Celebrating World Water Day
Blue Diamond’s 3,000-plus growers are committed to the long-term viability of the resources needed to sustain their family farms. March 22 is World Water Day, designated by the United Nations to focus attention on the importance of water and the sustainable management of water resources. In honor of its 25th year, I want to recognize the work of Blue Diamond Growers and the California almond industry on our combined efforts toward responsible and efficient water use.
Water is a critical part of the business of agriculture. California is just one example where being a steward of this precious resource is extremely important. The state must provide water to more than 39 million people and grow more than 50 percent of the fruits, nuts and vegetables in the United States. It’s no secret that California has water challenges.
Blue Diamond Growers understands the importance of responsible and efficient water use and we partner with industry experts to provide our grower-owners with the latest tools and information to improve water efficiency. Our growers monitor their orchard’s water consumption and employ low-volume irrigation methods to maximize irrigation efficiency. Through the California Almond Sustainability Program, the industry has seen 70 percent of almond growers use micro-irrigation systems and more than 80 percent use demand-based irrigation scheduling. Over the past two decades, improvements in production practices and water-saving technologies have helped reduce the amount of water needed to grow a pound of almonds by 33 percent.
Innovation over the next 20 years will bring even more improvements to agriculture technology. I’m proud to work for an industry that strives to be water stewards and ensure future generations deliver the benefits of almonds to the world.