California’s almond industry gets a bad rap. This organization aims to fix that | Opinion

California’s $11 billion-dollar almond industry is always under the spotlight. You might have heard about the sector’s water consumption or the trucking of bees to pollinate the state’s 1.3 million acres of crops. Other headlines have contemplated what fluctuating prices and leveling demand might mean for the industry’s future. Even Gov. Gavin Newsom poked fun at taking on “Big Almond” on comedian Bill Maher’s HBO show earlier this year.

But it’s important to see the forest for the trees — or, in this case, the aromatic orchards that bloom in the spring and almond kernels that mature in the summer. Almonds are the state’s leading agricultural export, responsible for nearly 80% of the world’s almonds. Efforts to demonize the almond simply do not help the industry evolve to meet environmental goals and address current issues.

Instead, we should be asking questions: How can we increase water use efficiency? How can we prioritize soil health so that almond orchards become an important carbon sink to mitigate global warming? How can almond orchards enable biodiversity and contribute to the overall ecological health of California’s Central Valley? And what’s a fair price for almonds that align with these environmental priorities?

Opinion

That’s how The Almond Project formed — by asking questions about how we can meet sustainability goals and pave the way toward a more resilient future for this nutritious, popular crop.

We began as a small assortment of stakeholders spanning from third-generation almond growers (Pacific Ag Management) and processor (Treehouse California Almonds), to pioneering food brands (Simple Mills, Daily Harvest and Cappello’s) and non-profit conveners (White Buffalo Land Trust).

Now, the movement is growing.

Our first project, starting in the fall of 2021, is a five-year scientific study focusing on both conventional and organic almond orchards in the Central Valley. The farm team is testing practices that aim to increase soil health, water use efficiency and carbon sequestration (the process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere to mitigate global warming and climate change). Some of the practices being used include cover cropping (planting plants that cover the bare ground to prevent erosion, suppress weeds, enhance fertility and promote biodiversity).

Although the project is only in its third year, some in-field observations are showing promise. The soil is holding and infiltrating more water. When heavy rainstorms occurred and the cover crops were intact, the water didn’t stand in the field and flood, it soaked in. Both conventional and organic plots have increased their Ecological Health Index score via the Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) by the Savory Institute, a monitoring tool used to verify trends in ecological function and soil health.

While we’re seeing trends in a positive direction, scientific research takes time. As a group, we’re ready to ask more questions and seek more answers in an effort to push the boundaries of how the almond industry can evolve. We’ve been looking beyond soil health metrics and focusing on the bigger picture: Our relationship to the health of the ecosystem and this community.

This is challenging work, and we’re finding that there’s often a disconnect between the ways we want to see our agricultural systems improve and the reality of the market forces the industry faces. On top of that, broader issues plaguing the Central Valley, like inadequate access to fresh food within a community that’s growing food for the rest of the country, add to the complexity.

Our new project work, supported by recently added partners, like nut butter and snack maker Justin’s, requires that more food companies, farmers, retailers, transporters, handlers, processors and manufacturers lock arms with The Almond Project. Together, we can move beyond opposition, understand diverse perspectives, and build a brighter future for the Central Valley.

Lauren Tucker is project coordinator for The Almond Project and the nonprofit convener White Buffalo Land Trust. Other coalition members include third-generation almond grower Pacific Ag Management, almond processor Treehouse California Almonds and pioneering food brands including Simple Mills, Cappello’s, Daily Harvest and Justin’s.