Almond Board of California’s (ABC) development and implementation of the California Almond Sustainability Program (CASP) was highlighted at the third annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit in November.
At a session titled “Gaining Ground in Specialty Crop Sustainability Initiatives: Data-Driven Success Stories on Participating Engagement,” Spencer Cooper, ABC senior manager of irrigation and water efficiency, spoke about the program’s focus on education, research-backed best practices, and continuous improvement. He also shared success stories and key learnings from CASP.
In addition, Spencer put a spotlight on ABC’s development of the Almond Irrigation Improvement Continuum, a strategic educational resource for providing almond farmers with best practices related to irrigation at three proficiency levels (1.0, 2.0, and 3.0).
“The better a farmer understands the fundamentals, the better equipped they will be to improve,” said Spencer. “The 1.0 level of the Irrigation Improvement Continuum requires zero monetary investment. A farmer can reach this level by utilizing free tools and services.”
The Sustainable Agriculture Summit, held in Kansas City, MO, brought together almost 600 stakeholders from more than 240 organizations and companies in the food supply chain. Panel discussions and presentations focused on sustainability-related issues, technologies, opportunities, and progress in today’s food system.
Spencer’s role as a featured presenter underscores the leadership of California Almond farmers in advancing efficiency, conservation, and stewardship on the farm. Through opportunities like this event, ABC remains committed to participating in the global sustainability conversation, sharing success stories, and understanding emerging trends with consumers, in the marketplace, and across the supply chain.
Learn more about the key ABC programming available to almond farmers and processors who support the community’s commitment to sustainability1 and continuous improvement in the first annual almond sustainability publication, Growing Good.
