JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017 News, Views & Industry Insights Seminar Meet New Co-op Busy Year in Coverage Recap Board Members Washington AL4721-NurseryMagAd_4_FNL.pdf 1 8/15/16 4:34 PM AL4721-NurseryMagAd_4_FNL.pdf 1 8/15/16 4:34 PM CONTENTS JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017 P. 3 2 Features 6 President’s Corner 20 In-Field Irrigation 8 FIELD SUPERVISORS President and CEO Mark Jansen New Board Member Kent Stenderup 10 GROWER LIAISON highlights the upcoming year and participates in the Almond Board of 12 NEWS IN A NUTSHELL stresses the importance of the California’s new outreach program agricultural industry standing for increased water efficiency. 28 ADVOCACY REPORT together during challenging times. 30 THE BEE BOX 32 TIME TO CONSIDER 24 Tech Industry 38 Seminar Coverage 46 CLASSIFIED ADS Meets Almonds Learn more about the seminars Meet new Board Member John presented at Blue Diamond’s 2016 Monroe from District 2 who is a Annual Meeting that included pest Cover: management, Maximum Residue grower-owner and long-time member A rainstorm floods an almond orchard of Blue Diamond. Levels and the election outcome. during bloom. Photo by Mel Machado, Director, Member Relations. JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017 Almond Facts 3 Board of Directors Dan Cummings Chairman of the Board | Chico Dale Van Groningen Vice Chairman | Ripon Kent Stenderup | Arvin Charles Crivelli III | Turlock Kevin Fondse | Ripon John Monroe | Arbuckle George Goshgarian | Fresno Stephen Van Duyn | Modesto Robert Weimer | Atwater Don Yee | El Dorado Hills Joe Huston | Monterey Officers Mark Jansen, President and CEO Dean LaVallee, Chief Financial Officer Almond Facts Staff Alicia Rockwell, Corporate Communications Director Cassandra Montgomery, Managing Editor Mel Machado, Contributing Photographer Gray Allen, Advertising Sales 916.783.4334 & 916.765.3234 Creative • Print • Mail DOMEPRINTING.COM AlmondFacts.com BlueDiamond.com Blue Diamond, the world’s largest processor and marketer of almonds, exports to 90 countries. Almond Facts, established in 1922, is published bimonthly by Blue Diamond Growers, 1802 C Street, Sacramento, California 95811, phone: 916.442.0771. Address all correspondence to the Editor, Almond Facts, P.O. Box 1768, Sacramento, California 95812 Advertising subscription rates provided upon request. Blue Diamond is a registered trademark and marketing brand of Blue Diamond Growers. Other registered trademarks are The Almond People, Smokehouse, Golden State, Celebration, From the Valleys of California, Confetti and Almond Facts. Advertising carried in this magazine does not necessarily reflect the beliefs, opinions, or attitudes of Blue Diamond and does not imply product or service endorsement. Blue Diamond reserves the right to refuse advertising. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. © Blue Diamond Growers 2017. Keep the beauty of almond bloom longer. Extend bloom. Boost nut set. Extend your almond bloom with ReTain® Plant Growth Regulator for California. By reducing ethylene production, ReTain extends flower viability and increases nut set. Contact your PCA or visit valent.com/ReTainCA for more information. Products That Work, From People Who Care® | valent.com | 800-6-VALENT (682-5368) Always read and follow label instructions. Products That Work, From People Who Care is a registered trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corporation. ReTain is a registered trademark of Valent BioSciences Corporation. ©2016 Valent U.S.A. Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. AM71948.01 71948.02 ReTain CA Ad-AlmondFacts_7x10.indd 1 11/18/16 10:50 AM President’s Corner Mark Jansen President and CEO PRESIDENT’S CORNER for people who are looking to avoid lactose, reduce their Protecting Agriculture intake of animal products or soy, or watch their calorie and Supporting intake, for example. Most varieties of almond milk are fortified with calcium and vitamin D, and many provide Consumer Choice fewer calories than many other dairy or plant-based milks. As for those looking to watch their sugar intake, the Almond growers will not soon forget the unsweetened varieties, which are available nationwide, challenges of the historic drought and the negative have zero grams of sugar. publicity on the water use of our industry. We Blue Diamond has always supported consumer access to all responded by consistently sharing the facts, choices for their food table. We listen to what consumers like almonds represent 13 percent of California are saying and asking for in the marketplace. Each agricultural acreage and only 9 percent of the product carries its own set of benefits and, when the best irrigated water use. The almond industry resisted almonds make the best almond milk, consumers make the easy route of pointing the finger at our friends their choices based on quality and personal nutrition. in agriculture. Our rationale was that agriculture I believe it is possible to successfully compete in the has too few allies and divided we surely would marketplace, especially when you invest in innovation, fall to special interests that