While almond growers and processors prepare for the busiest time of the year, the Central Valley community will soon be reminded of what comes with harvest — dust. Dust impacts everyone in the Valley, from almond growers to orchard workers to neighbors. While dust is a normal byproduct of almond harvest, it’s an unwelcome visitor to those who live, work and play around our orchards.
Ripon area almond grower Matt Visser reviews the Almond Board’s Dust Tool Kit during the 2015 harvest with harvest equipment operator Armando Castillo. The Tool Kit complements a Managing Dust at Harvest technical guide in both English and Spanish.
Research on Dust Reduction
The good news for everyone in the Central Valley is that nine years of research by Almond Board of California (ABC) and decades of research by manufacturers has resulted in equipment improvements and has uncovered ways that growers can reduce the amount of dust produced at harvest time. They include the following:
- Using newer equipment that is specifically designed to reduce dust is the most effective way to minimize dust levels during harvest.
- If working with custom harvesters, consider asking your harvester to use low-dust equipment, and prior to harvest always discuss your expectations for practices to reduce dust in the orchard.
- Review and implement practices outlined by new ABC harvest dust resources like the Harvest Dust Tool Kit and technical guides, ensuring that all those involved in harvest are made aware of expectations.
Almond growers and their practices play an important role in maintaining air quality in the Central Valley. That role comes with a responsibility to make sure neighbors know what to expect during almond harvest.
Communication Before Harvest
Before harvest begins, consider reaching out to neighbors with a phone call or written note to let them know what to expect during harvest. This includes nearby schools, churches, businesses or any place where people gather. Setting realistic expectations with these neighbors ahead of harvest establishes industry members as a respectful and trustworthy part of the local community. Establishing those lines of open communication will also give neighbors the option of contacting growers directly with concerns instead of relying on local government officials or regulators.
As continual improvements are made in this area, we can all breathe easier at harvest.
To learn more about ways to reduce dust during harvest, visit Almonds.com/HarvestDust.
