Blue Diamond AlmondFacts SepOct 2023_web

CULTIVATING SUSTAINABILITY

Blue Diamond Growers Launches USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant Program

The new program equips the almond cooperative’s growers with resources and incentives to implement climate-smart practices in their orchards.

Blue Diamond Growers recently launched its USDA Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant Program with its 3,000 grower-owners. The program is a major step in expanding the use of climate-smart practices in almond orchards. The initial launch of the Blue Diamond USDA Climate-Smart Grant Program offers almond growers no-cost seed and a financial incentive for implementing cover crops and/ or conservation cover on their land. These practices will not only work towards sequestering carbon but will also enhance the biodiversity of orchards, while improving soil health. As part of this program, growers will work with

technical partners, Pollinator Partnership and Project Apis m ., to implement these practices. “This is an exciting and unique opportunity for growers outside of the traditional federal, state and local resources that are typically available to them,” said Dan Sonke, Sr. Director of Sustainability, Blue Diamond Growers . “We know that cost and technical barriers are the largest hurdles to overcome when implementing climate-smart practices. This project provides resources to accelerate our grower- owners’ advances in soil health, biodiversity and climate- smart agriculture.”

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ALMOND FACTS

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