Turlock Named Plant of the Year

MARCH | APRIL 2014
News, Views & Industry Insights
Preview of
Water Proposals
Farm Bill Becomes
Law After Long Stall
Turlock
Named Plant
of the Year
CONTENTS
March | April 2014
P. 18
Features
12 Turlock Plant
14 Young Leaders
Blue Diamond’s newest facility was named
Food Engineering Magazine’s 2014
Plant of the Year.
The 2014 Class of Young Leaders
explored pressing ag-related issues
during their visit to Sacramento.
18 Farm Bill
34 Water Preview
Passage of the 2014 Farm Bill provides
security for the nation's agricultural
producers.
Mike Wade of the California Farm
Water Coalition previews the water
proposals headed for a November ballot.
08
10
20
42
44
46
FIELD SUPERVISORS
GROWER LIAISON
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
THE BEE BOX
TIME TO CONSIDER
CLASSIFIED ADS
Cover Photo:
Controlled gates on the Delta-Mendota Canal near Westley.
Photo By Mel Machado, Assistant Director of Member Relations.
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 3
Worried
about bees?
Board of Directors
Clinton Shick
Chairman of the Board | McFarland
Dale Van Groningen
Vice Chairman | Ripon
Independence®
self-fertile Almond
Discuss the advantages with your
DWN sales rep today!
Arbuckle
Third Leaf
1,200 lbs/acre
Fourth Leaf
1,700 lbs/acre
Ripon
Third Leaf
680 lbs/acre
Fourth Leaf
2,100 lbs/acre
Turlock
Third Leaf
625 lbs/acre
Fourth Leaf
1,605 lbs/acre
Farmington
Third Leaf
630 lbs/acre
Fourth leaf
1,300 lbs/acre
Vernalis
Fourth Leaf
2,050 lbs/acre
Fifth Leaf
2,100 lbs/acre
Modesto
Fourth Leaf
2,030 lbs/acre
Seventh Leaf
2,500 lbs/acre
Westley
Fourth Leaf
2,000 lbs/acre
Fifth Leaf
2,100 lbs/acre
Hughson
Third Leaf
1,390 lbs/acre
Fourth Leaf
2,820 lbs/acre
Celebrating
75 Years of
Superior Fruit
Selections
1938 - 2013
800-654-5854
www.davewilson.com
4 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Dan Cummings | Chico
Charles Crivelli III | Turlock
Kevin Fondse | Ripon
Elaine Rominger | Arbuckle
George Goshgarian | Fresno
Stephen Van Duyn | Modesto
Robert Weimer | Atwater
Don Yee | El Dorado Hills
Officers
Mark Jansen, President and CEO
Dean LaVallee, Chief Financial Officer
Almond Facts Staff
Susan Brauner, Public Affairs Director
Cassandra Keyse, Managing Editor
Mel Machado, Contributing Photographer
Gray Allen, Advertising Sales
916.783.4334 & 916.765.3234
Creative • Print • Mail
DOMEPRINTING.COM
AlmondFacts.com
BlueDiamond.com
Blue Diamond, the world’s largest processor and marketer of almonds, exports to 90
countries. The cooperative marketing corporation also markets hazelnuts.
Almond Facts, established in 1922, is published bimonthly by Blue Diamond Growers,
1802 C Street, Sacramento, California 95811, phone: 916.442.0771. Address all
correspondence to the Editor, Almond Facts, P.O. Box 1768, Sacramento, California
95812 Advertising subscription rates provided upon request.
Blue Diamond is a registered trademark and marketing brand of Blue Diamond Growers.
Other registered trademarks are The Almond People, Smokehouse, Golden State, Celebration,
From the Valleys of California, Confetti and Almond Facts.
Advertising carried in this magazine does not necessarily reflect the beliefs, opinions,
or attitudes of Blue Diamond and does not imply product or service endorsement. Blue
Diamond reserves the right to refuse advertising. All rights reserved. Reproduction in
whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. © Blue Diamond Growers 2014.
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CR0114MOVENTA080V00R0
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
President’s Corner
Mark Jansen
President and CEO
We are Part of Something Bigger
and Better Than We Could Ever
Accomplish on Our Own
In my small Iowa hometown, the high school wrestling program was legendary. The team won numerous state
championships and many athletes become collegiate All-Americans. Even though wrestling appears to be the ultimate
individual sport, the concept of team was of utmost importance. The state championship photos were proudly displayed
without mention of whether someone competed on the Varsity, JV or practice squad. Regardless of your natural abilities,
you had a chance to be immortalized if you stayed with the program the entire season. This was no small feat as the
practices were grueling; most wrestlers were cutting weight and often got pummeled in practice, as they were needed
to provide competition to Varsity wrestlers with greater abilities. The concept of loyalty to the team was so strong that
few wrestlers quit the team, even upperclassmen who lost their varsity position in wrestle-offs stayed with the team. The
devotion to team, idea of creating a legacy and the notion that they were part of something bigger than could be achieved
as an individual fueled the success of the program.
At Blue Diamond, we are building a championship team of employees, grower-owners and supporting stakeholders. Our
1,300 employees and 3,000 growers are relying on each other for their livelihoods. Our winning strategy is growing our
value-added businesses. Growth is good as it creates opportunities for employees and it is the only way to achieve lasting
growth in profitability for owners. Every year at Blue Diamond, we are growing by 20 percent.
The complexity of our business is rapidly increasing and we are stretching our resources farther. We are moving quickly
and we will make some mistakes. There are moments when we ask ourselves, “Why would we want to bring all this
change?” Life would be easier and in the short term more predictable, if we changed less. This response is normal.
Research supports that most people prefer short-term stability to long-term value creation.
Playing it conservative or safe with
our talents seldom equals security.
In business, companies who become
complacent or content slowly become
extinct. The dangers of playing it safe
develop slowly over time. This fact often
makes it more dangerous than the highprofile missteps we see and hear about in
the news. You only become aware of the
creeping complacency when you realize
that you’re stuck and you’re not really
sure how it happened. Once you stop
growing it is hard to get started again.
Once you stop growing, the answer is
usually cost cutting, even less growth and
a slow death spiral for the business.
6 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
BLUE DIAMOND ALMONDS
IS THE OFFICIAL SNACK
NUT OF THE U.S. SKI TEAM
& U.S. SNOWBOARDING
Perhaps you agree? It is those companies
that boldly reinvent themselves who
endure and, in the long run, thrive.
From my perspective it is much better
to push hard for change, knowing that
sometimes we will need to retool our
approach and try again. We will get
enough wins that we more than make
up for the occasional misstep.
We are experiencing unique times in
the almond industry with larger crops
and higher prices. This violates the
usual agricultural economics for all
crops. Highest prices typically occur in
the midst of crop disasters and lower
prices follow bumper crops. As a result
of proactive almond industry research
we are benefiting from tremendous
health and wellness PR. In numerous
studies, almond consumption is linked to
heart health, weight management and
life expectancy. The entire industry has
benefited from the new demand created
by Blue Diamond. We are teaching people
around the world to enjoy almonds
in new ways. A few of Blue Diamond’s
category innovations are flavored snack
almonds, almond milk and gluten free
almond crackers. We just completed a
very successful snack almond Olympic
advertising campaign in the U.S. and
we are advertising Almond Breeze on
three continents. We are proud of our
marketing accomplishments and are
enjoying the rewards of higher prices
and very competitive returns.
Whether in the best of times or the
worst of times, as a Blue Diamond grower
or employee you are part of something
bigger and better than we could ever
accomplish on our own. We are building
a proud industry legacy of leadership.
We also need to remember the
importance of our commitment to fellow
employees and grower owners. Those
champion wrestling team photos were
taken at the start of the season, not at
the end. The expectation was that each
wrestler would stay with the team. In
these times of record high almond prices
there are opportunities for employees and
growers outside the co-op. The majority
of us are amazed if ever someone leaves
Blue Diamond, as we are a champion team
with many matches ahead.
