GoldRiver Orchards - News

Independent Handlers Coalition Predicts Large 2011 Crop

2011-07-27T18:44:00.003-04:00

The Independent Handlers Coalition today released its official Subjective Forecast on the 2011 California Walnut Crop at 523,000 tons. This would represent a 4.4% increase from the 2010 crop of 501,000 tons. Handlers believe that growing conditions thus far have been nearly ideal, with moderate summertime temperatures.

Nut size will again be an issue for the industry as was the case last year, according to most handlers.

GoldRiver Receives Red Seal Award For Sanitation

2011-07-21T18:00:00.002-04:00

GoldRiver Orchards is the proud recipient of the Red Seal Pinnacle Award, given in recognition of exceptional performance in the area of plant sanitation and good manufacturing practices by the American Council for Food Safety and Quality (ACFSQ).

ACFSQ performs surprise audits on member facilities tri-annually. In order to achieve the Red Seal Pinnacle Award, a plant must achieve a top score of 1800 or better on all three of those audits in a given crop year.

This is GoldRiver's second Pinnacle Award in a row. The award was presented on 20 July 2011 at Brookside Country Club in Stockton, California.

GoldRiver Orchards In The Local News

2010-12-09T13:14:00.002-05:00

The Stockton Record recently ran a story on the California walnut industry, including quotes from Don Barton and photos of the GoldRiver operation.

The story gives a good overview of the industry's health and the very strong demand for California walnuts from China and other markets.

Here's a link to the story:

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101205/A_BIZ/12040305/-1/a_biz

Walnut Handlers Release Subjective Forecast On 2010 Crop

2010-07-28T19:14:00.005-04:00

The Independent Handlers Coalition, of which GoldRiver is a member, released its subjective forecast on the upcoming 2010 California walnut crop yesterday. The estimate is 473,000 tons. This is a 9% increase from the 2009 crop of 436,000 tons.

While the crop is expected to be larger than last year, the overall marketable tonnage is expected to be flat from last year. This is because the expected carry-in from 2009 to 2010 is estimated at only 22,000 tons--or about 4% of the marketable crop. If these estimates are accurate, the 2010 carry-in would be the lowest in percentage terms in the industry's history.

Growing conditions continue to be outstanding. After a cool spring, California has had a very moderate June and July. If the rest of the summer remains moderate, it will provide excellent light color for the walnut kernels this fall.

GoldRiver Receives Excellent Rating

2010-06-14T21:57:00.002-04:00

On 30 May 2010, GoldRiver Orchards received its third unannounced inspection from the American Council for Food Safety & Quality. This was the final audit for the current crop year, which ends August 31.

Once again, GoldRiver received an excellent rating. Because we received three excellent audit results out of three audits performed, GoldRiver is now recognized as a Red Seal facility.

The Red Seal is given only to food plants which receive excellent ratings in all three of the unannounced quality and food safety audits performed by the ACFSQ. A certificate will be received later this month and, once received, will be posted on GoldRiver's website.

GoldRiver Receives 1845 Audit Score

2010-02-16T13:07:00.003-05:00

GoldRiver Orchards received an excellent rating from the American Council for Food Safety & Quality for the second trimester in a row. In order to receive an excellent rating, a processor must achieve a minimum score of 1800.

This trimester, GoldRiver received a score of 1845, an increase from the 1800 score received last October.

The American Council for Food Safety & Quality conducts unannounced plant inspections on a three times per year basis for its members. GoldRiver Orchards joined the organization in August 2009.

GoldRiver Achieves Excellent Rating

2009-11-02T16:21:00.002-05:00

GoldRiver Orchards today received an excellent rating from the American Council for Food Safety & Quality as a result of an unannounced plant audit conducted on October 28, 2009. GoldRiver voluntarily submits to unannounced plant audits three times annually from ACFSQ.

The audit covers areas including plant grounds and construction, waste disposal and restroom facilities, sanitation standards and pest control, personnel training, and adherence to HACCP and raw material and packaging standards and documentation.

At the conclusion of their inspection, ACFSQ gave GoldRiver a score of 1800 on a scale of 2000, which qualifies GoldRiver for an excellent rating.

Omega-3 Can Benefit Baby Brains & Eyes

2009-10-31T11:57:00.002-04:00

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has confirmed that the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and ALA, can benefit eye and cognitive development in babies.

“DHA has a structural and functional role in the brain and retina and maternal DHA intake can contribute to the early development of the eye and normal cognitive development in the fetus and the brain-fed infant,” wrote Dr Juliane Kleiner, head of the DNA panel.

In regard to the need for supplementation she added: “…while DHA can be synthesised in the human body from its precursor essential fatty acid ALA to a certain extent, the human fetus appears to be largely dependent on placental transfer of DHA from the mother derived either from her diet, from synthesis or from stores in adipose tissue. The Panel also noted that most DHA is provided to the breast-fed infant via breast milk in which the DHA concentration is dependent both on maternal dietary intake and maternal DHA stores, while the contribution by

synthesis is low.”

