Agriculture Must Stand Together and Support Consumer Choice
With the recent California rains, many will forget the challenges of the historic drought. Almond growers will never forget the negative publicity on the water use of our industry. We responded by consistently sharing the facts, like almonds represent 13% of California agricultural acreage and only 9% of the...
Resolutions For A Successful 2016
“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” – Abraham Lincoln It’s that time of year again when people all over the world set New Year’s resolutions for the year to come. Just like everyone else, the management team and board...
“Innovation in anything, but business as usual.” – Anonymous
For Blue Diamond, business as usual is dramatically changing. We are dedicated to value-added almond product development, business expansions to meet demand and leading grower returns. With several years of success, we are establishing ourselves as the almond handler of choice. Our growers have always valued the power of the...
Advocating for Free Trade
“As the leader of the West and as a country that has become great and rich because of economic freedom, America must be an unrelenting advocate of free trade.” –Ronald Reagan With the worst drought in 1,200 years, uncertainty in water policy, declining almond crop yields, almond supply shortages and rising prices,...
“Facts are Stubborn Things” – John Adams
The headlines have been unavoidable. Almonds have been painted as our state’s “thirstiest” crop but what these stories lack is context. Blue Diamond’s management team has been collaborating with industry experts to communicate the facts about agricultural water use to the media and our urban neighbors. According to a recent editorial...
Thoughts on this Historic Drought: Gov. Brown and Sec. Ross Proactively Engage on Water Issue
As state agencies continue to interpret their role in the fight to conserve California’s water supply, I am thankful that leaders such as Governor Brown and CDFA Secretary Karen Ross continue to protect our state’s food production industry. CDFA Secretary Ross penned a strong op-ed in today’s Modesto Bee,...
Thoughts on this Historic Drought: Continuing the conversation
Yesterday the Los Angeles Times reported a strong story sharing the perspective of almond growers. Here is an excerpt from the story that I wanted to share: Almonds, the demons of drought? Frustrated growers tell another story Farmers are by necessity a...
Thoughts on this Historic Drought: Seeking Clarity
The drought that farmers have been responding to for some time has finally captured the attention of the general public, due in large part to the Governor’s recent announcement of mandatory cuts in water usage in urban and suburban parts of the state. The most common question from people...
Blue Diamond’s business model is unique from most other California almond handlers and here’s why…
The Blue Diamond brand is the gold standard of quality; our 105 years of experience and unique, personal customer access position our co-op for continued market leadership. We remain the world’s largest and best seller of Nonpareil almonds with market expertise in the 93 countries which purchase our brown almonds. This...
Almond Prices: A New Normal
The spectacular and extended rise in almond prices has the industry concerned that we have reached the peak. Many of you have lived through rising and falling prices. You may even recall there has been a five-year pattern to almonds prices. As we enter the fifth year of rising...