Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1159340
5 When this happens, it's likely that the product of growers who consistently deliver clean loads will be more sought after and ultimately hulled and shelled before the product of less attentive growers. "We've absorbed the difference between hulling/shelling capacity and production increases by running more months," Phippen said. "Ideally, we like to be done by mid-November before wet winters become an issue, but we ran through the third week of January this year. We'd hit our limit — our employees were exhausted, and our customers had to wait anxiously for their end-of-season report cards." While plans are in the works for Phippen and his partners to double the capacity of their huller/sheller facility, he still sees a future where hullers/shellers may become more selective about their customer base. Industry confidence in zero waste A recent survey conducted by ABC showed that growers and processors feel confident that the industry will reach the Almond Orchard zero waste goal by 2025. Perhaps this confidence stems from the fact that the industry is already well on its way to achieving this goal, with promising research underway to increase the value of almond coproducts. In a recent interview, Dr. Karen Lapsley, chief scientific officer at the Almond Board, talked about how and why the almond industry is focused on proactively identifying innovative and high-value uses for almond co- products. "In general, we're seeing an increased focus on doing more with the food we produce," Lapsley said. "It's not just about reducing our footprint, it's about looking for new and innovative uses for food products that may solve potential issues or provide benefits elsewhere." "It's an important industry responsibility and one we want consumers to feel confident we are taking seriously," Lapsley said. Almond hulls and shells piled high behind the Travaille and Phippen huller/sheller facility in Ripon this bloom season. "It's an important industry responsibility and one we want consumers to feel confident we are taking seriously." – Karen Lapsley