This week at the 45th annual Almond Conference, Almond Board of California (ABC) released the first annual almond sustainability publication, entitled Growing Good. This new publication highlights almond farmers’ and processors’ commitment to sustainability1 and continuous improvement, while shining a spotlight on key Almond Board programming supporting those goals.
“Almond farmers’ growing practices and processors’ handling practices are rooted in science, and the almond community has been investing in research that pushes the envelope and partnerships that break boundaries,” said Almond Board Director of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs, Gabriele Ludwig. “This new sustainability publication highlights some of those efforts, as well as programs that support responsible, efficient almond production.”
Key highlights in the publication include:
- 50 percent of almond processors are utilizing solar energy at their facilities, according to a recent spatial analysis2
- 78 percent of almond farmers today use efficient micro-irrigation, up from 70 percent in 20143
- 94 percent of almond farms coordinate with their beekeepers about what pest control materials may need to be used during bloom and how the beekeepers will be notified in advance
- Considering the inherent properties of trees and use of coproducts, current almond farming practices are offsetting about 50 percent of orchard carbon emissions4
- 87 percent of almond farmers use demand-based irrigation scheduling rather than relying on a predetermined schedule5
Want to learn even more about the California Almond community’s heritage of sustainability? Visit AlmondSustainability.org.
