West Coast Nut Audio Edition

Consumers may not know the science of oxidation, but they know when walnuts don't taste fresh. The Walnut Board's new Rancidity Task Force is working on industry standards, faster tests, "Best If Used By" guidance and better packaging. Robert Verloop explains why quality starts in the orchard and why repeat purchases drive grower returns. Read the full article, with photos, at wcngg.com.

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After 15 years of publishing West Coast Nut, Jason Scott reflects on what a season asks of growers and their families, and why a good crop doesn't automatically mean a good year. A Thanksgiving thank-you to the readers and relationships behind the magazine. Read the full article, with photos, at wcngg.com.

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"Trees for the Future," a 26-scientist, USDA-funded project, is breeding pecan cultivars and rootstocks that hold up to low winter chill, drought, salinity and pests. Researchers put cameras in tree canopies to track bloom overlap and built an AI pipeline to read the images. UCCE Tulare County's Elizabeth Fichtner is a principal investigator. Read the full article, with photos, at wcngg.com.

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Pruning may not pay in some California nut crops, but OSU's Nik Wiman says hazelnuts are different. Pruning or hedging about 20% of bearing wood each year can reduce bud rot, keep trees vigorous, improve access and help manage Eastern Filbert Blight, and aggressively hedged trees are yielding as well or better. Read the full article, with photos, at wcngg.com.

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A UC workshop at the Kearney center covered what it takes to fly drones legally on the farm, from TRUST and Part 107 certificates to Part 137 and California DPR rules for spraying. New federal limits on foreign-made drones could also tighten parts and repairs. Plus: weed mapping, bird hazing and water-use monitoring from the air. Read the full article, with photos, at wcngg.com.

Read aloud by an AI narrator.