Walnuts are an excellent and natural source of ALA Omega-3. The bottom line: pregnant moms can give their babies many benefits by eating walnuts during their pregnancy.

New Study Confirms That Walnuts Lower LDL Cholesterol

2009-04-13T14:44:00.002-04:00

Loma Linda University research just published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition compares the effects of walnuts and fatty fish (in this case, salmon) in the fight against heart disease. In healthy individuals, walnuts lower cholesterol more than fish, while fatty fish are superior for reducing triglycerides. Both eaten together can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

"The practical significance of the study is that eating an easy-to-incorporate amount of walnuts and fatty fish can cause meaningful decreases in blood cholesterol and triglycerides even in healthy individuals", says lead author Sujantha Rajaram, PhD, associate professor of nutrition at Loma Linda University School of Public Health.

Following the qualified health claim issued by the FDA, researchers found that incorporating about 1.5 ounces of walnuts (equal to about 3 tablespoons of chopped nuts) into the daily diet lowered serum total cholesterol by 5.4% and LDL cholesterol by 9.3%. In addition, eating two servings per week of fatty fish (about four ounces each) reduced triglyceride levels by 11.4% and increased HDL by 4%.

"Both plant and marine-derived omega-3 fats are cardioprotective, and since they seem to be effective for lowering different risk factors, it would be prudent to include both in the diet", says Dr. Joan Sabate, MD, PhD, and one of the authors of the study and chair of the department of nutrition.

To access the manuscript of the study, visit The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and use the reference 10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736S on the Internet.

In Response To The Recent Peanut & Pistachio Recalls

2009-04-02T17:18:00.002-04:00

To all of our customers:

Please be aware that GoldRiver Orchards operates under a HACCP program utilizing Good Manufacturing Practices.

We do not purchase, process, or store any nut product in our facility except walnuts produced in California.

Should you have any questions about our handling and processing disciplines and procedures, please feel free to contact us.

California Walnut Board Announces 2008 Crop Size

2009-02-09T17:36:00.003-05:00

The California Walnut Board has announced that the 2008 California walnut crop hit a record 454,301 tons--by far the largest crop California has ever produced. This number is 21% higher than the 375,000 ton estimate issued by the California Agricultural Statistics Service last September and is 28% higher than the previous largest crop California had ever produced of 354,218 tons in 2005. The 2008 crop also exceeds last year's crop by 34%.

The largest contributor to this increase was the Chandler variety, which now makes up 41% of California's crop. This variety alone increased in production by nearly 60% over last year.

Walnuts Key In Reducing Metabolic Syndrome

2008-12-10T11:05:00.002-05:00

In a major study published December 8, 2008 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, results of the PREDIMED study were released. This very large study showed that participants who consumed a so-called "Mediterranean diet" supplemented with nuts (50% walnuts, 25% hazelnuts, and 25% almonds) achieved superior results in reducing Metabolic Syndrome, which is defined as having three or more of the following conditions: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low levels of good cholesterol (HDL), high blood sugar and high blood pressure.

Participants who consumed the diet supplemented with nuts--primarily walnuts--showed a 13.7% reduction in Metabolic Syndrome. Those whose diets were supplemented with olive oil showed a 6.7% decrease. Those who consumed a low-fat diet showed a reduction of 2%.

For more information on the results of the study, please visit the Archives of Internal Medicine website at http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/168/22/2449.

Walnuts Slow Growth of Breast Cancer Tumors

2008-09-26T15:48:00.002-04:00

In a new study published on 25 September 2008 in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, researchers at Marshall University have discovered that snack-sized quantities of walnuts slow cancer growth in mice. W. Elaine Hardman, PhD. said "When we fed the mice walnuts, the growth rate of the tumors they had was dramatically suppressed".

The mice ate a diet which gave them the equivalent of two servings of walnuts per day. Tumors in the walnut-fed group took twice as long to double in size as tumors in the control group, which mimicked a typical American diet. "It's always good to find something that will slow the growth of tumors without being toxic chemotherapy", said Hardman, who has spent 15 years studying the role of diet in cancer.

Walnuts have at least three components that could account for their cancer-slowing effect, Hardman said. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to slow cancer growth. They also include antioxidants and phytosterols, both of which have shown cancer-slowing effects in other studies.

CASS Releases Objective Walnut Crop Estimate

2008-09-04T18:23:00.002-04:00

The California Agricultural Statistics Service (CASS) today released its Objective Estimate on the 2008 California walnut crop. The estimate is 375,000 tons. This compares very closely with the subjective estimate established in late July by the Independent Handlers Coalition of 372,000 tons.

If the estimates are correct, the 2008 crop will break the old record of 354,000 tons set in 2005.

California Walnut Board Releases 2007 Inventory Numbers

2008-09-04T13:46:00.006-04:00

The California Walnut Board released its final inventory number today on the 2007 crop. The final inventory is 32,141 tons. This is slightly below the projected final inventory number of 35,000 tons. This places the final inventory at 8.8% of the previous year's available supply (which includes the 2007 crop of 323,000 tons plus the final inventory from the 2006 crop of 40,578 tons). This is the lowest inventory as a percentage of the previous year's supply in at least the past thirty years.

