Administrative Committee for Pistachios announces 2026-27 leadership

The Administrative Committee for Pistachios (ACP) has seated its committee for the 2026-2027 term, appointing industry representatives to oversee quality, food safety and market programs for U.S.-grown pistachios. 

The committee consists of 12 members serving two-year terms, including nine grower representatives from three California districts, one grower representative from Arizona and New Mexico, two handler members and one public member with no financial interest in pistachio production or handling. Each member is paired with an alternate.

The ACP also operates two standing subcommittees. The Executive and Diversity Subcommittee is made up of the committee’s elected officers, while the Technical Subcommittee includes representatives from major and smaller processors. The Technical Subcommittee reviews technical and regulatory issues, recommends updates to quality and food safety regulations and helps establish research priorities for the industry.

The ACP administers the Pistachio Export Aflatoxin Reporting (PEAR) Program, which provides pre-export aflatoxin and ochratoxin-A testing to support exports to international markets.

“The PEAR Program is essential to helping U.S. pistachio processors access the European Union market,” Tom Coleman, ACP chair and president of Coleman Farming, said. “The ACP provides our international trading partners with confidence in the quality and safety of U.S.-grown pistachios through rigorous laboratory testing and USDA Specialty Crop Inspection audits.”

Established in 2004 under a federal marketing order overseen by USDA, the ACP is funded through mandatory producer assessments. The organization administers aflatoxin inspection programs, collects industry statistics, supports research related to pistachio processing and handling, and develops food safety regulations. Nearly all U.S. pistachios are produced in California, Arizona and New Mexico and exported to more than 85 countries.