CULTIVATING SUSTAINABILITY
Maximizing Returns with the Blue Diamond USDA Climate-Smart Grant
In today’s market environment, we understand the importance of living up to our Blue Diamond Mission: “to maximize the returns of each grower who entrusts us with their almonds.” We at Blue Diamond are acutely aware of the financial challenges of the industry and are working tirelessly to find more ways to bring additional value to the almonds our grower-owners produce. As Dr. Dan Sonke mentioned in his “Sustainability Speaking” column in the last issue of Almond Facts, stewardship is no exception to our mission. This month let’s dive into the USDA Climate-Smart Grant (CSG), how it bolsters your Orchard Stewardship Incentive Program (OSIP) efforts, and its potential to generate a premium for your almonds. Synchronizing OSIP and CSG First, let’s clarify the difference between OSIP and the CSG: OSIP is a foundational stewardship program created by Blue Diamond , while the CSG is a separate $45 million grant awarded to Blue Diamond Growers by the USDA. Although distinct, OSIP and the CSG are designed to operate together, providing complementary benefits to growers. Think of OSIP as the foundation of your stewardship efforts, a foundation that helps you document the current stewardship practices in your Blue Diamond orchards. OSIP allows us to quantify the positive work you are doing and communicate those efforts with customers and consumers. This also establishes a starting point for tracking changes and improvements to your orchard management. Complementary to OSIP, the CSG aims to build upon the existing foundation provided by OSIP. The CSG acts as a sort of catalyst by driving implementation of climate-smart practices in your orchards, helping to improve your OSIP incentive tier, while additionally translating into quantifiable environmental benefits — a strong selling point for sustainability-focused customers.
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ALMOND FACTS
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