Large Walnut Crop Forecast for California

2008-08-08T10:24:00.001-04:00

During its summer meeting, The Independent Walnut Handlers Association issued its subjective crop estimate for the upcoming 2008 California walnut crop. The estimate was put at 374,900 tons, an increase of 16% over last year's crop of 323,000 tons.

Handlers from all regions of the growing area of California commented on the size and quality of the crop at this stage of its development. All varieties appear to have average to heavy crops, with Tulare, Vina, and Chandler being particularly heavy.

Blight damage has been minimal, owing to the very dry late winter and early spring in California during the walnut bloom.

If the crop estimate is accurate, the 2008 crop will be California's largest on record, exceeding the previous record of 354,000 tons in 2005.

GoldRiver Orchards To Make Major Upgrades

2008-08-08T10:18:00.001-04:00

Oakdale, CA - GoldRiver Orchards, a walnut processor based here, has announced major upgrades to its processing facility. The company, which began processing walnuts in 2004, is focusing its efforts on increasing bulk storage of field run walnuts as well as making equipment upgrades in its shelling plant to further improve its product quality.

"We're adding about 700 tons worth of storage capacity here on top of what we already have", said Don Barton, GoldRiver's managing partner and CEO. "We're also adding equipment in the plant designed to more effectively remove foreign material before it gets to our shelling line, as well as conveyance equipment designed to remove the smallest shell fragments in order to make us more efficient in removing that type of product defect."

Barton also announced that GoldRiver will be adding a second electronic sorting machine in its plant this year, thereby increasing its sorting capacity and giving the company more flexibility to respond to customer demand during the peak sales season of October, November, and December. "The past few years, we've been able to meet our customer's demand for product during the peak holiday shipping period, but just barely", Barton explained. "The additional sorting capacity will allow us to continue to give our customers the service and responsiveness they've come to expect from us, while also allowing us to grow."

GoldRiver Orchards Expecting Increased Tonnage on 2008 Crop

2008-08-08T10:10:00.003-04:00

Oakdale, CA - GoldRiver Orchards, a walnut processor based here, expects significant growth in 2008, thanks to a variety of factors. A major factor is an expected large walnut crop from the Barton Ranch in 2008 after a smaller crop in 2007. "The crop on the trees is impressive," explained Don Barton, GoldRiver's managing partner and CEO. "We've had two below normal crops in a row, so the trees have had a good rest and came out this past spring with vigorous growth and an excellent nut set." Barton explained that walnuts typically have an alternate bearing tendency with a large crop one year, followed by a slightly smaller crop the following year. "But, for a variety of reasons relating to the weather, the 2007 crop - which should have been our "big" year - was actually smaller than the "small" crop we had in 2006," Barton said.

A second reason for GoldRiver's expected increased supply is that it has recruited several new growers who are joining the GoldRiver fold. "We recruit selectively", Barton said. "Because our commitment to outstanding quality is so ingrained in us, we look for growers who have that same commitment in the field. We need great quality from our growers in order to preserve that quality from field to sheller to the box we ship the product in to our customers."

Barton Generations Gathering A Success

2008-08-08T10:09:00.000-04:00

Escalon, CA - One of the area's long-established farming families, the Bartons, held its largest family reunion in fifty years at the Barton Ranch in Escalon during the first weekend of May. One hundred twenty-six family members from 17 states and as far away as Spain, Russia, and Costa Rica were in attendance. The reunion coincided with the 150th birthdays of the family's patriarchs, Perry Franklin and Elizabeth Barton, who migrated to California from the Midwest in 1910 and established the Barton Ranch in 1912.

The ranch business has grown over the decades, and now includes acreage in the communities of Escalon, Ripon, Oakdale, and Riverbank. The family business is managed by members of the fourth generation of the Barton family, and includes production, processing, and marketing of walnuts.

The last time there had been a family gathering of similar size was in 1958 to celebrate the 100th birthday of Elizabeth Barton, who died in 1964 at the age of 106.

The reunion was held in the orchard of the home ranch on the banks of the Stanislaus River. A catered lunch of grilled chicken and tri-tip was served to all of the guests. Speakers from each of the seven branches of the family (P.F. and Elizabeth had seven children) spoke after lunch, recalling memories of their forebears as well as memories of their days spent on the ranch when they had lived or visited there.

The theme of the event was displayed on a large banner posted behind the speakers, quoted from Albert Einstein, "Bear in mind that the wonderful things you learn while you sit at the dinner table are the work of many generations. All this is put in your hands as your inheritance in order that you may receive it, honor it, add to it, and one day faithfully hand it on to your children."

After the program concluded, guests boarded hayrides for tours of the ranch. They also paid homage to their ancestors who have been laid to rest at Burwood Cemetery. In addition, many of the guests attended a tour of the family's processing and marketing business, GoldRiver Orchards, in Oakdale. Many of the guests commented that they would remember their weekend in Escalon and Oakdale for the rest of their lives.