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 7
Bob Ketcher
Mel Machado
Dave Baker
209.545.6222 Salida
209.541.9148 Cell
Field Receiving Manager, Westside
Stanislaus and Merced Counties
209.761.2289 Cell
209.545.6218 Salida
209.742.2089 Home
Mike Griffin
Ryan Christy
Dennis Meinberg
209.531.6352 Cell
209.545.6221 Salida
Tehama, Butte and
Eastern Glenn
Northern Fresno and
Southern Madera Counties
530.518.9109 Cell
530.458.2669 Home
530.864.0619 Cell
530.674.4724 Home
559.779.6400 Cell
559.449.9751 Home
Rob Kiss
Matt Willson
Ernie Reichmuth
Western Glenn, Colusa, Yolo,
Solano, Yuba and Sutter Counties
Kern and Southern
Tulare Counties
559.474.2996 Cell
559.645.4708 Home
559.554.4118 Cell
559.897.0304 Home
KC Stone
Fresno, Kings and
Northern Tulare Counties
559.269.6809 Cell
559.561.4508 Home
Stanislaus County South of Tuolomne
River, West of Hwy 99 and East of
San Joaquin River, Merced County,
North of Merced River
209.596.5375 Cell
209.545.6225 Salida
Other Inquiries
Salida Membership Department | P 209.545.6225 F 209.545.6215
Sacramento Membership Department | P 916.446.8368
8 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Stanislaus County East of Hwy 99
209.531.4112 Cell
209.668.7708 Home
209.545.5225 Salida
Jereme Fromm
Northern Madera and
Southern Merced Counties
Steve Rothenberg
FIELD SUPERVISORS
Assistant Director, Member
Relations, San Joaquin County
East of Jack Tone Rd
Director, Member Relations
San Joaquin County West of
Jack Tone Rd Stanislaus County,
North of the Tuolomne River
209.596.9520 Cell
209.545.6225 Salida
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]
[
2014 Certis USA
©
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2014 GROWER LIAISON
District 1
District 4
Legend
Eric Behring
(530) 342-8313
Dustin Wagner
(209) 651-5192
Bruce
McClintock
(530) 895-8771
Phil Mohler
(209) 985-8617
VC
Chairman
C
Greg Overton
(530) 865-2520
VC
Matt Visser
(209) 765-9297
C
Vice-Chairman
VC
Hank Wallace
(530) 342-8770
!
!
Ex-Officio
*
Director
**
Appointed
(Member-at-large)
!
Almond Board
Alternate
ABA
P. Samantha
Lewis
(530) 891-1660
Doug Bentz
(530) 891-0878
Darren Rice
(530) 891-5252
C
Greg Watts
(530) 934-7660
!
Kevin Borror
(530) 385-1250
Fred
Montgomery
(530) 520-2062
Matt Vernoga
(53) 624-4153
Larry Bradley
(530) 893-5347
Dan Cummings
(530) 894-5494
W. Howard
Isom
(530) 891-0375
Will Drost
(209) 838-3263
Joseph Due
(209) 982-1972
Dan Lagier
(209) 838-1192
Richard Johns
(209) 838-8280
Joey Adrian
(209) 685-6895
Jake Sonke
(209) 573-3738
David Costa
(209) 599-4393
Herman
Doornenbal
(209) 614-0872
!
Donovan Adrian
(209) 679-3345
!
**
ABA
Kevin Fondse
(209) 599-2751
**
*
Kenneth Roos
(209) 599-3037
*
1
2
!
3
45
6
7
8
9
District 5
District 2
Matt Cotter
(916) 919-1307
Jim Manhart
(530) 682-5957
Joe Martinez
(530) 795-1928
Ryan Romness
(530) 790-6716
Leo LaGrande
(530) 681-6380
Halbert W.
Charter
(530) 867-4003
C
!
VC
Merlyn Garber
(209) 522-3851
Gordon
Heinrich
(209) 524-8989
Ron Harding
(209) 522-4159
Sid Miller
(209) 238-9946
Mike Verdegaal
(209) 886-5056
Brum DeVisser
(209) 541-4737
Pete Van Nes
(209) 604-5187
C
Joe Martins
(209) 595-1900
!
VC
2014
Kyle Green
(530) 681-5319
David Swartz
(530) 682-9832
John W.
Monroe
(650) 327-3214
Harry H.
Johns III
(209) 499-8513
Jim Peart
(530) 713-9047
Dennis Bowers
(209) 531-8455
Ralf Sauter
(209) 394-0001
Bill Weller
(530) 624-6053
Jake Verberg
(209) 595-3038
Joseph S. Enos
(209) 394-7830
Mary Ann
Warmerdam
(530) 668-8983
Jerad Heinrich
(209) 599-3124
!
Leo Lamb
(209) 383-5225
(209) 599-4094
**
Elaine
Rominger
(530) 476-2103
Stephen
Van Duyn
Pete Bandoni
(209) 722-0123
Neil Van Duyn
(209) 545-1055
(209) 634-7157
Gerald
Rominger
(530) 476-2103
Andrew
Littlejohn
Douglas Hoyt
(209) 358-8882
Douglas D.
Mathews
(530) 476-2576
!
!
**
*
*
District 3
Paul Voortman
(209) 838-7064
C
Kathy Thomsen
(209) 914-2580
!
Joe Rishwain
(209) 477-5841
Joe Molina
(209) 479-1359
Rita E. Low
(209) 823-8762
Stephen
Schmeidt
(209) 825-5430
Lloyd Van
Dyken
(209) 239-6031
Nick Alta
(209) 480-6221
Bill Koster
(209) 836-4690
Allen Sipma
(209) 499-5366
Bruce
Oosterkamp
(209) 505-6234
VC
Craig Miller
(209) 914-4601
!
Bert Van Ryn
(209) 482-1295
!
Dale Van
Groningen
(209) 599-3713
John Thoming
(209) 835-2792
10 Almond Facts
*
**
District 6
District 8
C
!
George
Goshgarian (Jr.)
(559) 281-4392
Duane Cunha
(559) 259-5905
Norman Pretzer
(559) 485-9496
Dennis De
Freitas
(559) 864-3456
David Tolmosoff
(559) 250-7005
(559) 269-6001
VC
!
Greg Vierra
(209) 632-3670
VC
Riley Chaney
Scott Abraham
(209) 605-2671
!
John Chandler
(559) 289-1152
C
Dan Clendenin
(209) 777-3292
Ken Basila
(559) 908-7632
!
Rich Gemperle
(209) 604-8660
Lisa Giannini
(209) 535-4121
Don Harcksen
(209) 620-1955
G. Peter Fry
(559) 665-1980
Randy Bergman
(209) 883-0642
Michael Ohki
(209) 485-1844
R.J. Maan
(559) 871-6048
Gerry Costa
(209) 484-4506
!
!
Kyle Rodrigues
(559) 970-4906
(209) 531-8873
VC
Dr. S.S.
"Toki" Takhar
(209) 765-4050
Greg Nunes
(209) 394-2005
**
!
(209) 606-3094
Robert J.
Weimer
(559) 269-9829
Gary Crowell
Richard
Markarian
Jeff Cederlind
(209) 606-8586
(209) 632-4013
*
George
Goshgarian
(559) 246-4918
**
Jeff Abraham
(209) 883-0233
David L.
Zollinger
Aldo Sansoni
(209) 826-4665
*
Jeff Lee
(209) 541-7763
Aaron Piazza
(209) 678-0787
Darrell Cordova
(209) 874-4042
Ron Vilas
(209) 602-8537
!
Brian Ramos
(Re. Elwood
Swanson)
(209) 634-6917
*
Vince Balakian
(559) 284-9192
!
Dominic Fino
(559) 591-3711
Charles
Crivelli III
(209) 667-4547
Steve Vilas
(209) 668-4466
*
Bill Brush
(209) 537-8857
ABA
ABA
MARCH | APRIL 2014
C
District 7
!
**
District 9
Jeff Noble
(559) 359-3844
Don Davis
(661) 792-3423
John Allen
(661) 834-8439
Ernie Spencer
(559) 433-9501
Sean Shick
(805) 234-4608
!
Ben Wilson
(661) 746-4423
Raymond
Van Beek
(559) 791-1126
C
Diana Clark
(661) 792-2171
!
Jason Dhillon
(559) 783-3317
Clinton Shick
(661) 792-2660
**
Robert Larson
(949) 291-5868
Kent Stenderup
(661) 854-6337
ABA
VC
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BLUE DIAMOND TURLOCK
NAMED FOOD ENGINEERING’S
2014 PLANT OF THE YEAR
After a banner opening year for the cooperative’s newest plant, Food Engineering Magazine named Blue
Diamond Turlock Plant of the Year for 2014! The honor annually recognizes the most innovative new food or
beverage plant built in North America. Blue Diamond joins a prestigious list of past winners including major
food companies like Chobani, Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Pepperidge Farm and Nabisco.
“It was exciting news to learn about
being honored by the Food Engineering
team,” says General Manager of Plant
Operations, Bruce Lish. “They did an
outstanding job of highlighting our lean
philosophy applied to an integrated
approach to planning, design, scheduling
and construction which delivered
millions of dollars in savings for our
grower-owners.”
The honor comes with prime real
estate positioning on the cover of Food
Engineering’s April magazine issue.
It also garners recognition at Food
Engineering’s Food Automation and
Manufacturing Conference and Expo.
This annual conference is THE trade
show for food and beverage processors
and suppliers where recognition afforded
to Blue Diamond adds to the cooperative’s
status as a world-class food company.
12 Almond Facts
Turlock Plant Manager, Ulli Thiersch
toured the team as they traced state of
the art technology of manufactured
almonds from receiving through
packaging and out to the shipping dock.
“We are pleased that the magazine calls
out a couple of very important industry
firsts: a complete separation of raw
materials from finished goods which
greatly diminishes the potential of cross
contamination and our ability to quickly
switch products and packaging to
enhance our manufacturing flexbility,”
emphasizes Thiersch.
The 11-page cover story follows
the decision-making process from
conception, documenting the
cooperative’s need for more processing
capacity, and the teamwork between
the Whiting-Turner Contracting
and architect group and the process
MARCH | APRIL 2014
designers, operations experts, supply
chain and quality control managers.
