, and the California almond community ensures that each of these co-products is put to beneficial use. To date, ABC has funded 79 research projects totaling US$3.5 million exploring the best ways to utilize these materials, establishing traditional uses such as dairy feed, livestock bedding and electricity generation. 

Thirteen new studies have been funded this year with a commitment of US$607,000 to determine how almond co-products may address needs in other sectors, with promising leads in strengthening recycled plastics, creating biofuel and more. By 2025, the California almond community commits to achieving zero waste in orchards by putting everything grown to optimal use.

Given that almond co-products are widely utilized already, progress toward this goal focuses on reducing the industry's environmental footprint and adding value – economically and environmentally – via three key measures. These include significant increases in recycling trees into the soil when an orchard is removed, using the trees' woody biomass to build healthier soils and address climate change via increased carbon sequestration. Also, diversifying applications for hulls and shells beyond current uses in the California dairy industry and the effective elimination of open burning as a means to dispose of woody biomass.

In addition to water sustainability and co-product utilization, investing in research has also resulted in significant advancements in the areas of nutrient management, air quality and honey bee health. For example, farmers work closely with beekeepers and follow research-based best practices to ensure the safety of honey bees, essential to pollinating almonds.

“I often think of us as surfers,” adds King. “Surfers are strategic about where to catch a wave, and we've done that over the years with our research investments, catching the wave that will bring the greatest return. Today's investment will not only help farmers grow almonds more efficiently but also ensures we're solidly riding the wave to a more sustainable farm of the future.”

Edited by Gaynor Selby