This week’s Open Mic guest is Richard Waycott, president and CEO of the Almond Board of California.  Consumer demand for almonds domestically and globally provides an excellent outlook for The Golden State’s top crop, but regulatory challenges from global customers and state agencies as well as the available supply of water and labor cloud opportunities for growth. Waycott says the almond industry has set lofty sustainability goals including a continued reduction in water needed to maintain trees and produce crops. California almond growers have been awarded for their efforts to support pollinators and are constantly at work to protect the fragile environment.