Did you know California is home to 7,600 almond farms? Nearly 90 percent of those farms are family farms, and many are owned and operated by third and fourth-generation farmers. Nearly 70 percent of California almond farms are 100 acres or less. There are 98 almond handlers in California, many of which are family-owned businesses. 

The almond industry has long played a crucial role in all Americans’ economic and nutritional well-being. We are innovative agriculturists who are constantly looking for ways to further the growth and success of the industry. The United States almond industry is instrumental to the preservation of farmland and forms the backbone of many rural communities.

Learn more about the almonds and the almond industry below:

The almond industry employs approximately 110,000 people.

California’s almond industry provides 80% of the world’s supply of almonds for our largest consumer market, the USA (30%).

The almond industry generates $19.6B in gross revenue for the state of California.

  • almonds (the kernels we all eat & use as ingredients)
  • almond shells (used in biofuel, livestock bedding, sustainable plastics, etc.)
  • almond hulls (used in animal nutrition/feed).

Almonds also have other environmental benefits and significant carbon capture, which the orchard provides throughout its lifecycle (2.4 tons/acre at the end of the cycle).

  • The almond industry has been actively increasing water use efficiency and reducing water consumption by 33% over the past ten years and is on track to reduce water use by another 30%.
    • HOW? Farmers have installed precision irrigation systems on 85% of all almond acreage, investing in technology for long-term maximum water use efficiency and conservation.
  • Almond farmers continue to lead in developing, investing in, and implementing solutions for long-term water sustainability.

  • Almonds are rich in protein, fibre, vitamin E, calcium, copper, magnesium and riboflavin. They are also a source of iron, potassium, zinc and the B vitamins, niacin, thiamine and folate. A 30-gram serving has 13g of healthy unsaturated fats and 1g of saturated fat.
  • Almond farmers are proud of the communities we support, the plant-based protein we deliver to our consumers, the living, breathing orchards we tend, and the water we are responsible for.

With a 2+ year shelf life, less than 1% of almonds are thrown out of the home, the lowest of any U.S. food.

Almonds are unique because we use everything we grow

• Hull (used in animal nutrition/feed)

• Shell (used in biofuel, livestock bedding, sustainable plastics, etc.)

• Kernel (the kernel we all eat & use as ingredients)

• Tree (carbon sequestration, & recycled into the soil at end of orchard life)

California’s almond trees store 30 million metric tons of carbon per year.

That’s the same as a year of:

• Taking 24 million cars off the road

• Grounding 3,134 Boeing 737s

• Shutting down 29 coal-fired power plants

• 86% of all U.S. bee-friendly certified farms are almond farms

• Growers are building biodiversity and soil health, with almond orchards housing half a million acres of cover crops and 170,000 acres of BeeFriendly Farms. 125+ honey bee health research projects have been funded by almond farmers to date.

• We grow four crops per drop with the use of almond hulls for dairy feed, reducing the need to grow as much alfalfa, saving more than 440 billion gallons of water

• Almonds’ long shelf life means they travel to their destination by cargo ship, producing 50 times less carbon dioxide emissions per kilometer than travel by airplane

• 930,000 acres of California almond orchards have ideal soil conditions for groundwater recharge.

Gluten-Free

From natural whole almonds to sliced, diced, and slivered almonds to almond butter and flour, the gluten-free options are endless with almonds

Gut Health

Just one ounce of almonds provides 4 grams of fiber (14% of the Daily Value), which can also contribute significantly to a healthy digestive tract

Muscle Recovery

Research by Appalachian State University has revealed that almonds have good unsaturated fats, the antioxidant vitamin E, and proanthocyanidins (class of polyphenols), which enhance recovery post-exercise and reduce fatigue and tension

Diabetes

The nutritional value of almonds – low on the glycemic index – makes them a smart snack for those impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes

A growing body of research has revealed that adding almonds to a diabetes-friendly diet may help improve certain risk factors while providing great taste and sustainable nutrition

Heart Health

Almonds are certified Heart Healthy by The American Heart Association

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as almonds, as part of a low-diet low saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.”