Water a Major Focus at The 2018 Almond Conference

For almond growers in California, the topic of water and its future availability in this state remains top of mind throughout the growing season. Climate fluctuations, government regulations, community and consumer perceptions, combined with the usual challenges of farming, all factor into this topic, both in the almond industry and in the broader agricultural community.

That’s why there will be six sessions focused on water at The 2018 Almond Conference (TAC), held in Sacramento from Dec. 4–6. 

During the three-day event, university researchers, regulatory officials and equipment company representatives will join the Almond Board of California (ABC) to share insights and present new findings related to water efficiencies and the future of this resource in California. The session titled “Almond Orchard 2025: Efficient Water Use” will highlight these key areas and will be led by speaker Daniel M. Dooley of NewCurrent Water and Land, LLC. With more than 35 years of experience in agricultural, resources and water policy, and legal issues, Dooley will speak to growers about the ever-changing water supply in California and explain how the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), the Bay Delta Water Plan and other regulatory and public pressures will affect water available to growers — and how growers can prepare for those shifts.

This session will ultimately expand on an industry-wide objective to reduce the amount of water needed to grow a pound of almonds by an additional 20% by 2025, a goal that was established within the Almond Orchard 2025 Goals that the ABC Board of Directors adopted earlier this year. The 2025 Goals focus on almond production practices in a variety of areas, including harvest, environmentally friendly pest management and, of course, water use. Industry members interested in learning more about the Almond Orchard 2025 Goals are invited to attend sessions related to the goals and are strongly encouraged to attend the State of the Industry address, presented by ABC’s Board Chair, Holly King, and President and CEO, Richard Waycott.

The quest for improved water use efficiency is not a new concept, however; it builds on previous success. In the past two decades, the California almond industry has reduced the amount of water needed to grow a pound of almonds by 33%, [1] and in another session, TAC attendees will take a deep dive into water management and learn how they can continue to create efficiencies in the orchard. Luke Milliron, UCCE farm advisor for Butte, Glenn & Tehama counties, is one of the speakers for this session, titled, “More Crop Per Drop.” Luke earned his Masters in Horticulture and Agronomy from UC Davis in the height of the drought, so he understands growers’ concerns over water and seeks to work with growers to implement best practices in irrigation, overall orchard maintenance and more. He will join Ken Shackel of UC Davis and Daniele Zaccaria, an agricultural water management specialist with UCCE ANR, to co-present the session. 

“Our session will explore the many impacts on yield, including orchard light interception, pest and disease pressure, and water, especially,” said Milliron. “With new research and practices, we can contribute to improving water efficiency for almonds even more.” 

As you plan your Conference schedule, be sure to check out these additional water-centric sessions:

• “Managing Nutrients and Salt Under Current Water Quality Regulations”
  • Speakers: David Cory (Westside San Joaquin River Watershed), Patrick Brown (UC Davis)
  • Moderator: Jesse Roseman (ABC)
•  “Irrigation Technology Evolution: Down to Earth, Down to the Roots”
  • Speakers: Tom Rodgers (Rodgers Farms), Zac Ellis (Olam Farms), Forrest Melton (NASA AIMS), Andrew McElron (UC Davis)
  • Moderator: Spencer Cooper (ABC)
• “The Future of Irrigation Management”
  • Speaker: Simon Ruger (Yara Digital Farming)
• “Speed Talks: Irrigation Management”
  • Research Topics and Speakers:
    •  Water Status Using Inexpensive Thermographic Imagery — Brian Bailey, UC Davis
    • Sap Flow for Irrigation Scheduling — Thomas Buckley and Matthew Gilbert, UC Davis
    • Variable Rate Irrigation Practices — Khaled Bali, UC Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension, and Mae Culumber, UCCE Fresno
    • Site-Specific Irrigation Scheduling in Young and Mature Almonds – Isaya Kisekka, UC Davis
    • Water Management for a Dry Winter — Ken Shackel, UC Davis
    • Improving the Almond Water Footprint — Fraser Shilling, UC Davis
    • Moderator: Sebastian Saa (ABC)

Don’t miss the premier almond industry event of the year! Register today at AlmondConference.com/Register.aspx, and we’ll see you on Dec. 4 in Sacramento.