nov-dec-2020

leading quality, testing and grading standards have earned B lue Diamond a reputation for unwavering quality in every almond and every product we sell. Just as important as product quality, though, is the quality of our growing practices. There has been increasing importance placed on the quality of how our almonds are grown. There’s a greater need to communicate our story of sustainable practices as more customers and consumers are looking for a commitment to sustainability in the products they purchase and brands they support. I’m thankful to see so many of our growers engaging with the member relations team and participating in District Meetings and workshops that focus on topics such as water efficiency, pesticide management and bee health to ensure we demonstrate our commitment to best practices. The success of Blue Diamond Growers has been built on innovation. For our growers, Blue Diamond ’s focus on innovation has factored greatly in our ability to receive and process this year’s record crop. The innovative technology of the new Bulk 8 Warehouse and expanded receiving capabilities in Salida bring added benefits to our growers in efficiency of deliveries and increased storage capacity. In Turlock the innovative new expansion of an Integrated Bev Base line increases production and added value to the returns of our growers. Innovation allowed us to stay connected during COVID-19 with virtual seminars, workshops, district meetings and obviously our annual meeting yesterday and today. And true to our roots, the success of Blue Diamond Growers has been built upon partnerships. We partner together to nurture future generations of farmers and industry leaders. We are proud of Blue Diamond ’s continued partnership with Future Farmers of America and supporting their Giving Tuesday jacket drive. Thank you to all our growers who have supported this day in the past. We also remain committed to our Blue Diamond Growers Scholarship Foundation. These 16 aspiring young men and women were awarded scholarships this year so they can build a bright future for agriculture. Thank you for the generosity of our growers that has made these scholarships possible. I want to thank Charles Crivelli for his leadership of the foundation committee. We partner together to nurture future leaders of our co-op. Blue Diamond is also inspiring the next generation of Blue Diamond leaders through our Young Leader program. As some of you know, I was a proud member of the first Young Leader class 23 years ago. This program provides our young growers the opportunity to advocate on behalf of their industry and become more involved with the cooperative. This year’s class was put on pause do to COVID-19 travel and gathering restrictions, but we look forward to continuing with this same group next year. Thank you to Kevin Fondse and Kent Stenderup for their work with the Leadership committee. As a co-op, we also partner with our industry and environmental groups to ensure a sustainable future for our almond orchards. I’m proud that this year’s virtual workshops featuring the California Almond Sustainability Program (CASP) allowed Blue Diamond to reach more growers than ever. Our customers are very interested in our sustainable grower practices and CASP allows Blue Diamond to use data to inform on an aggregated level all of the good work our growers do. We have continued to concentrate on bee health with the support of our partners Project Apis m. (PAm) and Pollinator Partnership through outreach for PAm’s Seeds for Bees program as well our own Water for Bees program which will be going into its third year for this coming harvest. Our engagement and participation with the Almond Board of California has kept us at the table in discussions that impact our industry and helped raised industry standards overall. I want to thank those board members and former board members serving on the Almond Board: Kent Stenderup, who is chairman of the Board, and George Goshgarian, who is chairman of the Nutrition Research Committee. 11 N O V E M B E R – D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0