View from the Top What the Nut Industry Wants In

the 2023 Farm Bill

Richard Matoian of American Pistachio Growers voices priorities for the new federal policy.

By CATHERINE MERLO | Contributing Writer

Tree nuts and other specialty crops have long been overshadowed in farm bill considerations by big program commodities like corn, wheat and soybeans.

But, as the 2023 farm bill takes shape, specialty crop leaders are making their voices heard. They were among the more than 30 speakers from diverse agricultural and food organizations who addressed the House Committee on Agriculture’s farm bill listening session at World Ag Expo on February 14 in Tulare, Calif. Across the board, they sought understanding and support for their unique challenges and opportunities.

On the listening end of the 10-member panel were House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, a Republican from Pennsylvania, and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, whose California congressional district covers parts of Kern, Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties. The panel also included House Ag Committee members from California: David Valadao (R), Jim Costa (D), Doug LaMalfa (R), John Duarte (R) and Salud Carbajal (D). Also involved from the House Committee on Agriculture were Republicans David Rouzer from North Carolina and John Rose of Tennessee. Although not on the House Ag Committee, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D), who serves California’s 19th District, also joined the listening panel.

Among those addressing the “farm team” legislators was Richard Matoian, president of American Pistachio Growers (APG). A non-profit trade associ- ation, APG represents more than 800 growers in California, Arizona and New Mexico in raising awareness of the benefits of the U.S.-grown nuts.

Matoian’s comments were not only endorsed by his board of directors. APG is also a member of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance as were many groups represented at the World Ag Expo gathering. The alliance is a national coalition of more than 200 organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products. They have agreed on a package of farm bill proposals to be delivered in unison for greater emphasis to policymakers. Matoian was helping do that in Tulare as he did below for West Coast Nut.

The 2018 farm bill expires September 30, 2023, with the new one expected to start October 1. The bipartisan panel in Tulare vowed to get the new farm bill out on time.

“There’s a long way between now and the finish line of voting for the farm bill,” Matoian says. “We need to make sure that, at every opportunity, we make our voice heard.”

Q. You led your comments to the farm bill panel with pistachio industry facts and figures. Can you recap those?

Pistachios have grown significantly since the year 2000. California has gone from roughly 100,000 bearing acres to about 465,000 bearing acres. The growth percentage has significantly outpaced that of almonds and walnuts.

The other thing I mentioned is that four congressional members at the hearing (Costa, Valadao, Duarte and McCarthy) represent over 90% of the current bearing acreage of pistachios in California. There’s some additional acreage going on in Congressman LaMalfa’s district, north of Sacramento. Today, 99% of the nation’s pistachio production is in California. Of that, 97% is concentrated in the central and southern San Joaquin Valley.

Q. Your first request of the farm bill panel addressed water and drought. What were you hoping those members can do?

To whatever extent the ag committee can influence policy, we need their

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Yield: ‘Gold Hill’ Pistachio – 3 Year Results