How We Grow

2020 Sept/Oct How We Grow

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1 FROM LEADERSHIP As a third-generation California almond grower, I realize on a daily basis how great it is to be a part of our industry, and how rewarding (and challenging) it is to produce a highly nutritious crop in an environmentally responsible manner that is enjoyed throughout the world. While the many health and nutritional benefits of eating almonds are well documented, thanks to 20+ years of extensive Almond Board-funded nutrition research, there remains more to be learned about the almond coproducts we also grow – the hull, shell and woody biomass – all of which recent research has shown to have unique properties, providing an opportunity for the industry to derive additional value. In 2016, the Almond Board of California's Board of Directors realized this fact and subsequently formed the Biomass Workgroup. This workgroup has been charged with identifying and putting research dollars behind potential opportunities for value-added uses of almond coproducts, optimizing their value in a more sustainable way and effectively aiming to achieve zero waste in our orchards by putting everything grown – coproducts included – to optimal use, one of the California almond industry's Almond Orchard 2025 Goals. In the past, almond coproducts were primarily utilized as dairy feed (hulls), for animal bedding (shells), and for electricity generation (woody biomass), partially subsidizing hulling and shelling operations and orchard redevelopment throughout the state. However, as our industry has grown and markets have shifted, the value generated from traditional outlets has become increasingly volatile, and at times unable to fully utilize coproducts, straining environmental resources and compressing grower and handler margins. Now, with more than 1.5 million acres of almonds planted in California, finding additional higher-value uses for almond coproducts is more important than ever as we maintain our commitment to responsible farming practices that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable. Since the inception of this workgroup, we have worked to implement a multipronged strategy to invest $2 million in industry funds across a broad range of research areas and 19 research projects, to date. Part of this strategy involves scrutinizing research proposals to determine which have the greatest chance of success and yield the highest ROI. Another part of the process includes evaluating a project's ability to successfully transition from research and development in the lab through scale-up to commercialization, asking ourselves, "Can this project survive the 'valley of death'?" In other words, can it make the journey from concept to commercialization? This question is especially critical for the most novel research concepts. From our work, multiple research projects have yielded promising results, some of which have been highlighted in past issues of How We Grow, such as mixing torrified almond shells with recycled plastic to strengthen the end product, 1 using hulls as a feedstock for the production of black soldier fly larvae, 2 and improving soil health and sequestering carbon via Whole Orchard Recycling, 3 to name a few. We have also funded research focusing on expanding more traditional market applications for almond hulls (i.e. as animal feed for dairy, poultry, etc.). Recent research conducted at the University of California, Davis, (under peer review for publication) shows that almond hulls can successfully be fed to dairy cows without negatively impacting milk production or quality. Research has also shown that almond hulls can be successfully incorporated into poultry feed for both layers and broilers with additional potential benefits also being researched, such as improving poultry digestive health and reducing Salmonella infection. Beyond research, ABC is continuing to work diligently to expand export markets for almond hulls. There are indeed many exciting opportunities ahead as we continue our quest to innovate and move the needle forward. Collaboration and innovation are vital to the continued success of our industry, and I strongly encourage you to get involved. For me, it has truly been a great experience working with many talented Almond Board staff, fellow industry members and the research community over the past several years. One individual who deserves special recognition is Dr. Karen Lapsley, former Chief Scientific Officer at ABC, who retired at the end of July 2020. Karen has been instrumental in advancing the industry with respect to scientific affairs, most notably the nutritional and health benefits of almonds and more recently with respect to biomass. With Karen's retirement, Dr. Josette Lewis has been appointed to Chief Scientific Officer and is well-suited to continue advancing our industry. I highly encourage you to savor the learnings and stories of fellow industry members detailed throughout this issue of How We Grow, and to consider what potential optimizations may work for your operation. And again, I encourage you to get involved. Almond Board meetings are open to all industry members, and you can check out Almonds.com/Events to find upcoming meeting details. Caleb Gervase Chair, Biomass Workgroup Almond Board of California 1 For more on this research, check out the March/April 2019 issue of How We Grow: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1093876-2019-march-april-how-we-grow/7? 2 For more on this research, check out the Sept./Oct. 2019 issue of How We Grow: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1170186-2019-sept-oct-how-we-grow/5? 3 For more on this research, check out the July/Aug. 2020 issue of How We Grow: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1268831-2020-july-aug-how-we-grow/7?

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