The California Almond Stewardship Platform (CASP), led by the Almond Board of California, uses grower-submitted production information to demonstrate the sustainability of our industry to stakeholders, including buyers, regulators and consumers, and helps growers find ways to improve efficiencies which includes adopting cost-effective, environmentally and socially responsible practices.

Buyers and consumers are driving sustainability by asking for evidence that California almonds are grown and processed with sustainable practices. And growers, huller/shellers, and handlers are responding by assessing management practices through the California Almond Stewardship Platform (CASP).

Why should you participate in CASP?

1. Compare your practices to the almond industry's statewide average
2. Learn about improved orchard management practices
3. Discover how your orchards measure up on the Almond Board's Irrigation Continuum, Sustainable Agriculture Initiative's Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) and determine eligibility on Pollinator Partnership's Bee Friendly Farming program
4. Calculate your crop's nitrogen needs

   The Nitrogen Calculator uses models developed by UC Davis plant scientist Dr. Patrick Brown and colleagues to predict how much nitrogen to apply and when to apply it to meet yield-based demand. To use this tool, enter a yield estimate for pre- and post-bloom, and add early-season tissue-sampling results. Using the nitrogen calculator completes much of the data required from the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) reports. The handy 'clone' tool allows you to copy information from one orchard to another or from one year to another.

5. Calculate your orchard's irrigation schedule

   The irrigation calculator is a popular tool for those who haven't invested in complex irrigation monitoring and reporting systems. It uses the latest UC research, and recommends the amount and timing of water to be applied to almond orchards based on evapotranspiration (ET).

   Using active CIMIS stations, spatial CIMIS and historical climatic zones, the calculator can show both past and forecasted water demand for a whole season.

   To use the calculator, enter information about the orchard, such as row and tree spacing, soil texture, root depth, etc., as well as some basic information about the irrigation setup. Once entered, the calculator updates the weather information and calculates the run time for that irrigation system. And show the hours and inches needed to replace the water lost from ETc for each week. The handy 'clone' tool allows you to copy information from one orchard to another or from one year to another.

6. Enroll orchards in Grower Data Sharing to optionally share data with your handler
7. Automatically meet regulatory requirements for the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP)

   Irrigated Lands Regulatory Reporting (IRLP) includes a requirement to keep an Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) worksheet onsite and submit a summary report to your coalition in March post-harvest. The INMP tool imports assessment answers and data entered in the Nitrogen Tool to fulfill regulatory requirements for both the worksheet and summary report. Importing data is optional, and you can use the tool stand alone. The handy 'clone' tool allows you to copy information from one orchard to another or from one year to another.

8. Show how almond growers farm responsibly and efficiently

The CASP online system offers several interactive tools that are designed to streamline both crop input decision-making and regulatory reporting requirements. Learn more about these tools here. All of these tools are available to you after you create an account and login. To create a handler account, send this completed form to CASP@sureharvest.com.

For more information on the California Almond Stewardship Platform visit https://www.almonds.com/almond-industry/sustainability-program or read the November/December 2019 edition of How We Grow, covering all aspects of CASP from the marketplace to field research.