The Inside Scoop on Almond Sustainability
You might be wondering – what’s the real sustainability story behind almond farming? You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers. In this article we break down almond sustainability and share the truth behind what’s actually being done to benefit the environment and human lives.
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Almond trees capture carbon dioxide from the air, filtering and cleaning it. They have the lowest greenhouse gas emissions when compared to other plant-based milks.
Why is this important? According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, human-driven releases of GHG emissions disrupt the natural processes occurring in the atmosphere and are very likely to be the dominant cause of the observed warming that has occurred since the mid-20th century.
Growing 4 Crops for Each Drop of Water
Almonds get a bad rap for high water usage, however, that water goes towards more than just the nutrient dense, high fat, high protein kernel. An almond tree also produces the hulls, the shells, and the tree itself. These co-products are being repurposed to serve other functions such as replenishing soil nutrients, dairy feed, and livestock bedding.
Between 1990 and 2010, California farmers have reduced the amount of water needed to grow almonds by 33%.
It doesn’t end there, “by 2025, the California almond community commits to reduce the amount of water used to grow a pound of almonds by an additional 20%.”
Almond Coproducts - Beyond the Kernel
Coproducts from almonds are repurposed – the hulls, the shells and the entire tree are used for dairy feed, livestock bedding and electricity generation, according to the Almond Board of California.
Almond trees are ground up at the end of their life cycle and repurposed back into the soil returning the nutrients to the ground, boosting water efficiency, and increasing yields. This practice captures 2.4 tons of carbon per acre.
The Almond Board continues to invest in research devoted to finding greater, more sustainable uses for co-products such as recycled plastics, fuel, and regenerative agriculture.
The Almond Conference 2022 presented some exciting opportunities for co-products to be used in several new and meaningful ways. Research is being done to utilize hulls for poultry feed, biofuel, and even as an ingredient in food.
Strengthening the Local Economy and Providing Jobs
California produces 80% of almonds on a global scale and 99% of the domestic supply, creating jobs and strengthening the local economy.
The almond industry provides jobs to high unemployment areas. According to one study by the University of California’s Agricultural Issues Center, the almond industry provides more than 110,000 jobs statewide, with 102,500 of those jobs being held in high unemployment areas.
The almond industry adds about $9.2 billion dollars in revenue to the state’s economy.
