An additional feature of the Almond Conference this year will be a type of one-stop shop for incentive program information. The Incentive and Grower Support Zone will bring together multiple agencies that offer funding support for a variety of different practices. Principal Analyst for the Almond Board of California, Jesse Roseman said there will be around nine different agencies represented, with each offering different types of opportunities for growers.
“We’re really looking to make it easy for growers to connect in one place with all of these different agencies. Many of them offer similar options whether it’s around irrigation, whole orchard recycling, composting, or engine replacement,” Roseman explained. “So, you can really talk to the staff, look at their materials and figure out even among these agencies if there’s one that’s a better fit or another.”
Agencies including the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Farm Service Agency will all be on-hand in the same location. Representatives from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources will also be available to provide information to attendees.
In one area of the conference, attendees can talk one-on-one with agency staff to learn more opportunities that are available. Roseman said that having a single area with multiple agencies will allow growers to compare incentive program information to determine which option may be best for their operation.
“Lots of these programs, whether its groundwater recharge, pest management, habitat programs, irrigation and efficiency programs, all of those will be covered in sessions and might pique your interest,” said Roseman. “Then you can just go right outside where you were hearing from the speakers and talk to the agencies with the grants that help growers adopt these practices.”
The 2022 Almond Conference will be taking place December 6-8 in Sacramento. Registration for the event is available now.
Listen Roseman’s interview below.
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