With 68% of California Almonds exported, the Technical and Regulatory Affairs team at Almond Board of California (ABC) work to ensure the doors to the world remain open.
And as demand for California Almonds has gone up over the years, so have the trade issues, particularly technical barriers, which must be addressed to keep product flowing smoothly into both domestic and overseas markets.
Trade issues are often complex, technical barriers, such as pesticide residues, certification requirements, and various standards. They often arise quickly and take much time to resolve.
But our staff, working on behalf of industry members, puts a lot of time and effort into minimizing these disruptions. The resolution of the European Union’s Special Measures, in which almonds arriving in European ports were subject to mandatory sampling and testing for aflatoxin because of higher rejections is a great example of the team’s work. And in 2015, they finally recognized California Almonds under a pre-export certification (PEC) program — where almonds are subject to less than 1% inspections on arrival in Europe.
To learn more about how ABC creatively solves market access issues and stays ahead of potential problems, I encourage you read a ‘behind the scenes’ article profiling Julie Adams, vice president, Global Technical and Regulatory Affairs, "Breaking Down Barriers to Move the Industry Forward".
Sincerely,
Martin Pohl
Chairman, Technical and Regulatory Affairs Commitee