The story details the principles that
defined the planning process and
plant design. Control panels are
strategically positioned for instant
feedback to make immediate
adjustments to utilities, process
equipment and packaging systems
— all resulting in a lean, efficient 21st
century processing model to better
serve Blue Diamond’s global customers.
To read the article visit:
www.foodengineeringmag.com.
*
EXTINGUISH ANTS IN YOUR ORCHARD
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control difficult and inconvenient because it can be used everywhere ants colonize.
®
Extinguish Professional Fire Ant Bait features:
®
• Controls Southern (California) fire ants,
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• Approved for ALL CROPS
• A usage rate of 1 – 1.5 lbs per acre
• Available in economical 25 lb bags
To learn more about Extinguish Professional Fire Ant Bait
and to find a list of regional sales representatives near you
visit extinguishfireants.com or call 800.347.8272.
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Always read and follow label directions. Extinguish is a registered trademark of Wellmark International. © 2013 Wellmark International. Spyker is a registered trademark of Brinly-Hardy Company.
YOUNG LEADERS EXPLORE
WATER COMPLEXITIES DURING
SACRAMENTO SESSION
Blue Diamond's 2014 Class of Young Leaders had much to contemplate as they listened to water experts
from agricultural groups, state legislators and Blue Diamond experts in the first of their three-part, yearlong
Young Leader experience. The session, led by Agricultural Council of California’s president Emily Rooney
and government affairs director Tricia Geringer, covered the basics of how bills become laws in the State
Capitol and dove much deeper into the pressing issues, most notably water and the drought.
The January Young Leader session took place on the same day that Governor Jerry Brown formally declared California to be
in a drought, after 2013 proved the driest year in the state since records began in 1849. Initially reported to be just 12 percent
of normal, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is reported to be up to 29 percent of normal after an early February storm brought
snow and rain to Northern California, but the storm did little in the long-term to ease the drought pressure. For Young
Leaders, the timing of the declaration opened up a flurry of questions about the potential impact of the drought declaration
and the projected outlook for California’s growers in the year to come.
Legislators Breakdown Key Issues for Agriculture
Groups of Young Leaders were asked to formulate questions, about water or other
topics of interest, to pose to two state legislators – Lassen County Republican
Representative Brian Dahle and Fresno Democratic Representative Henry Perea.
Young Leaders Peter and Jodi Martini (Escalon), Becky Mohler (Ripon) and Josh
Azevedo (Ripon) prepared several water-related questions for the legislators: ‘How
does the drought declaration affect farmers?’; ‘Is there funding available for the
government to help conserve water and improve irrigation practices?’; and ‘Is
there a way to tap into other states’ water supply where rain is abundant?’
While the legislators weren’t able to take every question from the participants,
they did speak to issues they are passionate about, from water, to improving the
agricultural regulatory environment to general cooperation between different
governing bodies. Representative Dahle, himself a third generation farmer in the
north state, explained how important it is for agriculture to get involved in politics,
to “educate and support officials in office and those running for office to make sure
they stay informed about the issues. They don’t understand what we do as farmers
and growers. They need to know that our products feed the world and that we’re
doing a better job than anyone to take care of the environment,” he said.
Rep. Brian Dahle (R-Bieber)
14 Almond Facts
Participant Stephen Vander Veen (Ripon) asked Rep. Dahle whether the climate
in the Capitol offers any hope for agriculture going forward? “There is some
hope,” Dahle assured him. “I would like to be the go-to guy in the Legislature
when it comes to agriculture. I hope my colleagues will come to me and ask for
help when it comes to ag-related bills. Open primaries and longer terms of office
(12 years) in California have made us talk to the other teams, which brings us to
where the majority of the people are. We’re going to see more people working
together making policy which will keep you in business and help our economy.”
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Representative Perea presented a differing set of ideas, but remained cognizant
that as a lawmaker from Fresno, agriculture-related topics remain close to his
constituents and to the audience of growers before him. “Every day without a
drought declaration is a day California goes without resources,” he explained,
touching on what the official declaration brings to the state. “The real benefit
from the declaration is that regulators have a range of options for implementing
regulations that are normally strict and rigid. In a drought emergency, water
agencies have the political cover and authority to operate in looser ways.
Unfortunately, because of the lack of rain and snowpack, the reservoirs are so low
that there isn’t much water to move even in a drought emergency situation.”
Young Leader Daniel Bays (Patterson) asked Rep. Perea for ways to ease the
bureaucracy in the state that make it difficult for growers to comply with
seemingly contradictory regulations. “This is an issue that I hear from every
group I meet with,” Perea said. “The challenge from a legislative perspective is
that whenever we write our bills, we struggle with two things: how prescriptive we
want to be in the bill and how broad do we want to be so agencies have flexibility
in carrying out regulations? There is really only one answer from a legislative
perspective and that is oversight. Our job as legislators is not only to discuss policy
but to hold departments accountable through oversight hearings.”
Rep. Henry Perea (D-Fresno)
Former Young Leader Offers Experience, Insight
Gary Soiseth is a graduate of the 2009 Young Leader class. He is a thirdgeneration Blue Diamond grower from Turlock and recently returned from
Afghanistan, where he served as a Director of Economic Growth for the U.S.
Department of the Army. Soiseth has penned several in-depth stories for Almond
Facts describing his experiences working with Afghan farmers, teaching them tips
to improve their yield and helping them find markets for any less than perfect
fruit to maximize their profits. In his presentation as keynote speaker at the Young
Leader Welcome Dinner, Soiseth continued this conversation, approaching
the subject as a reflection on his time embedded with American troops, on the
knowledge he hoped he was able to share with the farmers, and also on what he
learned from the experience and how it has shaped his perspective going forward.
“Working as an economic agriculture advisor in a warzone offers myriad
challenges,” he said. “I am not a technical horticulturist, veterinarian or botanist
but I get issues that come to me that are everything from a common moth
infestation in apples, to almond pathogen diagnostics, to foot and mouth disease
outbreaks. You kind of have to catch it all. I am also not a career bureaucrat yet
I’m tasked with training Afghan government officials with being better responders
to their own constituents and be better government officials themselves.”
Former Young Leader Gary Soiseth
explains his role as an agricultural
advisor with the U.S. Army during his
time in Afghanistan.
Soiseth shared the cooperative business model with the Afghan farmers, using Blue Diamond as a key example of how far
a successful cooperative can take an agricultural product. “As a member of Blue Diamond, I know first-hand the value of a
cooperative. So I established a farmer’s association in the district of Wardak to sell their apples,” he explained. “While it started as
a hard sell thanks to the former Soviet model that taught the farmers to fear anything that mirrored collective cooperation, today
the cooperative assists these farmers in post-harvest handling, processing, packaging, marketing and methods of export. It now
has more than 800 farmer members.”
After his first tour ended two years ago, Soiseth came home with the intention of staying in Turlock, farming and working with
his Blue Diamond field supervisor, Rob Kiss to get back to business. But when he was asked to return by a general he greatly
respected, he went back to Afghanistan to continue to help shape the economic future of that country.
“It was the fearlessness of the Afghan farmers that I had left behind, the dedication of my American civilian colleagues, and the
determination of my NATO-American military counterparts that made me want to go back,” he said. “It’s more than a job. It gives
me such great pride to have the opportunity to serve not only my country, but also the Afghan children I met. There’s a unique
chance to shape the economic future of their country and to improve the lives of some of the poorest people in the world, and to
play a large role in the U.S. Army’s effort to reconstruct, stabilize, and eventually, hopefully, withdraw correctly from Afghanistan.”
continued on next page »
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 15
Exploring Blue Diamond
Headquarters
A trip to Sacramento for the Young Leaders wouldn’t be
complete without a tour of the cooperative’s headquarters.
President and CEO Mark Jansen welcomed the Young
Leaders to Blue Diamond’s sprawling Sacramento headquarters.
To put into perspective Blue Diamond’s role in processing and
marketing their almonds, Jansen presented his observations
on the trajectory of the almond industry. He noted growth in
industry shipments and the growth in world markets such as
the Middle East and Europe.
When participant Stuart Dutter (Modesto) asked how his
experience as the President of Schwan’s Food Service helped
or guided his decisions at Blue Diamond, Jansen replied, “The
key thing I learned at Schwan’s was how to turn around
a business that was underperforming in its potential. At
Blue Diamond, we don’t need a turn around, but there’s an
opportunity to make Blue Diamond even better. An opportunity
to prosper, not just grow.”
Led by Bruce Lish, General Manager of Plant Operations,
and Doug Reid, Sacramento Manufacturing Director, the
Young Leaders learned how behind-the-scenes their almonds
are received from the field and turned into packaged products
on grocery store shelves. The Young Leaders especially liked
visiting the Almond Innovation Center to learn how new
products are conceived and the process each new item must
undergo before winning universal approval.
Discussions with marketing directors offered insight into
advertising and sales decisions. General Manager of
North American Retail, John O’Shaughnessy, introduced
participants to the newest television commercials for Snack
Almonds and Almond Breeze. He explained the key differences
between the campaigns and highlighted the tie-in with the
cooperative’s sponsorship of the U.S. Ski Team and U.S.
