Almond Facts, May-June 2021

Another drought highlights the importance of demonstrating and communicating that Blue Diamond almond growers are excellent stewards of the environment. In particular, I’m encouraged to see increasing participation in the California Almond Sustainability Program (CASP). Member enrollment has increased by over 250% since we introduced the Grower Incentive Program in December, translating into more than a 450% increase in acreage now included in CASP. It’s fantastic that we are increasingly able to quantify our already strong grower story on sustainability. With the COVID-19 pandemic, vast global shipping challenges, and the record-sized crop, I’m proud that Blue Diamond met key performance goals with no significant disruptions in operations. Our mission as a co-op has always been to maximize returns to our grower families to help them sustain their farms and preserve their legacies. As I reinforced during our recent Grower Liaison Committee (GLC) meetings, once again, we expect to finish the 2020 crop payments with a significant competitive advantage. We recently kicked off planning efforts for the 2021 Annual Growers meeting. At this point in time, we are planning to return to an in-person format for this year’s meeting on November 17, 2021. We will include a virtual/online component as well for those who aren’t able to join us in person. More details on the exact timing and agenda will be provided as arrangements are solidified. Personally, I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to see many of our growers and industry partners in person. Mark Jansen President & CEO 7 M A Y – J U N E 2 0 2 1