Growers’ strategies to enhance the economic sustainability of their farms are constantly evolving to address changing markets and production conditions. State or federal marketing orders enable farmers, farmer-organizations, and, in some cases, handlers to act collectively to further their mutual economic interests without violating anti-trust law. In order for marketing orders to be relevant with changing agricultural conditions, they must periodically have …

The California Walnut Board (CWB) is pursuing credit-back authority. The USDA recently published the Secretary’s decision in this regard and has ordered a referendum vote of the growers. This authority will allow for handlers to receive a credit-back for eligible marketing expenditures of 70 cents for every dollar in spend. This important authority is one of the ways the CWB …

When prices are lean walnut farming is tough business. Farm advisors are not economists or financial advisors. However, farm advisors can be useful in providing best practices for economically sustainable production. Two key economic decisions growers face are when to replant individual trees and when to remove and replant entire orchards. Learn from Dying Trees to Improve Management of the …

California Walnut Board — As we enter the seventh month of lockdowns and shelter-in-place, many people wonder what the impact of this pandemic will be on the walnut industry and consumer spending. Together, as your partners, we have been monitoring and evaluating the COVID-19 media landscape and consumer sentiment and have adapted plans and messaging as necessary across all of …

As of September 16, 2020, Japan allows imports of all varieties of U.S. in-shell walnuts to Japan. Back in 1986, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) granted market access to Hartley, Payne and Franquette varieties of U.S. in-shell walnuts. Since then, the United States had requested that Japan expand market access to all U.S. walnut varieties. On September 16, …

California Department of Food & Agriculture — Walnuts produced by handlers in 2019 totaled 10,902 tons, down from the 11,992 tons reported in 2018. This figure does NOT include walnuts purchased from other handlers or producers. The total 2019 walnut crop purchased from producers, for whom pricing had been finalized, reached 624,890 tons at an average price of 95.0 cents per pound, up from …

China’s in-shell walnut production is forecast at 1.02 MMT in 2020/21, an increase of 2 percent from the previous year, supported by a good harvest in the country’s top two producing provinces. Walnut imports will continue to decline as a result of increased local production. Almond and pistachio imports from the United States are expected to rebound due to improved …

Walnut rootstock options were historically seedlings, either Northern California Black (Juglans nigra), or Paradox (a cross between English Walnut, Juglans regia, and Northern California Black). Those two options still exist, but as research and technology advances in walnut cloning, clonal rootstocks are becoming more available. With this new advancement, growers have questions. Hopefully, I can  provide some answers. What is …

On August 28, USDA NASS released the Objective Measurement of the 2020 walnut crop at 780,000 short tons, an increase of 19% over the prior year. “The industry has been expecting increases given continued growth in new acreage, more densely planted orchards, and heavier yielding varieties and has planned accordingly,” stated grower Robert Driver, California Walnut Commission (CWC) Chairperson. “Demand …