Snowboarding in the lead up to the Winter Olympics.
President and CEO Mark Jansen fields marketing
questions from Young Leaders.
Young Leaders tour Sacramento plant operations.
Global Ingredients Marketing Director, Jeff Smith, showed
participants the wide variety of products that Blue Diamond
almond ingredients are used in – from big-name chocolate
bars, to granola bars and even Greek yogurt. He explained
the significance of value-added almond ingredients to
Blue Diamond growers’ bottom line versus selling brown,
commodity almonds.
Participants sample a variety of Blue Diamond
products at the Almond Innovation Center.
Bob Carroll, Business Director for International Retail,
presented the cooperative’s branded product strategy outside
of North America. He highlighted Blue Diamond’s television
advertising in the United Kingdom, Australia and the newest commercial airing in Japan. While still a small percentage
of the cooperative’s almonds go to international retail products, the division is making significant headway and laying the
groundwork for future growth in Europe and Asia.
The Young Leaders will meet for their second session in June 19-20 in Salida. If you or anyone you know would be interested
in participating in Blue Diamond’s 2015 Class of Young Leaders, please contact your field supervisor or the Salida membership
office at (209) 545-6225.
16 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
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Farm Bill Passes, Provides Stability for
Nation’s Agricultural Producers
After more than two years of waiting, the Agricultural Act of 2014, also known as the Farm Bill, garnered
bipartisan Congressional approval and was signed by President Barack Obama on February 7th. Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack said the passage of the bill allows “the proud men and women who feed millions around
the world to invest confidently in the future.” For California specialty crop producers such as almond growers
the Farm Bill marks the preservation of key programs that help sustain growth and innovation in the industry.
California representative Jim Costa (D-Fresno), whose district
includes parts of Merced, Madera and Fresno counties, noted
the importance of the Farm Bill to California agriculture.
“For my home state of California, this farm bill is a dramatic
investment,” he said. “This bill is not perfect, but it is a good
faith compromise that protects low-income families and
seniors while maintaining the support America’s farmers need
to keep feeding the nation.”
Congressman Jeff Denham (R-Turlock), a Blue Diamond
grower-owner, noted, “this farm bill represents the most
significant reform to our farm policy in history. As an
almond farmer in the Central Valley, I know firsthand how
crucial farm policy on the federal level is to ensuring that
our agricultural community can feed the nation.” He further
explained that the bill saves taxpayers $23 billion over the
next decade, eliminates unnecessary and duplicative programs
and ends direct payments.
As Representative Denham said, the Farm Bill presents many
opportunities for specialty crop farmers such as almond growers.
• The bill authorizes $550 million over 10 years for
the Specialty Crop Research Initiative to encourage
the development of new technologies and improved
efficiencies in the production of specialty crops.
• It includes $800 million for the Specialty Crop Block
Grants Program over 10 years to strengthen the market for
specialty crops grown in California’s Central Valley.
• It renews agriculture disaster assistance programs that
help growers keep their operations afloat during difficult
periods, such as the current drought.
• The bill provides $700 million over 10 years to prevent the
introduction of plant pests and diseases.
18 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
• Finally, the bill maintains full funding of $200 million per
year for the Market Access Program (MAP), “which means
California’s agricultural commodities can continue to be
promoted worldwide,” Rep. Denham said.
Participating in MAP is a great asset to Blue Diamond. The
cooperative utilizes MAP to offset trade barriers and tough
foreign competition by supplementing marketing funds in key
international markets. The MAP makes it possible to enter
new markets with the co-op’s branded products and ultimately
to help achieve Blue Diamond’s vision – delivering the benefits
of almonds to the world. Every MAP dollar received by Blue
Diamond is matched two-fold, generating clear results for the
cooperative’s grower-owners and for American exports, helping
the United States to offset its foreign trade deficit.
The Farm Bill reforms not only affect agricultural producers
and processors, but also determine funding and execution
of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),
commonly referred to as the food stamp program. Savings
from SNAP amount to $8 billion over the next 10 years, less
than the $39 billion that House Republicans proposed in
an earlier version of the Farm Bill, but double the amount
Democrats suggested. Savings will be derived from ensuring
SNAP recipients are not receiving benefits in multiple
states; ensuring undocumented immigrants, lottery winners,
traditional college students and the deceased do not receive
benefits; and by closing state loopholes. The cuts to SNAP will
not disqualify families from receiving food stamps, but will
reduce benefits for a portion of households nationwide.
Look for more information about federal farm policy in the coming issues of
Almond Facts. For more information about the 2014 Farm Bill, visit the
National Council of Farmer Cooperative’s website at www.NCFC.org.
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
Gray Allen, pictured with Blue
Diamond Chairman Clinton Shick (left)
and President and CEO Mark Jansen
(right). Photo credit: Holly Foster,
Crescent Communications Consulting
Local Water Leader Earns
California Cultivator Award
Longtime Blue Diamond friend and colleague, Gray Allen, was honored with the Agricultural Council
of California’s 2013 California Cultivator Award at its Annual Meeting in March in Huntington Beach.
The award recognizes and honors an individual who has made significant contributions to farmerowned businesses or who has demonstrated leadership and personal commitment beyond the normal
expectations of a person serving the agricultural sector. Allen is currently advertising manager for
Almond Facts magazine, and also serves on the Placer County Water Agency board of directors.
“I am humbled to be receiving this award,” Allen
said. “I applaud efforts by farmer-owned cooperatives
in promoting product quality from field to consumer,
and initiatives to encourage sustainability and market
growth. Farmers working together cooperatively to
ensure their economic well-being has been a leading
factor in the remarkable success of the American food
industry. I am awed by what has been achieved and
humbled by having witnessed it up close and personal.”
“Gray’s lifelong dedication to promoting and
advancing the cooperative business model through
his public relations work for first the Ag Council, then
with California Canners and Growers, and now as a
consultant to our co-op makes him an ideal candidate
for this award,” said Brauner. “He has been working
tirelessly as an advocate for cooperatives and farmerowned businesses for 55 years and continues to do so
to the present day.”
Susan Brauner, Public Affairs Director for Blue
Diamond nominated Allen for the Cultivator award,
noting his long-time commitment to supporting
farmer cooperatives. She noted his close involvement
in communications activities at Blue Diamond from
1990 through the present – from serving as a former
editor of Almond Facts magazine, to penning annual
reports and helping to coordinate annual meetings.
Allen began his career in public relations in 1959,
working with agricultural cooperatives in North
Carolina and Arizona before moving to Sacramento
in 1966 to accept a position with the Agricultural
Council of California. From 1973 to 1983, he worked
with California Canners and Growers, and from 1983
to 1989, with National Semiconductor Corporation
in Santa Clara. In 1989, he started a consulting
business based in Roseville, California, which he
continues to operate.
News continued on next page »
20 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 21
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
Ripon Almond Blossom Festival Parade
Gets Special Blue Diamond Entry
Darrell Nelson, Salida Plant Manager, put
together a special Blue Diamond entry for the
52nd annual Ripon Almond Blossom Festival,
which took place February 18th through the
22nd. He extended Blue Diamond’s “Get Your
Good Going” motto to a company trailer,
plastering the signature orange background,
cascades of Whole Natural almonds and
the phrase, “Delivering Goodness” along
the side. After spreading the cooperative’s
“Good” message throughout Ripon, it will
continue to get the message out as it returns
to its usual job, delivering almonds to and
from Blue Diamond’s plant operations facilities
throughout the Central Valley.
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22 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
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Board Member Shares
Blue Diamond Products
on Family Trips
As they do on every family trip, the Van Duyns were sure to stock up on their
favorite Blue Diamond almonds to take on their trip to Alaska. Blue Diamond
Board member Steve Van Duyn said it’s their traditional gift for their hosts
when they travel. “We like to share our delicious Blue Diamond Almonds with
our friends and hosts and everyone loves them!” he said.
News continued on next page »
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 23
Ripon Christian School 5th Graders
Send Almonds to Troops
Gabe Becker, along with Lydia
Bakker, Braden Van Groningen and
Julia Visser, children of Blue Diamond
members are some of the 5th grade
students involved in packing the boxes
for soldiers. (Photo Credit: Matthew
Visser)
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
Each year, kindergarten through
high school students at Ripon
Christian School participate
in a Spiritual Emphasis Week
(SEW), a week devoted to special
projects of giving and serving
others. Projects include making
lunch for the homeless, washing
cars, buses and windows,
picking oranges, helping in food
banks and homeless shelters and
many more.
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For the past seven years, the 5th
graders have undertaken the task of
assembling and mailing care packages
to our country’s servicemen and
women serving in war zones abroad.
The project includes collecting and
packaging the treats, hygiene products,
magazines and letters from the
school’s students for the soldiers. “The
response from the school community
is overwhelming,” said Nancy Vander
Veen, who helped organize the 5th
grade service project.
