In today’s Almond Matters, brought to you by Valent, the importance of sustainable agriculture was highlighted during this year’s California Ag Day at the State Capitol event. The theme of this year was ‘Climate-smart, California Grown,’ honoring the environmental stewardship and innovation of California growers.
“It was a very exciting and successful day,” said California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Executive Director Judy Culbertson, who was one of the speakers at the event.
Culbertson noted that one of the major topics of the day was the way in which California farmers have gotten even more creative in recent years in terms of sustainable agricultural practices. One of the most innovative industries when it comes to sustainability is the almond industry, with half of all almond processors employing solar energy in their facilities.
Millions of dollars have been invested in research aimed at further improving the productivity of the almond industry while reducing the environmental impact. “Agriculture has to just keep getting smarter and smarter with our efficiencies as we continue to produce more food and fiber, on often less land,” Culbertson said.
With over three-quarters of all almond orchards using efficient micro-irrigation and nearly all almond farms notifying beekeepers about potential pesticide applications, the industry remains dedicated to being good stewards of the land. “The farmers are the first environmentalists there ever were. They want to take care of that ground so that it can continue to sustain their livelihood,” said Culbertson.
California Ag Day brought state legislators, government leaders, and the public together to learn more about agricultural production. The day served as an important opportunity to convey the message that growers are steadfast in their commitment to continue responsibly producing quality goods for the entire world. “Sustainability is key, and I think that farmers are up to the job of making sure that we are all doing what we can do best,” Culbertson said.
Listen to Culbertson’s interview below.