Launched at The Almond Conference last December and detailed in the previous California Almonds Outlook newsletter, new Accelerated Innovation Management (AIM) initiatives will address the needs of almond farming, harvesting and processing into the future. The four AIM initiatives focus on:
- Water Management and Efficiency. Implementing irrigation guidelines and tools to further increase water efficiency.
- Sustainable1 Water Resources. Accelerating the groundwater recharge potential of the Central Valley and investigating new sources of water.
- Air Quality. Investigating various ways to improve production and harvest impacts on Central Valley air quality.
- Twenty-second Century Agronomics. Developing new technologies and optimizing almond agronomics leading into the 22nd century through an exploratory mind-set.
While the Almond Board of California’s legacy of investment in its traditional production and environmental research programs will continue, the AIM initiatives focus on developing innovative and practical solutions to hot-button issues facing the industry. And while these solutions will address and resolve real-world problems, another key component is to bring consumers along on the journey.
“We’ve always said we are the stewards of the earth. We’re feeding the world,” said Joe MacIlvaine, chairman of the Almond Board’s Production Research Committee, as he summed up the current consumer environment recently. “We always have these good things we say about ourselves as farmers, and it’s shocking to find out that’s not how consumers see us at all. To some extent those are misconceptions, but to some extent they’re our own fault — not having done a good enough job of actually being transparent and showing what we’re doing.”
Consumers desire transparency regarding the way food is raised, grown and processed so they can decide for themselves if that food meets their needs. Increasingly, and particularly with millennials, a group that outnumbers baby boomers, those needs include knowing that the product is good for them, good for local communities and good for the planet.
Through the AIM initiatives described above, the California Almond community will share its progress with consumers, thus reducing fears and building trust. And while the industry faces several difficult issues, they provide opportunities to not only innovate on the farm, but also for dialogue with an increasingly interested and engaged public. In growing one of California’s largest and most valuable crops, the California Almond community has earned a leadership role and, with that, assumed a great responsibility. By taking this proactive stance and aligning intentions with actions, this community will continue to make almonds a Crop of Choice for California.
1. Sustainable almond farming utilizes production practices that are economically viable and are based upon scientific research, common sense and a respect for the environment, neighbors and employees. The result is a plentiful, nutritious and safe food product.
