West Coast Nut September 2019

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made and challenges overcome in the last
year. Then, in addition to talking about
the Almond Orchard 2025 Goals and
how the industry is moving toward the
almond orchard of the future, the State
of the Industry address will highlight the
ten-year anniversary of the California
Almond Sustainability Program, or CASP.
This program uses grower-submitted
production information to demonstrate
the sustainability of our industry to buyers,
regulators and consumers, and helps
growers find ways to improve efficiencies.
Now in its tenth year, CASP represents
25 percent of the almond acreage in
California. The Almond Board encourages
all growers to get involved with the
program to further improve their on-farm
practices and report the good things
they’re doing in their orchards. For more
information on CASP, growers should visit
SustainableAlmondGrowing.org.
Attendees should also note that this year
there will be three content tracks instead
of four.
Beyond the sessions, this year’s Almond
Conference will feature two exhibit halls.
Because the original exhibit hall sold out
mere days after The Almond Conference
2018, the Almond Board is opening up
a second exhibit hall that will not only
expose attendees to more services and
equipment, but also provide industry
members with increased networking
opportunities and even more areas to do
so, with more seating options than ever.
There will also be an increase in time
designated for research posters sessions,
during which attendees may visit the
rows of research posters and speak with
researchers one-on-one to discuss their
findings, from in-orchard discoveries to
learnings gained at a processing facility.
FFA Takes on Larger Role
Each year, multiple California FFA
chapters from across the Central Valley
volunteer at The Almond Conference to
provide a variety of services, including
welcoming attendees, replenishing industry
collateral at the Almond Board booth
and scanning attendee’s badges as they
enter sessions and meals. The students’
experience at The Almond Conference
gives them an opportunity to meet a
wide array of individuals who are passionate
about almonds and the broader
agricultural sphere, and be exposed to
the latest industry research and information
in one place, at one event.
Recognizing that today’s youth are
tomorrow’s leaders, the Almond Board is
increasing its work with California FFA
in a rather creative way: ABC is hosting
an Almond Photography Contest for FFA
students with a knack for photography.
Leading up to The Almond Conference,
FFA students will have an opportunity
to submit an image that captures the
essence of the almond industry and/
or one aspect of the industry to ABC
to be considered for the grand prize of
$750 and two tickets to a TAC luncheon.
More information is available
at AlmondConference.com under the
“Agenda” tab.
TAC 2019 Offers More, More, More
From new food and drink options to a
second exhibit hall for even greater trade
show time, The Almond Conference
promises to be a one-of-a-kind, “Best of
Show” event for the California almond
industry.
“I think a reoccurring theme with
this year’s conference is “more”—more
optimized session structure, more food
options, more time with vendors and
researchers and more opportunity for
continued learning and growth as an
industry,” said Nicolau. “Just as the
California almond industry strives to
produce more product to meet more
demand while also being more efficient
and responsible, so the Almond Board
strives to constantly improve and evolve
the annual conference in a way that provides
more to the industry and seeks to
constantly put their interests first.”
For more information about
The Almond Conference, industry
members are encouraged to visit
AlmondConference.com. And don’t
forget: registration is open now at
AlmondConference.com, and hotel
blocks become available on September 10
at 9:00 a.m. PST.
We’ll see you on December 10!
Comments about this article? We want
to hear from you. Feel free to email us at
article@jcsmarketinginc.com
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West Coast Nut September 2019