Podcast
Almond Journey
Hosted by Almond Journey · EN
This show explores how almond growers, handlers, and other stakeholders are making things work in their operations to drive the industry forward.
Host Tim Hammerich is visiting with almond leaders throughout California who are finding innovative ways to improve their operations, connect with their communities, and advance the almond industry.
Hearing the voices of these industry leaders might spark a connection or idea you can use in your own journey. That’s why we want to feature these stories of innovation, resilience, and community.
23episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 99: Economics and Agronomics with Mel Machado
2w ago00:31:34Tap to summarizeMel Machado joins the Journey to provide a wide-ranging “state of the almond orchard” discussion. Machado is the Chief Agricultural Officer at Blue Diamond Growers and discusses the current challenging grower economics, the decline in almond acreage, the decision to end the objective estimate and some of his thoughts on pollination, cover crops, bee health and more. In addition to his 34-year career at Blue Diamond, Machado also serves as an alternate on the Almond Board of California and holds positions on the Production Stewardship Workgroup and Strategic Ag Innovation Committee.“Excell at the basics. You can have all the fancy stuff in the world like remote sensing tools. But if the nutrition's not right, if the water's not right, you're going to have a problem. Master the basics.” - Mel MachadoIn Today’s episode: Hear from Blue Diamond Growers Chief Agricultural Officer Mel MachadoExplore the impacts of bloom, weather, bee health and other agronomic factorsDiscover the significance and tradeoffs of crop estimating and average yield calculationsUnderstand how the almond industry benefits by supporting the bee industry The Almond Journey Podcast is brought to you by the Almond Board of California. This show explores how growers, handlers, and other stakeholders are making things work in their operations to drive the almond industry forward. Host Tim Hammerich visits with leaders throughout the Central Valley of California and beyond who are finding innovative ways to improve their operations, connect with their communities, and advance the almond industry.ABC recognizes the diverse makeup of the California almond industry and values contributions offered by its growers, handlers, and allied industry members. However, the opinions, services and products discussed in existing and future podcast episodes are by no means an endorsement or recommendation from ABC. The Almond Journey podcast is not an appropriate venue to express opinions on national, state, local or industry politics. As a Federal Marketing Order, the Almond Board of California is prohibited from lobbying or advocating on legislative issues, as well as setting field and market prices.
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Almond Byte, May 2026: Trade Shifts, Middle East Disruptions and USDA Funding
2w ago00:06:19Tap to summarizeIn this month’s Almond Byte, we’re digging into highlights from May’s Global Update and what they mean for California almond growers. We’ll cover the latest developments in trade and tariff activity, including movement on the farm bill and ongoing discussions tied to key export markets. We’ll also look at how the Iran conflict is disrupting shipments in the Middle East, creating delays, reroutes and added costs for handlers. And we’ll share news on new USDA funding that will help ABC continue building demand and expanding opportunities for California almonds overseas.
Transcribe →Episode 98: Irrigation Resources with Tom Devol
May 600:27:17Tap to summarizeIrrigation and technology advisor Tom Devol has been helping growers with their irrigation system needs for years and he joined the Journey to discuss a couple of important resources that are freely available to the almond industry. Devol provides an overview and discusses the thought process behind two irrigation guides from the Almond Board of California: “Questions to Discuss with your Irrigation Designer” and “Guide to Irrigation Automation in Almond Production”. “The growers should be driving that conversation, not the designer…If you ask the right questions at the beginning, that may pay dividends for twenty years. It could also cost you for twenty years. Knowing the right questions to ask and being prepared for that meeting with your designer is really beneficial.” - Tom DevolIn Today’s episode:Meet Tom Devol, irrigation and technology advisorUnderstand the thought processes behind the “Questions to Discuss with Your Irrigation Designer” and “Guide to Irrigation Automation in Almond Production”Discover where the industry is in the evolution of irrigation technology and how to be prepared for what comes nextDive deeper by watching the recording from the “Soil and Irrigation Management” session from the Almond Conference 2025 and by downloading “Questions to Discuss with Your Irrigation Designer” and “Guide to Irrigation Automation in Almond Production”The Almond Journey Podcast is brought to you by the Almond Board of California. This show explores how growers, handlers, and other stakeholders are making things work in their operations to drive the almond industry forward. Host Tim Hammerich visits with leaders throughout the Central Valley of California and beyond who are finding innovative ways to improve their operations, connect with their communities, and advance the almond industry.ABC recognizes the diverse makeup of the California almond industry and values contributions offered by its growers, handlers, and allied industry members. However, the opinions, services and products discussed in existing and future podcast episodes are by no means an endorsement or recommendation from ABC. The Almond Journey podcast is not an appropriate venue to express opinions on national, state, local or industry politics. As a Federal Marketing Order, the Almond Board of California is prohibited from lobbying or advocating on legislative issues, as well as setting field and market prices.
