Dec 10, 2025Almond Board of California ends funding for USDA Objective Measurement Report
The Almond Board of California’s (ABC) board of directors voted to discontinue funding for USDA’s Objective Measurement Report, a long-standing survey used to estimate the state’s almond crop. The change will take effect after the July 2026 report cycle.
The decision follows recommendations from the Almond Forecast Task Force and the Almond Quality and Food Safety Services Committee, which consulted growers, handlers and other industry stakeholders. The ABC board of directors said the move responds to ongoing concerns that the Objective Measurement Report does not fully capture the scale and diversity of California’s almond production.
The Objective Measurement Report, produced by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, uses orchard sampling in the summer to provide forecasts of almond yield and production. ABC has funded the survey since the 1960s. Critics have said its methodology struggles with larger crop sizes, varied grower practices and seasonal weather variations.
“The report looks backward to make predictions moving forward. Industry feedback has highlighted ongoing challenges in the Objective Measurement Report’s ability to accurately capture variables such as larger crop sizes, diverse grower practices, and weather events across California’s production regions,” said Natalie Henderson, director of global communications for the Almond Board of California.
Henderson also noted the confidence ranges in the report have grown, making the estimates less precise.
“The confidence interval or range has grown too wide, which creates too much volatility in the marketplace,” she said.
Although the Objective Measurement Report will no longer be funded, USDA’s California Almond Subjective Forecast — an annual projection based on grower surveys released each May — will continue. ABC said it will also work with USDA and industry partners to refine crop estimation methods for the future.