One special treat they are sure to
include in the one hundred or so care
packages is Blue Diamond Smokehouse
Almonds. “In the many thank you notes
the school receives from the soldiers,
there are always comments about the
almonds,” she said. “They are always
a big hit. The names and addresses
of the soldiers come from the school
community of friends and family.
Consequently, some of the packages
we send go to servicemen and women
who are originally from anywhere in
America. They share with their buddies
and everyone gets a good taste of Blue
Diamond goodness!”
News continued on next page »
24 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
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That’s our specialty.
There’s a reason they’re called specialty crops. Whether they’re hard to tend, extra
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MARCH | APRIL 2014
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Almond Facts 25
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL
Young Leader Hosts
Assemblywoman Toni
Atkins, Incoming
Assembly Speaker
Through outreach organized by the Agricultural Council of California, Assembly Majority Leader Toni
Atkins (D-San Diego) recently joined Ag Council members from the Almond Hullers and Processors
Association and the California Canning Peach Association for farm tours. Majority Leader Atkins is in
her third year as a legislator, is a newly appointed member of the Assembly Ag Committee and was voted
Speaker of the California Assembly after a formal vote in March.
Atkins met with Peter Martini, a Blue Diamond Young Leader participant from the Class of 2014, who is also a peach
grower with the California Canning Peach Association. He discussed his family history and talked about the growing
process. Martini also spoke of the challenges he faces as a cling peach grower such as labor, fuel costs and the impact
of imports.
“I believe it is extremely important for agriculture to tell its story,” Martini explained. “I am the third-generation farming our
land and I love it. What I appreciated most about visiting with Majority Leader Atkins was the fact that a politician cared
enough to come out and see our farm.”
Martini elaborated further on the greater impact that burdensome
state regulation has on farmers, noting that it is turning potential
new generations away from farming altogether.
“We are stewards of our land and provide food for the population.
I hope she was able to take away the fact that we, as farmers,
are, in general, good people. Our farm is not only our farm, but
belongs to all of the people that are a part of it. This land and
agriculture in general provides the livelihood of many families.
The more difficult it becomes for farmers and ranchers to do
business through regulations may make even more of the future
farming generation leave to other jobs,” he explained.
Use of nuts,
seeds grows in
snack options
Nuts and seeds were in 37 percent of the new product launches
in 2013, according to Innova Market Insights, with savory or salty
snacks accounting for the remaining new products. The use of nuts
has steadily increased; they were included in 36 percent of new
products in 2012, an increase from 32 percent in 2009. Consumer
interest in healthful snacking is one of the main drivers behind the
increased use of nuts, although location does play a role; nuts were
in 40 percent of new snack products in Western Europe while the
U.S. fell slightly behind at only 32 percent.
26 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
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Looking Toward
the Future
At only two years old, future Blue Diamond grower Steven
Moeller knows his favorite product: Blue Diamond
Chocolate Almond Breeze. Just hand him a single serve
carton and it’s bottom’s up!
Looking Toward the Future is a special news feature highlighting future
Blue Diamond members enjoying the cooperative’s products and/or
exploring the almond growing lifestyle. If you have a photo of your
future grower that you would like to submit to Almond Facts, email
it to [email protected] along with a short caption.
Steven Moeller Drinking Chocolate Breeze
Breeze Recipe of the Month:
Simple Tofu Curry Stir-Fry
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 27
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Blue Diamond Brand Ambassador
Helps Consumers Keep
New Year’s Resolutions
CORNERING THE MARKET
On the eve of the New Year, the Almond Breeze and Nut*Thins teams coordinated a media blitz to equip
consumers with the nutrition tips and tricks they needed to achieve their health and wellness goals
in 2014. The team commissioned internationally renowned registered dietitian Ashley Koff as a Blue
Diamond Brand Ambassador and sent her off on a media tour, hitting print, online and broadcast outlets
throughout New York and across the nation.
Koff was armed with the results of a recent Blue Diamond survey, which revealed
that nearly 75 percent of Americans’ New Year’s resolutions will focus on eating
healthier and improving their fitness. The challenge is that nearly a quarter of
Americans will fail to keep their resolutions for more than three months.
Survey respondents report that the top challenges to sticking to their healthminded resolutions are avoiding sweets (59 percent) and not wanting to give up
taste when seeking out healthier alternatives (58 percent). Despite these wellness
resolution pitfalls, Americans are acutely aware of what they need to do to get
healthier; 55 percent of those polled recognize that small changes in their diets
will lead to big health changes.
“It’s encouraging to see people moving away from wanting to lose weight just for
the sake of losing weight,” Koff said. “These results show that Americans want
to take an active role in improving their health and wellness, but need a little
guidance on how to make sustainable changes.”
Already known for her regular appearances on The Today Show and Dr. Oz, the
media blitz brought Koff and Blue Diamond into even more consumers’ homes
all over the country. While on the tour, Koff shared New Year’s recipes, tips and
tricks with 13 leading lifestyle, fitness and nutrition media, helping to cement
relationships with key media contacts and leading to coverage on The Daily
Meal, Examiner.com and Glamour.com. Broadcast meetings were held with 28
regional and national outlets, which generated 287 broadcast spots in key markets
including Atlanta, Sacramento and Birmingham.
“Our goal was to bring in a brand ambassador that could talk not only
about all the great health benefits of our products, but also the great tasting
elements of them,” said Suzanne Hagener, Blue Diamond’s Group Marketing
Manager for Non-Dairy Beverages. “We wanted someone that could show
consumers that by swapping Almond Breeze for skim milk, you get both wonderful nutrition and delicious taste. Ashley
Koff is a friendly, approachable face to get our nutrition message out. She was the ideal brand ambassador for both
Almond Breeze and Nut*Thins.”
Koff ’s philosophy focuses on emphasizing quality nutrition choices to achieve optimal health. Her website,
AshleyKoffApproved.com, features a tool to help consumers identify high-quality products to add to their shopping list. The
“AKA List,” an acronym for the “Ashley Koff Approved” List, functions like a personal shopper, creating a shopping list of
better quality products. And Blue Diamond products are all over the AKA List, as quality healthy products that also taste great!
“The reason most people abandon their health and wellness resolutions is that they realize a change needs to be made, but
don’t know the exact steps to take to make that happen,” Koff said. “Adopting a healthier lifestyle doesn’t mean you should
abandon your favorite comfort foods; it just means making small changes and experimenting with better-for-you ingredients.
For instance, try adding, Almond Breeze Almondmilk, to your smoothies or using crushed gluten-free Nut*Thins to replace
croutons and create meals that are healthy and delicious.”
Visit Facebook.com/AlmondBreeze and click “like” to find quick and simple ingredient substitutions that will fit any health and
wellness resolution.
30 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
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Sales Manager Lends
a Helping Kidney
It had been just three weeks to the day since his surgery, but Richard Andonian,
regional sales manager for Blue Diamond’s Global Ingredient Division, felt “pretty
much normal.” His remaining kidney is again functioning at 100 percent and will
soon grow 25 percent larger to compensate for its missing pair. It was a process
five years in the making but worth it in the end to help his sister, Karen.
CORNERING THE MARKET
Finding a Match
Richard donated his kidney to Karen at the end of January, after she received
her original diagnosis of an aggressive, non-hereditary kidney disease in 2009.
The disease moved quickly, claiming both her kidneys and required her to go
on dialysis treatment. She was deemed too ill for the kidney transplant list so
Richard and their other sister Janice were tested to see if they would be a match
to Karen. With the results in, Richard was deemed the better donor match.
“I underwent the full battery of tests at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in November 2012 and was given a
clean bill of health,” he said. Then the waiting began. Concerned about other aspects of Karen’s health, the team of doctors
at UCSF ordered other procedures and heart tests to strengthen her heart and prepare her for the potential transplant.
“I honestly thought they were never going to go through with the transplant because her health, in my mind, continued to get
worse and worse,” he explained. “Then all of a sudden, two months ago, she met with a UCSF doctor at a local facility near
Fresno and he told her to get one more test, which came back negative. Then they said, ‘Ok, we’re ready to do this.’”
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32 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
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Their pre-operation meeting with the transplant team was
January 14th, and the operation was scheduled for January 28th.
The doctors warned Richard and his family that there is always a
chance that the transplanted kidney won’t start functioning right
away, that it could take days or even a week for it to function in
the recipient’s body. In this case, the kidney started functioning
immediately. “Before they had even removed her from the
operating room, the kidney was working. They said it was the
best looking kidney they had ever seen!” Richard said.
Preparing for Surgery
After taking those initial tests and being confirmed as a match,
Richard took control of his health. He started incorporating
running into his routine in December 2012, logging three to five
miles five days a week. Then came the launch of the Power of
Vitality at Blue Diamond, a company-sponsored employee wellness
program that encourages nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
When asked if he was an organ donor prior to this
experience, Richard admits that no, he wasn’t a registered
donor before his sister needed this kind of help. But, he is
quick to redirect family and friends’ ‘hero’ comments.
“A lot of my friends and family have called me a hero, but
there are kidney donors out there right now that are literally
donating their kidneys to perfect strangers,” he explained.
“Those people are heroes in my mind. I don’t think I would
have donated my kidney randomly to somebody without
it being a family member, whereas there are hundreds of
people that are. It’s really amazing.”
