September/October 2024 - 23
ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
Organic, climate-smart,
regenerative
What's the difference?
BY ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
rganic, climate-smart, regenerative - these are
terms now regularly heard in the agriculture
industry, but do farmers actually know what they
mean, how they work and the importance they have on an
agricultural system?
O
More importantly, how can farmers be expected to
implement these practices in their operations without fully
knowing what each entails, economically and agronomically?
Though often grouped together, Amelie Gaudin,
associate professor in the Department of Plant Sciences
at UC Davis, said that organic, climate-smart and
regenerative systems can all be very different.
" These three concepts are not similar but there's a lot of
common ground, " she said.
The common ground mentioned by Gaudin is that they
each support the almond industry's initiative to be more
sustainable, with the intent to look beyond yield numbers
and focus more on a systems-based approach.
While the end goal is similar, " Organic, climate-smart
and regenerative concepts fall along a continuum of
practices we can implement to transition into a more
sustainable system, " she added.
The three concepts differ in the framework used to
reach sustainability goals and in the degree of system
redesign and consideration of ecological and social
outcomes. Common examples familiar to almond growers
include water use efficiency and nitrogen and fertilizer
management, which often rely on input substitution and
precision agriculture.
There's no doubt almond growers have an economic
incentive to improve efficiencies and become more
sustainable, but often it's challenging for farmers to fully
commit to more ecologically intensive organic, climatesmart
or regenerative practices when they aren't sure how
to quantify their return on investment. Below are key
definitions and characteristics outlined by Gaudin to help
understand the scope and goals of each approach.
Organic
Out of the three concepts, organic is considered the
most widely understood because a certification process
has been in place for decades. Originating from a farmerled
movement in the 1970s, organic farming focuses
on ecological farming practices and techniques such as
natural fertilizers and eco-friendly pest control.
An operation seeking organic status must implement
these approved practices over the course of three years
before being certified by the United States Department
NATIONALNUTGROWER.COM 23
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September/October 2024
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2024
Table of Contents
Editor's Letter
Irrigation and Water Management: Maintaining grove water
AgTech: FIRA Preview
Grower Profile: Rooted in tradition
Processing: Machine evolution
Special Advertising Section
Almond Board of California: Organic, climate-smart, regenerative
American Pecan Council: Breaking out
Advertiser Index and Resources
September/October 2024 - 1
September/October 2024 - 2
September/October 2024 - Table of Contents
September/October 2024 - Editor's Letter
September/October 2024 - 5
September/October 2024 - Irrigation and Water Management: Maintaining grove water
September/October 2024 - 7
September/October 2024 - AgTech: FIRA Preview
September/October 2024 - 9
September/October 2024 - Grower Profile: Rooted in tradition
September/October 2024 - 11
September/October 2024 - 12
September/October 2024 - 13
September/October 2024 - Processing: Machine evolution
September/October 2024 - 15
September/October 2024 - 16
September/October 2024 - 17
September/October 2024 - Special Advertising Section
September/October 2024 - 19
September/October 2024 - 20
September/October 2024 - 21
September/October 2024 - 22
September/October 2024 - Almond Board of California: Organic, climate-smart, regenerative
September/October 2024 - 24
September/October 2024 - 25
September/October 2024 - American Pecan Council: Breaking out
September/October 2024 - 27
September/October 2024 - 28
September/October 2024 - 29
September/October 2024 - Advertiser Index and Resources
September/October 2024 - 31
September/October 2024 - 32
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