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Marketing Bulletin: Almonds in Campus Dining, Where Tastes Are Shaped at Scale
Apr 3000:09:56Tap to summarizeCollege and university dining isn’t just feeding students, it’s shaping tastes at scale. In April’s Marketing Bulletin, ABC’s Ann Solo explains why campus operators can turn small ingredient choices into millions of meals, how almonds fit today’s plant-forward, allergy-aware menus, and what it takes to move from awareness to repeat menu placement. From on-campus pop-ups to turnkey limited-time offer toolkits, here’s how ABC is building everyday demand now — and long-term preference for the next generation.
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Almond Byte, April 2026: Tariffs, Trade Deal Details, and Geopolitics
Apr 2400:06:27Tap to summarizeHighlights from April’s Global Update breaks down the latest tariff and framework agreement updates, what Japan’s Year 2 Pre-Test changes mean for shipments and reconditioning, and the newest signals out of China ahead of an important leaders’ meeting. We also cover how the Iran war is impacting costs and exports, what’s next in the evolving EU–US trade deal, and ABC’s on-the-ground efforts to grow demand in Morocco. Tune in for the key takeaways you need and what to watch for next.
Transcribe →Episode 97: Almond Industry Overview with BOD Chair Bob Silveira
Apr 1700:33:43Tap to summarizeABC Board Chair Bob Silveira joined the Journey to reflect on his many years in the almond industry, addressing issues with the almond carryout, the prospect of gene-edited trees and his thoughts on the future of the industry. Silveira and his wife farm 150 acres of almonds near Courtland, California just southwest of Elk Grove. He is also a partner in Vann Family Orchards and serves the current board chair for the Almond Board of California.“We had an exceptional run of about 20 years, and the last four or five years have been really tough. Commodity cycles happen and so I think there's good times coming, but anyone who tries to predict agriculture usually gets humbled.” - Bob SilveiraIn Today’s episode: Meet Bob Silveira, almond producer, partner in Vann Family Orchards and current board chair for the Almond Board of CaliforniaUnderstand how the almond carryout is calculated and its significanceDiscover the regulations of gene edited almonds and the impact that has on global tradingListen to any of the recordings from the Almond Conference 2025 at the almonds.org website to learn moreThe Almond Journey Podcast is brought to you by the Almond Board of California. This show explores how growers, handlers, and other stakeholders are making things work in their operations to drive the almond industry forward. Host Tim Hammerich visits with leaders throughout the Central Valley of California and beyond who are finding innovative ways to improve their operations, connect with their communities, and advance the almond industry.ABC recognizes the diverse makeup of the California almond industry and values contributions offered by its growers, handlers, and allied industry members. However, the opinions, services and products discussed in existing and future podcast episodes are by no means an endorsement or recommendation from ABC. The Almond Journey podcast is not an appropriate venue to express opinions on national, state, local or industry politics. As a Federal Marketing Order, the Almond Board of California is prohibited from lobbying or advocating on legislative issues, as well as setting field and market prices.
