THE BEST AVOCADOS HAVE CALIFORNIA IN THEM. LITERALLY.

These Golden State avocados are grown in the rich soil of California, warmed by its sunshine and cooled by gentle coastal breezes. California Avocados are locally and responsibly grown by California farmers who nurture the avocados and the land every step of the way to ensure that you can buy high quality avocados during the California Avocado season. They are committed to building and maintaining a sustainable California Avocado industry by using environmentally friendly farming practices, ensuring worker well-being, contributing to healthy communities and maintaining economic viability.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FARMING

CALIFORNIA AVOCADO FARMING PRACTICES RESPECT THE EARTH

California Avocado growers farm under robust federal and state requirements and follow Good Agricultural Practices and the Food Safety Modernization Act. They also are committed to regenerative agriculture practices, which work to restore the natural benefits Mother Nature provides, like healthy soils. California Avocado farmers do not utilize tilling, the process of turning over and breaking up the soil. The practice of no tilling helps to generate healthy soils. Healthy soils reduce greenhouse gas emissions by preventing the release of carbon already in the soil and even sequestering additional carbon from the environment. Other regenerative agriculture practices include the prevention of soil erosion and improving water retention and infiltration.

Water is a precious resource, especially in California. In 2003 the State implemented regulations to prevent agricultural runoff from impairing surface waters, and in 2012 ground water requirements were added to the program. Irrigated lands management groups are regional coalitions that prepare and implement mandatory water quality management and monitor plans for its members. They report back to California's State Water Board. Many California Avocados growers are members of these coalitions and others manage their water quality plans independently.

Read about California Avocado grower Will Carleton

NO TILL FARMING

EROSION CONTROL

CARBON SEQUESTRATION

WATER USE AND CONSERVATION

ECO-FRIENDLY ENERGY

LOCALLY GROWN GOODNESS

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WORKER WELL-BEING

GROWING CALIFORNIA AVOCADOS IS A LABOR OF LOVE — AND LABOR IS VITAL

California Avocados are grown with a labor of love. But it's not just the farmers who labor in love, the agricultural workers share that love too. For many of California's avocado farmers, the employees have worked for years alongside them caring for the trees. It is common to find employees who have worked for the same farmer for decades.

Meet Jim Lloyd Butler, a fifth-generation California Avocado grower.

Fair labor practices are important to California Avocado growers. Extensive state and federal regulations ensuring worker health and safety are in place, and California has robust regulations for wages and benefits, occupational health and safety, child and voluntary labor, and non-discrimination in agriculture. In many cases California's regulations exceed federal requirements.

It takes 14 to 18 months to grow a single California Avocado, and when ready to harvest the fruit is harvested by hand, providing jobs to agricultural workers. The work is seasonal, with many harvesters employed by harvesting crews who work on different agricultural crops throughout the year. Like with some of their farm employees, many growers have worked with the same harvesters for decades.

WAGES AND BENEFITS

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

EMPLOYMENT AND WORKER PROTECTION

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

CALIFORNIA AVOCADO GROWERS ARE GOOD NEIGHBORS

California Avocado groves bring natural beauty to the communities that they are a part of and contribute in many ways.

AIR QUALITY

FIRE SUPPRESSION

OPEN SPACES

CALIFORNIA AVOCADO GROWERS' COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS

ECONOMIC VIABILITY

ECONOMIC VIABILITY IS KEY TO SUSTAINABILITY

Avocados have been grown in California for more than a century. They are an important part of California history, culture and cuisine. And similar to any business, for the California Avocado industry to be sustainable it must be economically viable — it has to be strong enough to provide a living for those working in it. California Avocado growers are faced with many challenges, and they toil day-in and day-out to ensure that their groves and businesses are healthy. Some are new to the business and are learning from a community of growers helping other growers learn the best practices in avocado cultivation. Many come from families who have been growing California Avocados for generations – the ultimate proof of an economically sustainable operation.

Article belongs to California Avocado.com