Conference Gala Dinner Is Sure to be Wild!

Acclaimed as the biggest night of the conference and the year, this year's annual Gala Dinner is sure to thrill and excite everyone who attends. In keeping with the success of past conferences, the Almond Board of California has secured a high-caliber keynote speaker.

Recognized in the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest, Bear Grylls is a man who loves adventure. His best-selling books, inspirational speaking engagements and award-winning television show "Man vs. Wild" have brought him worldwide acclaim as the most fascinating survival expert alive today.

Serving as a center for communication, the 37th Annual Almond Industry Conference will offer almond production related topics that will directly impact growers' decisions and activities in the orchard and marketplace. With technical experts, and panelists from across the globe, it's no surprise that every December, California Almond growers, handlers and allied industry members gather for the only conference dedicated entirely to the almond industry.

In the Pollination Update presentation, researchers will roll out the ALMOPOL pollination model—a tool being developed and refined that will help growers decide strength and number of hives needed under various orchard and weather scenarios. The year-round activities of a migratory beekeeping operation will be showcased, along with updates on colony health, and a preview of bee supply and considerations for the upcoming 2010 bloom season will be reviewed.

Continued uncertainty about the future of California's water supply allows the timely assembly of panelists for the Almond Irrigation World Roundup to discuss water management from different global perspectives. To start, Charlie Hoppin, chair of the California Water Resources Board, will be the keynote presenter at the Grower Breakfast. The subsequent panel session will look at Australia's experience with drought, perspectives from Spain, and what we've learned in California in 2009. In addition, the panel will cover the important role of irrigation scheduling for top yields, crop quality and food safety.

In the Disease Management Update, a panel of research experts will review the latest in fungicide development and resistance management. Additionally, they will provide an update on the factors contributing to lower limb dieback and the effective management of lower limb dieback and canker diseases.

Other almond production related presentations include Field Update: Food Safety Research and GAPs, Balancing Insect Management with Environmental Concerns, Nutrients: Production and Environmental Issues, and Variety Development, Evaluation, and Selection: Balancing Field Performance and Market Potential.

To learn more about these presentations, visit the agenda section of the Almond Industry Conference Web site.

Online registration began Oct. 1, and concludes Nov. 23. After this date all registration must occur on site. To register for the 37th Almond Industry Conference visit www.almondboard.com/conference and click on the registration tab.

Thank you to this year's sponsors: