From educating almond growers about water management and efficiency to helping develop sustainable water resources, Almond Board of California (ABC) is engaged in a broad array of research initiatives focused on maximizing “crop per drop.”
That was the central message Almond Board staff delivered in a wide-ranging briefing for key staff of the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) in Sacramento.
“It was a great opportunity to talk to water board staff about the vast array of research ABC is conducting on many critical water resource issues,” explained Sustainability and Environmental Affairs Director Dr. Gabriele Ludwig. “Overall, they came away impressed by the financial commitment the almond community is making to researching these issues. They have a much better understanding of the complexity of growing almonds and how committed we are to finding answers based on the best available science.”
Conducting the briefing were Ludwig; Agricultural Affairs Director Bob Curtis; Irrigation and Water Efficiency Senior Manager Spencer Cooper and Environmental Affairs Senior Specialist Jesse Roseman.
Ludwig outlined how ABC’s Accelerated Innovation Management (AIM) research projects are designed to fulfill the vision of the almond orchard of the future while building on the fact that growers have used 33% less water per pound of almonds produced in the last 20 years.1
1 University of California, 2010. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2012. Almond Board of California, 1990-94, 2000-14.
