June 17, 2013
The Almond Board’s Almond Leadership Program class of 2013 is off to a great start. Through the program, made possible, in part, by the program sponsor, Bank of America, future leaders of the California Almond community have the opportunity to receive a taste of many different aspects of the industry, including production and environmental research, nutrition, marketing and food safety.
Participants are currently hard at work on special projects that are designed to benefit the industry. Here is a sneak peek at the projects that will be available in detail at The Almond Conference poster session in December:
• Eric Genzoli – “Late Planting: Painted vs. Unpainted” – To determine the effectiveness of painting almond trees and to evaluate growth differences.
• Laceyanne Sullivan – “Almonds: From Tree to Table” – Book combining almond education, nutritional studies and recipes.
• Kevin Brooks – “The Role of a Certified Crop Adviser in Almond Production” – How CCAs can help develop responsible nutrient management plans with an emphasis on nitrogen budgeting.
• Daniel Bays – “Complying with FSMA for Almond Harvest” – Potential impact of the Food Safety Modernization Act on almond harvest.
• Jenn Dickey – “Almond Education” – Lesson plan to be used by teachers in conjunction with “The Almond Story” activity book and DVD.
• Samantha Perez – “California Almonds: How Much Is Too Much?” – How will increased almond plantings affect supply and demand?
• Kristen Lane – “Bee Incentive Programs” – Random selection process for evaluation of beehive health in orchards.
• Nathan Lewis – “Getting the Word Out to the PCAs” – Effectively communicate valuable almond information to pest control advisers.
• Wesley Henderson – “Almond Harvest Safety Video” – Video resource as a training tool about safety measures while using equipment during harvest.
• Bobby McCuan – “Continuous Improvement Efforts for Foreign Material Reduction” – Explore ways to reduce the number of plastic hazards in almond processing.
• Andrew Ray and Bob Mahoney – “NOW Pheromone Lure vs. Egg Traps” – Determine which trap is more effective in measuring the pressure of navel orangeworm (NOW).
• Jerry Magdaleno – “Almond Market Potential in Mexico” – Explore current state of almond consumption and perception in Mexico.
For more information about the Almond Leadership Program, email Kendall Barton or call (209) 343-3245.
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