“It was fortuitous that it started at the same time and it only
helped me focus a little bit more on my nutrition and workouts,”
he said.
Richard credits his running routine with changing his physiology,
helping everything function at its best. “My kidneys were
functioning well above the level required for surgery, which made
it that much more exciting for the transplant team when they saw
how my kidneys metabolized sugar, a key factor for a successful
transplant,” he explained.
One last lifestyle change that he made, even before the transplant
was confirmed, was to cut out all meat and dairy from his diet
and pursue veganism. “I had been on a vegan diet for the four
months prior to the surgery and I feel it really elevated my
recovery from the operation,” he said.
Life After the Transplant
“It’s exciting from the aspect that I feel pretty much normal,” he
explained. “I don’t feel any kind of side effect from having one
kidney versus two. The remaining kidney steps up to the plate, so
to speak, and functions for the lack of having the other kidney.
A week after the surgery the doctors said it was functioning
at 80 percent and they said it was ahead of schedule as far as
compensating for the other one and should be functioning at 100
percent now.”
Though it has only been a few weeks since the transplant, both
Richard and Karen are healing faster than expected. Richard
was back at work just 13 days post-operation and Karen hasn’t
had dialysis ever since. Though she’ll require anti-rejection
medication for the rest of her life, her doctor visits will come less
frequently as the transplanted kidney continues to improve its
functionality.
“I want to thank the Blue Diamond management and human
resources department for support during this process,” he said.
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 33
California Water Bond Update
By Mike Wade, Executive Director of the California Farm Water Coalition
California weather is often characterized by extremes, either excessively rainy or unbelievably dry. It is
not unusual to see homes sliding into the ocean when it’s wet or on fire when it’s dry. As they say, nature
always bats last and in 2014 nature is batting for a third dry year in a row.
History also shows us that Californians don’t often act until issues reach crisis proportions and if that’s the case, plenty
should get done this year. The question is, will the right legislation pass to help stave off future droughts?
Of the 12 major reservoirs in California only two have sufficient supplies to meet their full demands through the year and
those reservoirs are primarily for urban needs. The remaining 10 reservoirs account for 20.5 million acre-feet in storage
capacity and are, on average, 36.2 percent full. The lowest is just 19 percent of capacity and with no significant storm
systems on the horizon it is unlikely that water supplies will recover to a normal level this year. As recently as 2011 these
same reservoirs were at about 80 percent of capacity with year-to-date levels running at 101 percent to 134 percent of the
15-year average. In less than three years California’s water system has been drained to the point where it is now a crisis.
Making sure the state has sufficient supplies to meet the needs of farms, homes and businesses will require a significant
investment in our water supply infrastructure.
There are multiple proposals for a statewide water bond headed for the November ballot. A previously approved $11.14
billion general obligation bond has been postponed twice, once in 2010 and again in 2012, with the hope that it would
pass once the state’s fiscal crisis was over. The development of local water resources is important to California’s longterm goal of water supply reliability. This bond would provide funds for water supply projects in 12 regions throughout
the state and would be available for local and regional conveyance projects that support interregional connectivity and
water management.
34 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
drinking water, delta ecosystem restoration and stronger levees. It also provides
funding for groundwater and surface water storage that provide public benefits
and improved flood protection by strengthening Delta levees. Those funds are not
defined for continuous appropriation and are available in amounts deemed too
small to build any major storage projects.
Rendon’s $6.5 billion proposal helps fund “local sustainability,” drinking water
quality projects, wastewater treatment, watershed protection, climate change
response activities and Delta sustainability/levee improvements. Another $1
billion was added recently for storage projects but it still falls well short of the $3
billion identified in the original $11.14 billion bond already approved by both
houses of the legislature in 2009.
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The bond does not provide funding for
a Delta “peripheral canal” or tunnel,
however it does provide funding for
ecosystem projects that would support
that part of the co-equal goals called
for by the state legislature in 2009. But
the major part of the bond creates a
$3 billion fund that is available through
continuous appropriation for 50 percent
cost share for new storage projects.
Local agencies would pay half the cost
of a new water supply project and the
bond would cover the half identified as
public benefits, such as recreation and
ecosystem benefits through enhanced
water supply and water quality.
Two other bonds, one each by Senator
Lois Wolk and Assemblyman Anthony
Rendon, approach water supply issues
from a different perspective. Wolk’s
$6.45 billion proposal provides money
for regional and local water supplies,
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Almond Facts 35
Spread the Water Word!
You may have noticed the recent bout of unbalanced reporting to hit the media regarding agricultural
water use. Specifically, some in the media have targeted almond growers who, they say, may be using more
than their share of water! As California continues to navigate through the driest year on record, Almond
Facts would like to explore the realities of water use in our Golden State over the next several issues.
Scapegoating and blame is not only misleading, but it moves us further away from what all Californians need to do, which is
demand a long-term viable water policy that works for everyone. We are calling our ongoing column “Spread the Water Word”
because there is no one better to educate others, including your neighbors, about the facts than you!
Q: Why should the state go out
of its way to assist agricultural
water users?
A: California agriculture is a significant
contributor to the state’s economy.
As the world’s fifth largest supplier of
food and agricultural commodities
- more than 400 commodities, to be
exact – California agriculture is nearly
a $45 billion industry that generates
$100 billion in related economic
activity, according to the California
Department of Food and Agriculture.
The abundance of food grown in the
state keeps domestic food costs low –
just 6.2 percent of disposable income
– compared to other high-income
countries where food costs are above
10 percent.
The almond industry is valued at over
$6 billion, which provides income and
jobs in our rural communities. As the
largest food export in the state, the
industry ships over 70 percent of its
almonds to foreign markets. Using the
multiplier effect, almond exports alone
generate over 88,400 jobs!
36 Almond Facts
Q: As the country’s most
productive agricultural state, is
California agriculture the cause
of the drought?
A: No, the water shortage is a result of
three consecutive below-normal water
years and the lack of a viable storage
options that currently do not allow the
state to capture excess water for future
use. With the passage of a long-term
viable water bond that requires ample
water storage, California would be able
to maximize its available water supply
and meet the needs of all Californians.
Q: Does it make sense to devote
80 percent of California’s
available water supply to
agriculture?
A: Actually only 41 percent of
California’s dedicated water supply is
used by farmers to produce food, not
80 percent. The remaining water is sent
to urban (11 percent) and dedicated
environmental uses (48 percent).
California farmers are stewards of the
land who must improve their cultural
practices, including water use efficiency,
MARCH | APRIL 2014
to meet their cost of production and stay
in business. The fact is, farmers have
reduced water usage by over 14 percent
in recent decades and simultaneously
improved their crop yields!
Q: Are we exporting our water to
other countries by exporting our
farm products? In other words,
if we stop exporting, could we
save more water?
A: We are living in a global economy
that requires any viable business to
consider both exporting its goods to
other countries and/or importing goods
from other countries. Whether we sell
our crops to Asia or we buy shoes from
China, the idea that we are importing
or exporting water is essentially a
meaningless argument. We live in a
world that depends on dynamic trade
to fuel the economies that feed, clothe
and employ all of us. If we don’t fix
our broken water system in California,
we could become a nation of very high
priced imported food!
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MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 37
Agricultural
Council of California
TRICIA GERINGER, Vice President
AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
Water Rises to the top of
Ag Council Legislative Priorities
California’s historic drought is focusing our organization’s legislative efforts more than ever on water
issues. The only silver lining to the fact that we are facing the driest year on record since the state first
began keeping track in 1885, is that water shortages are touching every California resident personally.
That means, as in the words of Governor Jerry Brown during his remarks to our members at the World Ag
Expo in February, “the drought seems to have been a wake-up call to people regarding how critical water is
to our state’s prosperity.”
Governor Brown declared a drought State of Emergency
in January, and on March 1 signed legislation (SB 103
and SB 104) to help address immediate water shortages
and other urgent drought needs. Most of the funding
derives from existing bonds (Prop 84 and Prop 1E) with
money going toward local and regional projects that are
already planned or partially completed to boost water
reliability such as water conservation, groundwater recharge
and management, recapturing of storm water and the
distribution of recycled water. The new law also provides
food and housing assistance for impacted areas and
funding for groundwater management, including funds for
groundwater contamination issues.
Additionally, the new law makes statutory changes to ensure
existing water rights laws are followed, including streamlined
authority to enforce water rights laws and increased
penalties for illegally diverting water during drought
conditions. Brown administration representatives have
said existing water rights are left untouched in the new law
and that new authority given to the State Water Resources
Control Board lasts only while the drought emergency is in
effect. The fines for illegal water diversions are significantly
higher under the new law, but language is included to
prevent unintentional water diversions from being subject to
the stiffer penalties.
This is only the beginning of water-focused legislation that
we will see in this session. The Safe, Clean, and Reliable
Drinking Water Supply Act is an $11 billion water bond
measure that is certified to be on the November ballot. The
2014 water bond is originally part of the legislative package
crafted in 2009 by Governor Schwarzenegger and state
lawmakers to meet California’s growing water challenges.
