This episode of the Voices of the Valley podcast is brought to you today by the Western Growers Association. Supporting producers that grow the best medicine in the world. Find out more at WGA.com.
What do pest-controlling GMO insects have in common with orchard biomass recycling? They are both part of the almond industry’s effort to increase crop yield, improve water efficiency, control almond-killing pests and mitigate climate change. Josette Lewis, the Chief Scientific Officer at Almond Board of California, reveals the latest research and near-term innovations that are solving the almond’s major pain points. Think: labor-saving tech that eliminates a step in the harvest process, almond varieties that can pollinate themselves, recycling orchard biomass to significantly sequester carbon, and using genetically modified insects to control the navel orangeworm pest.