Transcribe →Episode 96: U.S. Headwinds and Marketing Trends with Laura Morin
Mar 2400:30:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Almond Journey Podcast, ABC’s Laura Morin unpacks the significant headwinds facing the U.S. almond market, from declining snack category sales to broader economic pressures reshaping consumer behavior. Morin explains how inflation, shifting priorities and category-wide declines – not just almonds – are challenging domestic demand, and why the path forward will require new strategies to keep almonds relevant and essential. Morin previously joined us on the show last year back in episode 74. “ Snacks have been growing for such a long time, and then within the last couple years, the entire snack category has been seeing declines. It's a very different phenomenon for what’s been happening in the US and I think it is impacting us.” - Laura MorinIn today’s episode:Hear from ABC’s Laura Morin on current marketing efforts and strategyExplore U.S. market headwinds and how almond marketing must adapt Learn how campaigns are evolving beyond health to broader consumer appealThe Almond Journey Podcast is brought to you by the Almond Board of California. This show explores how growers, handlers, and other stakeholders are making things work in their operations to drive the almond industry forward. Host Tim Hammerich visits with leaders throughout the Central Valley of California and beyond who are finding innovative ways to improve their operations, connect with their communities, and advance the almond industry.ABC recognizes the diverse makeup of the California almond industry and values contributions offered by its growers, handlers, and allied industry members. However, the opinions, services and products discussed in existing and future podcast episodes are by no means an endorsement or recommendation from ABC. The Almond Journey podcast is not an appropriate venue to express opinions on national, state, local or industry politics. As a Federal Marketing Order, the Almond Board of California is prohibited from lobbying or advocating on legislative issues, as well as setting field and market prices.
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Almond Byte, March 2026: Strait of Hormuz Ripples: Trade, Tariffs & USDA Updates
Mar 1200:04:54Tap to summarizeIn March’s Almond Byte, we break down fast-moving geopolitical and policy developments that could ripple into almond trade flows. We start with the Israel-Iran conflict and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping corridor linking Gulf ports to global markets. We also share a quick roundup of the latest tariff and trade updates, including emerging reciprocal trade frameworks, USMCA joint review preparations, and the Administration’s 2026 trade policy agenda. Finally, we touch on USDA’s reorganization timeline and preview ABC’s April delegation trip to Washington, D.C.
Transcribe →Episode 95: Global Trade with Krista Dickson and Lindsay Tello
Mar 900:25:08Tap to summarizeTrade experts Krista Dickson and Lindsay Tello join the Journey to discuss the current trade situation and the outlook for 2026. Dickson is a partner at DTB AgriTrade based in Washington, D.C. She has worked on agricultural trade issues for nearly 25 years. Tello is the new senior advisor for trade policy at The Almond Board of California (ABC), who has an extensive background in trade before joining ABC. They share some trade wins and unpack insights from their session at The Almond Conference which was titled “Global Trade - Keep Your Seatbelts Fastened.” “ How are we feeling about 2026 for US almond exports? Firstly, I am feeling bullish. I think ABC has done an incredible job of diversification and cultivating, maintaining these relationships of working with everyone.” - Lindsay TelloIn Today’s episode: Meet Krista Dickson, a partner at DTB AgriTrade based in Washington, D.C, and Linsday Tello, the new senior advisor for trade policy at The Almond Board of California. Explore current trade policy and what we can look forward to for the almond industry in 2026Discover how the Almond Board of California is working to expand trade opportunitiesThe Almond Journey Podcast is brought to you by the Almond Board of California. This show explores how growers, handlers, and other stakeholders are making things work in their operations to drive the almond industry forward. Host Tim Hammerich visits with leaders throughout the Central Valley of California and beyond who are finding innovative ways to improve their operations, connect with their communities, and advance the almond industry.ABC recognizes the diverse makeup of the California almond industry and values contributions offered by its growers, handlers, and allied industry members. However, the opinions, services and products discussed in existing and future podcast episodes are by no means an endorsement or recommendation from ABC. The Almond Journey podcast is not an appropriate venue to express opinions on national, state, local or industry politics. As a Federal Marketing Order, the Almond Board of California is prohibited from lobbying or advocating on legislative issues, as well as setting field and market prices.
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Marketing Bulletin: Turning German-Winter Stillness into Almond-Powered Motion
Mar 600:07:49Tap to summarizeWinter in Germany slows everything down — but it also opened the door to a creative opportunity for California Almonds. In this month’s Marketing Bulletin, hear how the Almond Board of California leaned into movement, sustainability, and natural energy to bring almonds to life in unexpected ways. From city streets to digital platforms to the moment of purchase, this campaign shows how a simple idea can keep consumers moving, even in the coldest months.
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