The Almond Board of California (ABC) has put a holiday spin on the annual Mummy Shake Contest to highlight the importance of winter sanitation. Traditionally, the contest has consisted of making a video to a remixed version of the song Monster Mash. While still a sanitation-themed competition, this year ABC has made some adjustments to the contest.
“This year we’re taking the video element out of it hoping to get more people involved and actively participating in this contest. We’re making it a lyrics competition,” said ABC Senior Specialist of Industry Communications, Taylor Hillman. “We’re asking people to rewrite a minimum of one verse and one chorus of any popular holiday song. So, think of songs like Rocking Around the Christmas Tree, or Sleigh Ride, or Jingle Bell Rock. Those really popular holiday songs that a lot of people know; rewrite the lyrics to them and make the lyrics sanitation-based.”
Although the contest is meant to be fun, it is designed to underscore the very serious issue of winter sanitation. The contest serves as a reminder to address navel orangeworm populations that may be overwintering in orchards. While some years can be more problematic than others, the threat of navel orangeworm is always present and requires diligence in addressing those pest pressures.
“Winter sanitation is the concrete – it’s your baseline – that needs to be done for an effective IPM management system,” Hillman noted. “ABC has done research for years now talking about the importance of that winter sanitation to set you up to be able to use the other tools in the program to make sure that it’s effective.”
Contest entries will need to be submitted before Friday, December 17 for a chance to win a $500 Amazon gift card. More information about the contest, including rules and eligibility is available at Almonds.com/MummyShakeRules.
Listen to Hillman’s interview below.
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