The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Almonds for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, with the purpose to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce. …

The California Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) program is designed to identify, grow and develop young Farm Bureau members and provide them with opportunities and experiences to help them become effective leaders in the agriculture community. But when Jocelyn Anderson, a fourth-generation almond and walnut grower from Willows joined the state YF&R Committee in 2018, little did she …

Voting began Friday, April 21, to select one independent grower position and two independent handler positions on the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors. Alternate seats for those spots are also open as well as a second grower alternate seat that was not filled in 2022. Voting ends May 25. Candidates for the independent grower positions: Grower Position …

American Pistachio Growers (APG) recently announced its 13th LeadOn pistachio industry leadership class.  Selecting motivated individuals with vested interest in the success and future of the U.S. pistachio industry, APG has developed this program to prepare the next generation of pistachio industry leaders.  This year-long program is designed to provide a unique experience, consisting of leadership training and industry education seminars led by …

Anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” That is the core of Common Threads, an awards program that recognizes women in agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley and Northern California for their service to agriculture and to their communities. As …

The Ag Council of California recently celebrated Mark Jansen as the 2023 California Cultivator Award recipient on March 30, 2023, during the association’s 104th Annual Meeting in Monterey. Mark Jansen served as president and chief executive officer of Blue Diamond Growers for 12 years and is CEO emeritus. Mark led Blue Diamond in transforming the cooperative into an industry-leading global branded …

The Almond Board of California retained Russell Reynolds Associates, a leading global executive search and leadership advisory firm, as the exclusive search firm to aid the transition to a new president and CEO. Current President and CEO Richard Waycott informed the Almond Board of California (ABC) Board of Directors that after 21 years he plans to step away from his ABC responsibilities at …

As news to our New Mexico pistachio and pecan growers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the Department is investing $40 million to provide high-speed internet access for people living and working in rural areas in New Mexico. Today’s investments are made possible because of funding from President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which provides …