September is a busy month for almond growers, who are right in the middle of harvesting their crops. To celebrate the harvest, we’re highlighting some of the accomplishments in efficiency almond growers have made over the past few decades.
For the past 32 years, the Almond Board of California has been funding research into water efficiency and, as a result, almond growers today use 33 percent less water per pound of almonds produced than 20 years ago1.
Nearly 90 percent of almond farms are family-owned2 , many of them by third and fourth generation family farmers, who plan to pass down their land and their way of life to their children and grandchildren. Having lived – and often grown up – on the land themselves, they understand that managing their land and natural resources responsibly and sustainably3 is about more than just keeping their business afloat – it’s about keeping their traditions alive.
Knowing that, it makes sense that for more than three decades, the almond grower- and handler-directed Almond Board of California has invested in research on how to make the most of the state’s precious water resources. Check out the infographic below to learn more about what almond growers are doing to make the most of every drop:
Click here to download PDF.
1. UC Drought Management – Historical Almond ET, see and Goldhamer, David. 2012. Almond in Group Yield Response to Water. FAO irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 65, P. Steduto, T.C. Hsiao, E. Fereres, and D. Raes, eds. Food and Agricultural Organzation of the United Nations, Rome, Italy, pp. 246-296. - See more at: http://www.almonds.com/consumers/blog/water/almonds-and-water-numbers#sthash.WgP8gbqQ.dpuf
2. USDA 2007 Census of Agriculture - http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_US/usv1.pdf - See more at: http://www.almonds.com/consumers/blog/water/almonds-and-water-numbers#sthash.62P7p2ai.dpuf
3. 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, safe food product.
