Pomona Farming: Improving Efficiency Through Sustainable Practices
How the Californian grower uses Sedex’s data management, analysis and reporting solutions to identify efficiencies and streamline responsible farming practices at scale.
Pomona Farming is an industry-leading, comprehensive farming operation committed to transparent value chains that yield nutritious, clean food. As one of the world’s largest almond growers, specialising in premium California almonds, pistachios, raisins and walnuts, they actively shape the future of sustainable food.
Pomona Farming prioritises resource management, biodiversity conservation and community support. By exploring the latest agricultural innovations and their impacts, they set new standards in the farming industry, leading the way in sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.
Supply chain sustainability serves as the foundation for their innovative farming practices, ensuring consistency, quality and reduced environmental impact across all commodities grown.
Partnering with Sedex has been instrumental in aligning our vision to improve the food system with our data-led approach to responsible farming. It’s like having a bird’s-eye view of our journey. Their tools and services have enabled us to enhance transparency across our operation, driving improved outcomes that our organisation and our customers can rely on.
An empirical approach
Pomona seeks to guarantee the integrity of the food they grow by continuing to expand sustainable production at a global scale, conserving resources and minimising inputs along the way.
Their strategy leverages the synergy between operational efficiency and environmental stewardship, exemplified through optimised water applications and energy use.
Detailed data insights drive Pomona Farming’s sustainability initiatives, supporting a focus on results-driven, measurable outcomes. A centralised data management and reporting system is crucial for achieving and showcasing their environmental and operational goals. Integrating economic, social, and environmental data into a comprehensive framework is essential for their long-term success.
Pomona’s sustainability commitments include:
- Reducing the amount of water used to grow a pound of almonds by 20%.
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) across their entire portfolio; net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.
- Increase adoption of environmentally friendly pest and weed management tools by 25%.
- Create zero to minimal waste in their orchards by putting everything they grow to optimal use.
- Foster a workplace culture that prioritises health and safety, minimises risks and continually reduces incident rates.
With Sedex’s integrated Platform, Pomona optimises transparency through advanced technology and data analysis. This enables comprehensive insights across their operations and supply chain, empowering the team to make informed decisions that drive improved outcomes across their acreage.
Pomona Farming leverages Sedex to increase efficiency and foster our dedication to continuous improvement in our orchards and within our organisation. We believe that excellence is about sharpening our expertise by embracing new tools and innovations that help us better understand our resource use, methodologies, and corresponding impacts for each individual field.
Effective collaboration with labour contractors
Pomona Farming’s expansive acreage requires an individualised approach tailored to the specific needs of they land they farm. They look for solutions that help them solve industry-wide challenges at scale.
One common challenge is gaining the cooperation of farm labour contractors to collaborate on implementing sustainable solutions. This requires effective dialogue and ongoing communication with labour providers’ human resources and safety departments to ensure alignment with Pomona’s protocols.
Pomona Farming welcomed their farm labour contractors’ openness to the Sedex methodology. Their willingness to share policies, procedures, training records and more has streamlined the process, facilitating seamless operational integration and compliance across Pomona’s entire enterprise.
Saving water while maintaining yields
Pomona has developed more efficient and strategic farming practices utilising Sedex’s data-centric solutions, uncovering new opportunities for engagement and collaboration throughout the supply chain. Leveraging data to bridge knowledge gaps and gain deeper insights into every aspect of food production, Pomona partners with industry groups, customers, and other organisations to shape the future of sustainable farming.
Given the persistent challenge of water stress in California, Pomona Farming has committed significant efforts to optimising their limited resources while maintaining the quality and yield of their almonds. By implementing advanced technology and robust data management practices, the company can accurately measure, report and verify water usage, ensuring efficient and responsible water management.
Pomona has identified key opportunities to enhance their systems by investing in maintenance and repairs, ensuring that their water systems operate at peak efficiency.
Since launching their water project in 2020, Pomona Farming has achieved an average water savings of 0.15 acre-feet per acre through automated irrigation. With a 37% installation rate, the company has collectively saved over 1,000 million litres of water to date.
Evolving sustainability initiatives
Each sustainability outcome measurement project has encountered both successes and challenges. Pomona Farming continues to embed industry-leading practices and technologies at scale while testing the latest innovations. Current trials include:
- A “Tree-to-Trailer” method for harvesting almonds off the ground, reducing field passes to minimise soil impact, lower fuel consumption by 23% and reduce operational costs.
- A Delta Conservancy pilot programme aimed to reduce irrigation inputs by 20%, promote soil health and reduce drought stress. In 2023, this initiative saved over 27 million gallons of water.
Utilising Sedex’s advanced methodology, data platform, and reporting, Pomona Farming shows that even small, consistent adjustments in field practices can lead to substantial environmental benefits over time. Their commitment to sustainable agriculture ensures that these incremental changes create lasting, positive impacts on the planet.