The water bond measure was originally set to be on the
38 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
state’s 2010 ballot and was later moved to the 2012 ballot.
The California State Legislature, on July 5, 2012, approved
a bill to take the measure off the 2012 ballot and put it on
the 2014 ballot to provide a public cost share for elements of
the package that benefit the public.
Many believe the $11 billion bond is too expensive to pass
and contains too many earmarks for specific projects. As a
result, there are currently nine pending bills that have been
introduced in the legislature to revise the existing bond.
Ag Council, along with other stakeholders, supports the
effort to reduce the total bond amount, but is also seeking
a $3 billion continuous appropriation for water storage
projects. The water storage component in one of the
leading water bond bills by Assembly Democrats was just
increased to $2.5 billion, up from $1.5 billion, which is a
good sign that the legislature recognizes the need for above
and below ground storage. However, it does not allow for
a continuous funding stream and this is something we will
continue to emphasize.
Our organization, along with many other ag interests, will
continue to work towards a practical solution that helps
create a more sustainable future for water use in California.
Water will be an ongoing priority for our staff and this will
likely be a key topic for our upcoming Legislative Day on
May 28. We invite interested Blue Diamond Growers to join us
at our Legislative Day.
To aid our members in better understanding the nuances
of these issues, Ag Council will also be hosting a waterfocused webinar in the near future. Visit our website at www.
agcouncil.org for more information or to subscribe to our
e-newsletter In the Know to stay abreast of this and other
issues impacting agriculture.
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FARMERS RESPOND IN WAKE
OF ‘ZERO’ WATER ALLOCATION
By Kate Campbell, Assistant Editor of Ag Alert
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in Ag Alert Newspaper
and is being reprinted with permission from the California Farm Bureau Federation.
The announcement, though anticipated, still delivered a blow to farmers in many parts of the Central Valley:
In its first forecast, the federal Central Valley Project said it expects to deliver no irrigation water to its
agricultural service contractors in the western San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys, nor to its Friant Division
contractors in the eastern San Joaquin Valley.
Farmers in the affected areas say
they will take a number of actions in
response to the water cutoff, while
California Farm Bureau President Paul
Wenger said the action highlights the
lack of investment California has made
in new water supplies.
“The extensive investments farmers and
urban residents have made to increase
water efficiency have not shielded us
from this disaster — despite 20-plus
years of assurances from environmental
activists that all we needed to do was
conserve,” Wenger said.
“The state has failed to insulate
itself from the effects of drought,”
Wenger said. “As the saying goes,
you reap what you sow, and our state
and federal governments have failed
miserably at providing the resources
and infrastructure needed to adapt to
changing climatic conditions.”
More than a half-million acres of
productive farmland will likely be left
unplanted as a result of water shortages
in areas served by the CVP, the State
Water Project — which issued its own
“zero” allocation last month — and
other water-stressed regions of the
state, according to Mike Wade of the
California Farm Water Coalition.
Wenger said this lack of foresight
affects the people and the economy of
California, and called the cutbacks “just
the tip of the iceberg of devastation” that
faces farmers, ranchers and consumers.
40 Almond Facts
“The unplanted acres represent the loss
of melons, peppers, broccoli, iceberg
lettuce and onions, to name a few of
the crops lost this year,” Wade said,
MARCH | APRIL 2014
adding that this means “more than
500,000 acres of fruit and vegetable
crops that consumers expect and
depend on won’t be grown because of
the lack of water.”
Bill Diedrich, who farms more than a dozen
crops in Fresno and Madera counties,
said the official CVP announcement of a
zero allocation is a real blow to Westside
farmers along Interstate 5.
“There are many people farming
along the I-5 corridor who don’t have
diversified water resources,” he said.
“They’ll be out of business this year.”
To create more certainty for farmers,
Diedrich said there needs to be more
latitude to operate the delta pumps
when water is available and there’s no
threat to protected fish.
“Make no mistake, our current water crisis is not caused by two years of belownormal rainfall, followed by the record dry year we’re having right now,” Wenger
said. “This crisis is the direct result of 20-plus years of inaction by politicians and
policy-makers, who have failed to take the steps required to shield California from
drought.”
The only good that will result from this crisis, Wenger said, is if it “opens the eyes of
elected officials and leads to mustering all the tools at their disposal,” including water
recyling, desalination, efficiency improvements and new reservoirs, “to avoid more
years of loss and damage to both our economy and our environment.”
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“We’re in jeopardy. My own crop
production and sales will nearly be cut
in half, and I don’t think the public
really understands that,” Diedrich said.
Kern County farmer Jenny
Holtermann, who grows almonds
in water districts served by the CVP
and the State Water Project, said
she and her husband must now rely
on groundwater for most of their
orchards, but may lose an 80-acre
planting that receives only district
water deliveries.
Fewer
Moving Parts
“If our wells fail, we will probably lose
our crop,” Holtermann said.
High Resale
Like the Holtermanns, thousands of
farmers throughout the San Joaquin
Valley also are turning to groundwater,
but those who want to drill new wells
or deepen existing ones face waits of
six months to more than a year.
Wenger noted that water shortages
will harm all Californians in 2014,
“but those in rural California will
suffer worst of all” as production
cutbacks hit agricultural-based jobs
and businesses.
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MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 41
The Bee Box
CHRISTI HEINTZ
& MEG RIBOTTO
Almond growers are successful in their operations due in part to adequate genetic diversity. More than
30 years ago, local varieties of almonds were evaluated in 10 Mediterranean and Asian countries and
this genetic source material was made accessible to UC Davis plant breeders. There are similar breeding
programs for livestock such as poultry, swine, fish and dairy. Collecting and preserving ample genetic
material is fundamental to plant and animal breeding programs – including honey bees.
Early importation of honey bees into the United States brought in only a subset of the European honey bee, which were
then propagated and expanded to establish the US beekeeping industry. A strong queen production industry now exists, but
queen producers are limited by the genetic diversity of available breeding stock. The passage of the Honey Bee Act of 1922
prohibited the importation of honey bees. With just a few exceptions, additional genetic material for breeding purposes has
not been available for 92 years! Until now, 1 million queens per year needed for re-queening commercial colonies had come
from less than 500 queen ‘mothers’. In 1987, Varroa mites arrived in the US, leading to a major decline in the feral honey
bee population, further eliminating a potential source of ‘novel’ genetic variability for queen breeders.
THE BEE BOX
A honey bee stock improvement program was initiated at Washington State University (WSU) to
incorporate imported genetics into domestic stocks. Dr. Walter (Steve) Sheppard and his team collected
Old World European honey bee semen (germplasm) from Italy, Republic of Georgia and Slovenia
under permit, “entry with oversight,” used cryopreservation to preserve the semen, followed by the
use of artificial insemination for propagation. This practical methodology has greatly enhanced the
honey bee selection and queen breeding program which is targeted toward the improvement of
honey bee stocks for pollination service to the almond industry. By 2013, WSU had ‘outgrown’ its
original germplasm storage tank. With funding from Project Apis m. (PAm), the Taylor-Wharton
Cryopreservation Unit was purchased with holding capacity of 40,000 semen samples. This provided
significant strides in the continued collection, importation and utilization of germplasm and the
means to preserve the material for weeks, months or years.
The stock improvement program works closely with California queen producers and almond
pollinators. Genetic stock that is directly desirable to almond pollination includes:
• Performance characteristics related to temperature. Some honey bee subspecies may
consistently collect pollen and nectar at cooler temperatures.
• Mite-tolerant strains.
Washington State
University’s Germplasm
Library offers expanded
sources of genetic lines
for honey bee breeders.
• Variation in colony population growth, especially spring build up - the increase in colony size
important to almond pollination.
• Subspecies-specific differences in plant resin collection. Increased propolis production is
associated with higher colony immunity function.
• Almond pollen collection activity and flight time.
Continued development of the breeding program to incorporate genetic
material from imported honey bee germplasm into domestic stock is underway.
Honey bee germplasm has been shared with six large-scale commercial queen
producers and on-site instrumental insemination assistance has been provided
for the development of breeder queens to be used in commercial operations.
This past summer, a large-scale US producer of “Italian” strain queens
accompanied the WSU team to the Reggio-Emilia area of Italy, which is
historically known for queen production. An extensive collection of germplasm
was collected based on stock evaluation best suited for commercial pollinators
of almonds. This beekeeping industry input is critical to acquiring genetic
strains suitable for crop production in the United States.
Brandon Hopkins manages WSU’s Honey Bee
Germplasm Facility. (Photo by Meg Ribotto).
42 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
The reproductive quality and longevity of queens has been a concern for beekeepers
in recent years. Reports from the beekeeping industry included premature supersedure
(queen replacement), inconsistent brood patterns and early drone laying (sperm
depletion). Understanding factors such as pesticide exposure, disease or other
environmental conditions that resulted in low-quality queens is important for
improving colony productivity and survival. Dr. David Tarpy, North Carolina State
University (NCSU), and his research team have been at the forefront of answering
what happens to the sperm viability of queens. A successful pilot screening program
for several California queen breeders was in place in which queens were rated, but
demand for the screening service far outpaced NCSU’s ability to process samples in
a timely manner. Counting was tedious. Quantifying sperm number using a standard
protocol took more than two hours per queen.
