k e e p i n g
BUSINESS JOURNAL
b u s i n e s s e s
c o n n e c t e d ™
FEBRUARY 2022
VOLUME 7 ■ ISSUE 2
IN PROFILE
Pizzeria Halt is giving Modesto a healthy and plant-based option when it comes to pizza.
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NEWS
River Island has changed the housing model and now looks to revitalize commercial industry.
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REDUCING WATER USE
Almonds require 1/3 less water to grow than in 2002; effort underway to cut water another 20% by 2025 BY DENNIS WYATT
A
209 Business Journal
lmonds — like everything else we eat — require water to grow. During the last drought almonds became the target of ire from those who believe agriculture wantonly wastes water with almonds being the No. 1 culprit given almond orchards account for 8 percent of California’s irrigated water. Almonds constitute the largest acreage in the state and as such they are a highly visible target compared to a number of other crops planted in lesser numbers of acres that are ranked lower in food value per gallon of water used. California is the leading world producer— and exporter — of almonds. Almonds ranked as the No.2 crop in dollar value behind dairy ($7.47 billion) in 2020 coming in at $5.62 billion out of a statewide farm production valued at $49.1 billion. Grapes were
third at $4.48 billion. Almonds are the state’s leading farm export in 2020. The 2 billion tons of almonds exported made their way to more than 100 countries with India leading the way at 362 million pounds. India is the first country outside of the United States to consume more than 300 million pounds of almonds a year. Almonds are highly valued in other lands — and in the United States — for being a healthy and nutrient dense food source. That includes high levels of protein and vitamins as well as antioxidants. Two studies conducted during the last California drought that ended in 2018 tried to put water use of various crops in context. Research by the Journal of Ecological Indicators in 2017 was the subject of a published report by the Food Revolution Network on 43 crops grown in California. Almonds came in 43rd out of the 43 crops examined in terms of con-
suming the most water to grow. That use of water was offset by studies that showed the nutritional value of the food created — in this case almonds — was the third highest among the 43 crops. Heavy water users that ranked near almonds such as pistachios, walnuts, and cashews were also among the crops with the highest nutrient value. Those crops that were also high in nutrients like the almond but lower in water use were spinach, raspberries, broccoli, artichokes, and kiwi fruit. Another study by Earth Sciences notes the water it took to grow typical crops. The list started with 13.8 gallons to grow an orange. It then dropped down to 5.9 gallons for a head of broccoli, 4.9 gallons for a walnut, 3.3 gallons for a tomato, 1.1 gallon for an almond, 0.75 gallons for a pistachio, and 0.4 gallons for a strawberry. Research by the University of
California verified water use to grow an almond is a third less today than it was in the 1990s. Water use for all irrigated crops have dropped during the time frame but none as substantial as that needed to grow nuts including almonds. The Almond Board of California — an umbrella group for almond growers — is committed to reducing the amount of water used to grow a pound of almonds by 20 percent by the end of 2025. So far California — one of only five places on earth with a Mediterranean climate suited to grow almonds as well as being the top producer by far — has 82 percent of its almond orchards employing efficient micro-irrigation methods. That’s the reason behind the 33 percent reduction in water use. The Almond Board has funded 239 water research projects so far. SEE WATER, PAGE 10