The California Almond Board recently hosted a virtual orchard tour for media and nutrition professionals, from May 18–19, 2021. This was the Almond Board’s first virtual tour; in the past, it has hosted in-person events, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the decision was made to host a virtual event this year.
The event kicked off at 11 a.m. EST on May 18 with a brief overview on almonds, as well as a presentation on the lifecycle of almonds from tree to table. Danielle Veenstra of the Almond Board, a third-generation almond farmer herself, talked about the annual almond production cycle, including almond farmers and responsible farming practices. She also spoke about other products grown in the orchard, the industry’s zero waste initiative, and how using coproducts plays an important role in reducing almonds’ carbon footprint.