A record 3,501 people attended the 43rd annual Almond Conference in Sacramento, Calif. That was a full 20 percent increase from last year's attendance.

The annual event is the industry's showcase and an opportunity for growers and processors to gather and learn the latest information about the popular nut crop.

The event took place Dec. 8-10 at the Sacramento Convention Center.

This year's event included four concurrent tracks of seminars and played host to 270 exhibit booths in a trade show that continues to grow.

This is the fourth year the event has been held in downtown Sacramento after the industry outgrew facilities in Modesto, home to the Almond Board of California.

Seminar topics addressed bee health, pest control methods, the use of social media, effective irrigation methods, new university research, marketing and food safety.