PRESIDENT’S CORNER
It is an honor to be addressing you in my first “President’s Corner” as your new president and CEO.
Since officially joining Blue Diamond in mid-January, I’ve enjoyed looking through past copies of this magazine and reading about industry news and the great work our growers are doing in the areas of sustainability and orchard management. I especially liked recognizing some faces in the last issue through photos of our grower families on the Rose Parade float.
Over the past few months, I’ve extensively toured our growing region, meeting with growers and directors in every one of our districts. I’ve made a concerted effort to personally meet as many of you as I can, in your orchards and sometimes in your homes. As I mentioned at the Grower Liaison Committee meetings in January and District meetings last month, I’ve been overwhelmed by the generous hospitality provided to me at every stop along the way. I can’t thank you all enough for the warm welcome — your kindness speaks volumes about the culture and values of this incredible co-op. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Mark Jansen for his gracious support as we navigated a smooth transition in leadership for the co-op. At the time I’m writing this, bloom is just finishing up in the later blooming varieties of our region. As you know better than anyone, the weather that Mother Nature provided for this year’s bloom was anything but typical. Orchards throughout the Central Valley experienced record amounts of rainfall along with snow at extraordinarily low elevations during much of the bloom. Our pollinator friends did the best they could during rare periods of favorable weather when they could leave their hives to forage. Our VP of Member Relations, Mel Machado, has been a wealth of information the last two months as I learn the behind-the-scenes intricacies of almond production. Mel and I talk almost every
day about crop progress, market pricing, and other challenges our growers face and how our co-op can continue to support you and your families. Mel is quick to reinforce that we won’t really know the true impacts of the chaotic bloom weather on the quality of this year’s crop until harvest time in the fall. While that uncertainty can be concerning, I recognize it is nothing new for those of you who farm for a living. I have the utmost respect for the resilient farmers and ranchers I’ve worked with throughout my career. As your new president and CEO, I pledge that the full resources of the Blue Diamond Growers co-op will continue to be ready to support you, our grower-owners, and the almond crop we will ultimately receive this year. Outside the orchards, our co-op’s talented leaders remain more committed than ever to the cutting-edge innovation and global market growth strategies that add value to the almonds you entrust us to market for a strong competitive return. Here’s to pleasant spring weather and a healthy growing season! I look forward to continuing along this journey with you all.
Kai Bockmann President & CEO
Kai Bockmann President & CEO
6
ALMOND FACTS
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker