A record crowd of about 900 attendees was reported at this year's annual meeting of the American Pistachio Growers.

This year's conference was held Feb. 16-18 at Paradise Point resort in San Diego, Calif. While much of the United States was suffering under snow, ice and sub-zero weather, those attending this year's convention were treated to typical San Diego weather where shorts and short sleeves are the norm.

The event featured a variety of activities including several dinner parties Monday evening and a large, gala event at MCAS Miramar on Tuesday evening. MCAS Miramar is famous as a location where parts of the movie "Top Gun" were filmed. It is also home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

Attendees heard reports on the state of the pistachio industry, which while it has had its notable success stories, is currently facing headwinds in the wake of the West Coast ports strike and water issues in California.

Notable guests at this year's convention included author and speaker Ben Stein, San Diego native and Miss California Marina Inserra, and Denver Broncos Director of Team Nutrition Bryan Snyder.