The science community needed a faster and more efficient way to answer questions
about queen quality and their reproductive potential once they are introduced into
new colonies. With funding from PAm, the Nexcelom Vision System was purchased.
This machine processes samples at a rate of 5 minutes per queen (or drone), saving
considerable time and providing quick results to queen breeders and beekeepers.
The Nexcelom
Vision System,
purchased for North
Carolina State
University by Project
Apis m., decreases
considerably the
through-put time for
queen evaluations.
Sue Cobey, Industry Outreach Specialist,
WSU, is evaluating the progeny of an
artificially inseminated queen.
(Photo by Christi Heintz)
An entire colony has a single reproductive female, the queen. When
we keep the queen healthy, we keep the hive healthy. As you read
this article, colonies are being split, half receiving a brand new
queen, with the older queen in the other half being replaced. Your
beekeeper is preparing those healthy colonies you will need for
almond pollination next year… right now. Whether it is an almond
orchard or a honey bee colony, quality and productive stock start
with good genes.
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 43
Time To Consider
ROB KISS, Field Supervisor
Variety
Selections
Let’s face it. One of the most significant
decisions a grower must make is selecting
varieties for a new or replacing block. It’s at
this time in the spring growers need to make
their final choices. Nurseries generally provide
appropriate categories of varieties that fit
individual grower situations. However, it is
important to recognize that not all varieties are
compatible with certain classes from a bloom,
harvest and, ultimately, a marketing standpoint.
TIME TO CONSIDER
Probably, the greatest concern is the recent trend of
close plantings where varieties of different classes may
drop into another row and become difficult (if not
impossible) to separate when harvesting. Make sure
the varieties selected do not present a possible situation
where there may be mixing of two opposite classes of
almonds. It only takes l0 percent to change the grade
and significantly reduce the delivery’s value.
Also, attention must be given to the gap in price among
variety groups. Make sure you isolate your variety selection
and determine where each class fits from a payment
standpoint; this can turn into big bucks down the road.
Here are a few considerations that may influence your
choices.
1) Make sure that the selection will be compatible
with other classes from a harvest standpoint.
2) When do they bloom in your area relative to
what they pollinate?
3) Check to see which marketing category each
pollinizer fits into.
4) Everyone knows the Nonpareil is still the leader
by a substantial margin. This is primarily
because Nonpareils are so versatile and of such
high quality. It seems apparent they will continue
to be in elevated demand in the marketplace and
ultimately command a premium base price. Also,
Independence and Supereil have been elevated
in value depending on how they are delivered.
5) Having described the Nonpareil above, please
note: there is no perfect pollinizer. All of them
have some limitations. You must select one (or
44 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
two, or three, etc) that best fits your region, soil type,
pollinating potential, and production.
6) What kind of track record does this planting have? You do
not want to have a 25-year varietal test block.
7) Finally – please – check with your Blue Diamond Field
Supervisor, who will be glad to provide objective input to
help you and your nursery representative make a decision
that will best suit your specific situation.
Leaf Samples - Spring
For decades we have been taking leaf samples in July,
establishing baselines and making applications the following
year predicated on that analysis. Recently the University of
California has generated a new protocol for determining
nutrient levels earlier in the growing season. With this new
technique, samples are collected in April, and these early
season values are compared to where they would be with
standard July measurements. This allows growers and advisors
to make adjustments to crop load and nutrient levels in-season
rather than waiting for next year to adjust.
If you happen to have varieties that may be susceptible to
late spring diseases such as Anthracnose, scab, rust, bacterial
spot and even late occurring shot hole, it may be prudent to
carefully monitor conditions in the field if the weather stays
inclement.
The key to this is moisture. If we get significant late rains,
we certainly should have the temperatures to potentially
trigger fungal infections. The issue, again, is susceptibility,
and probably as important, history of the infection. If you
have seen problems in the past and the conditions are right,
you may consider treating. There are very effective materials
available that do an excellent job in controlling these disease
pests, (perhaps with the exception of Bacterial Spot as we are
still trying to determine control) - see Jan/Feb Almond Facts for
pesticide efficacy guide. Just make sure it’s applied properly
with adequate coverage at the right time. Also found in: www.
ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r3902111.html
This is a great tool when considering the pressure we are
under to insure the best, most efficient, most economical use
of your fertility program.
Check with your crop advisor or UC Extension for details.
Spring Diseases
By all accounts, we are in a drought. However, that does not
let us off the disease hook. There was still a significant period
of time where moisture remained on petals and new green
growing tissue, generating scenarios for possible infection
leading into early spring season. And who knows what early
spring bring?
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MARCH | APRIL 2014
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Almond Facts 45
WANTED
FOR SALE
1 Nut Super Cart with top augers.
(209) 667-6895.
500 Gallon Fuel Tank on skids, with 110-volt pump. (209) 823-5930.
WANTED
Flory 210 PTO almond harvester, excellent condition, field ready,
$4,500.
Flory Sweeper 7650/55, $17,000.
1986 Ford F150, $350.
Kohler model K582S 23-horse power gasoline engine.
Home (209) 394-3293, Cell (209) 769-9810.
WANTED:
FOR SALE
Gasoline Memorabilia: Old Gas Pumps, Gas Signs, Oil Signs
and Car Signs. Call (559) 485-9496
Call (209) 358-2244. Best time 12-12:30.
WANTED
Running or not I need a White 2-60 Field Boss or Oliver 1365
for parts. Trying to keep mine operational.
Contact Dean at (530) 867-5207 or [email protected].
15 HP Booster Pump overhauled with panel $2,500 OBO;
9,100 pressure-treated almond stakes, 2”x2”x4’, 70 cents each;
100-amp panel, 480 volts, $250.00.
Please call 408-859-6150 or email [email protected].
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
7300 Flory Pick-up Machine, completely reconditioned,
in great shape.
2003 Ford F250 SuperDuty Supercab 6.0 turboDiesel, $14,900,
2014 DMV, low mileage - 57K miles, oxford white, automatic
transmission, 4WD, AC, sliding rear window, power windows,
power doors, cruise control, ABS 4 wheel, power steering, tilt
wheel, am fm cassette CD, bed liner, towing package, 5th wheel
hitch rails, Prodigy electronic brake system with in cab controller,
scratch line on quarter panel (530) 763-7893.
(209) 632-3111, between 8am & 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
FOR SALE
15 h.p. elect 3-phase motor with jacuzzi centrifugal pump. Good
condition. $1500 or best offer.
90-pound air hammer $400.
CLASSIFIED ADS
Phone (209) 838-3115.
46 Almond Facts
MARCH | APRIL 2014
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
FOR SALE
2005 Forest River Cardinal model 5th wheel RV, $29,900, 33 feet
long / model 33CKT, 3 slide outs, rear picture window, 2 tv bays
(living room and bedroom), electric fireplace, Onan Platinum Gold
5500 propane generator, 2013-2014 DMV , winterized, gelcoat
exterior finish, heated holding tanks, smart fan with auto controller,
shower skylight, electric fireplace with remote control, queen bed,
storage compartment extra slide out, 5 speaker surround sound
system, lazy boy chairs, day night sofa in living room, shower stall
skylight (530) 763-7893.
440 gal. fuel tank on low stand with hand pump hose and filter, $500.
Call (209) 537-9491.
FOR SALE
Classified ads for personal use — not as an additional means of
advertising commercial ventures members may own. Ads are
limited to a maximum of 10 lines and may be submitted to Blue
Diamond field supervisors or by contacting the editor directly at:
2 Used 2004 Flory ST10 Shuttle Trucks - $57,500 each.
Used Huller/Sheller equipment – List and prices available upon
request. Please call (209) 874-1268 for further information.
FOR SALE
1983 John Deere Tractor, Model 650, $5,600;
1983 John Deere Front Loader, Model 67, $1,400;
1983 John Deere Disk, Model 140; $300.00;
1983 John Deere Boom Sprayer, $150.00
$7,000.00 or best offer for all.
Please call Joan at (209) 579-2022.
FOR SALE
Approx. 150 potted eucalyptus trees for wind break, etc. $2.50 each.
Call Gary, (209) 769-4256.
FOR SALE
Steel almond stakes, starting at 4', $1. Call (209) 969-0526
Free listings in this section are for the exclusive use of
Blue Diamond members.
Editor: Blue Diamond Growers
P.O. Box 1768,
Sacramento, CA 95812
Or contact Cassandra Keyse at:
Phone: (916) 446-8353
Fax: (916) 325-2880
Email: [email protected]
Unless advised otherwise, ads will run two consecutive issues.
In order to guarantee placement, classified listings must be
submitted by the 10th of: January, March, May, July, September
& November.
MARCH | APRIL 2014
Almond Facts 47
BLUE DIAMOND GROWERS
1802 C STREET
Sacramento, CA 95811
PRESORT
STANDARD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
SACRAMENTO, CA
PERMIT NO. 694