Update on APC Activities – Land IQ Acreage Survey & Quality Assurance Program

Update on APC Activities

Please click the link below to view two presentation regarding surveys and programs conducted during the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

Land IQ Acreage Survey

Click here to view the presentation.

Background:

The American Pecan Council (APC) contracted with Land IQ to conduct a U.S. Pecan Acreage Survey.  The project utilized satellite imaging to identify pecan acreage across the 15 growing states.  The use of modern technology will give the American pecan industry a more detailed and accurate summary of acreage.  For the 2019-2020 FY, APC has contracted with Land IQ to conduct the following projects:

• Mapping for Eight Major Producing States
• Hurricane Michael Impacts
• Mapping for Eight Additional States

Mapping for Eight Major Producing States

Beginning with the 2017 crop year, Land IQ has produced an eight-state assessment of “improved” pecan acreage.  The eight states analyzed included Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Currently only Arizona, New Mexico and California have been analyzed. Land IQ is currently completing the mapping of pecan acreage for Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas for the 2018-19 year.

After the acreage was mapped, an analysis of age was performed for all 2017 mapping. Land IQ utilizes a time-series analysis to determine when the acreage was planted. Approximately 66% of acres were planted prior to 1989.

Hurricane Michael Impacts

Hurricane Michael, which hit Georgia in October of 2018, had significant impacts on the pecan growers in the state. Utilizing the base mapping from 2017 and recently available imagery from 2019 from USDA NAIP, Land IQ is now completing the mapping to determine the impacts of the hurricane on pecan acreage.

Remaining Seven States Mapping

In order to capture the entire industry (15 states),  the scope was expanded to include the seven remaining states including Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina.

 

Quality Assurance Program

Click here to view the presentation.

Background:

APC has set to develop a voluntary quality assurance program. As a part of the mission of furthering the promotion of American-grown pecans, a quality program was created to highlight conditions under which they are grown and processed. The American Pecan Council Quality Assurance Program assures consumers that the pecans they purchase are grown under circumstances that address the identified concerns for the retail/buyers and consumers. The Program acknowledges and enhances current industry practices and initiatives. Industry members are already doing some of these practices , however, they are not getting credit for them.

The goal of the Program is to create a quality management program that harmonizes industry members to the evaluated U.S. pecan industry “standard” that industry sets to ultimately make a claim at the consumer level through an APC-branded logo, thus driving demand for U.S grown pecans.

The presentation provides an update on Phase 1 & 2 of the project which included a materiality assessment/survey, drafting of the voluntary program and standard, as well as many rounds of feedback from industry members and the working group.