For most people, the same images come to mind when they think of California — beautiful beaches, celebrities, and famous landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge. We typically extrapolate the images of Los Angeles and San Francisco to the entire state; however, just east of these two California anomalies, the beaches fade to farmland, the celebrities transition to field workers and the metropolis becomes a traditional small town.
Although technically in the same state as its more publicized counterparts, the San Joaquin Valley looks more like the Midwest than stereotypical California. Stretching more than 400 miles, it lies between the Tehachapi Mountains and Redding, CA. The valley has been called the richest agricultural valley in the world, accounting for 25 percent of the nation’s agricultural production. Grapes, raisins, wine, cotton, fruit, vegetables and nuts thrive in this unique area. Cattle and sheep ranches also contribute significantly to the valley’s economy. Among all these, one crop has exploded in production over the past 30 years to become California’s #1 export— the almond.
As the only state commercially producing almonds, and with only one percent of the nation’s farmland, one would not expect the numbers to be all that impressive. In the 1970s, growers worried they could not sell a 100-million-pound annual crop. That might seem like a lot, but it is peanuts compared to today’s 1.6-billion-pound almond crop. That is sixteen times more than 30 years ago, and each delicious little nut has to be weighed.
Why has the industry experienced such a boom in California over the past few decades? The old real estate adage rings true: Location, location, location. The state’s unique climate of mild winters and dry, hot summers make ideal conditions for finicky almond trees. With the huge industry growth, facilities that grade, sort, weigh and package almonds have had their buildings practically overflowing.
California is the only U.S. state commercially producing almonds. It provides 80 percent of the world's supply.