do not recognize the as Blue Diamond has proven with our range of products. challenges and importance of American farmers. You must do the hard work to understand your consumer, All segments of agriculture are under great pressure to develop great products and communicate your brand protect their value across the country. Unfortunately, dairy benefits in relevant and inspiring ways. processor advertising has turned toward disparaging and Blue Diamond will continue to incorporate innovation, misleading depictions of almond milk. The dairy industry collaboration, and understanding into the operations of should know that negative advertising really does nothing the co-op. We have outlined our key objectives for the to encourage consumption of your product. Protecting the year, all of which strengthen the unity of our grower- value of agriculture in America should be the focus, with owners and consumer access. You can expect us to grow us coming together and supporting one another – even our brands, delight our customers, build for success, and dairy cows benefit from almonds by eating the nutrient- win as a team. This is Blue Diamond’s Blueprint for Success. rich hulls as feed. Agricultural unity and development play a significant role in the overall health and survival of our We are excited to see the New Year shaping up to be country and we, as an industry, should be economically a strong one as the markets remain stable. At the close motivated with innovation and collaboration. of 2016, the global almond markets showed growth across multiple regions and reports showed the U.S. Congress also introduced legislation at the behest of the market continued to rebound. Crop pricing stabilized as dairy lobby to limit use of the word “milk” to that which California almond shipments have grown to consume the comes from cows. In a free market society, you cannot larger 2016 crop. The upcoming period of stability is a legislate consumers to use your product. At the end of good sign for our grower-owners. the day, it’s all about supporting consumer choice and respecting the preferences and health needs of individuals. On behalf of our team, I wish you a happy, healthy and Almond milk has proven to be a satisfying alternative successful 2017. The best is yet to come! 6 Almond Facts JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017 Mel Machado Mel Dennis Meinberg Michael Grindstaff Director, Member Relations Tehama, Glenn, and Butte Counties Central Fresno County between 209.531.6352 Cell 530.864.0619 Cell Highway 180 and Kamm Avenue 209.545.6222 Salida 530.674.4724 Home 559.470.9731 Cell [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] FIELD SUPERVISORS Jereme Fromm Jereme KC Stone Brian Noeller Brian Stanislaus County South of San Joaquin County West of Austin Rd; San Joaquin County East of Austin Rd, South Tuolumne River, East of Hwy 99; Stanislaus County North of the Tuolumne of Hwy 4, North of Stanislaus River; Stanislaus Merced County East of Highway 99, river, Stanislaus County West of the County South of Tuolumne River, West of Hwy North of Westside / Bellevue Road San Joaquin River, and North of Patterson 99 and East of San Joaquin River; Merced 209.417.2010 Cell 209.596.9520 Cell County, North of Merced River, West of Hwy 99 [email protected] [email protected] 209.596.5375 Cell [email protected] Ernie Reichmuth Mike Griffin Matt Willson Southern Tulare County, South of San Joaquin County West of San Joaquin Southern Madera County South of Lindsay Highway; Kern County River, South of Patterson; Merced County Avenue 18 -1/2; Northern Fresno South of Westside / Bellevue Road; County North of Highway 180 559.554.4118 Cell 559.897.0304 Home Madera County North of Avenue 18-1/2 559.779.6400 Cell [email protected] 559.474.2996 Cell 559.449.9751 Home 559.645.4708 Home [email protected] [email protected] Other Inquiries Justin Elam Salida Membership Department Merced County from the P 209.545.6225 • F 209.545.6215 Merced River to Hwy 140 Sacramento Membership Department 209.303.7306 Cell [email protected] P 916.446.8368 8 Almond Facts JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2017 Almond Genetics Best Clonal Rootstocks Order your Bennett-Hickman For Your New Plantings Almond Trees Today • Krymsk® 86* US PP16,272 1. Nonpareil Type • - Visually looks like Bennett-Hickman Brights Hybrid BH®5 US PP26,083 P3 a Nonpareil (cv. Arthur V) US PP18,782 P3 - Sweet and Nutty Taste! - Soft Shell • BB 106 (cv. Lilian) USPPAF 2. Bloom Compatible with Nonpareil • Hansen 3. Full Stature Tree Nonpareil 4. Clean Harvest • Nemaguard 5. Harvests 7-10 days after Nonpareil 6. Available for Planting! Available 2017 FRIDAY, MAY 5TH, 2017 | 9am – 2pm Budded Walnuts UCB-1 Pistachio Clones NEW NEW Things Just Got Easier New Clones For 2017 • Clonal Paradox • High Vigor • Budded • High Salt Tolerance • Containerized • 4 different clones available as group • Available Call to organize a field tour of our new plantings Call For Availability Available 2017 1-800-GRAFTED 1555 Baldwin Rd, Hughson, CA 95326 | www.duartenursery.com | [email protected] Legend District 1 District 4 Chairman C Kevin Borror Peter Martini Jr.