[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1668 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1668

 Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the formation of the California 
 Almond Growers Exchange, a cooperative to market almonds produced by 
                      members of the cooperative.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 28, 2010

 Mr. Cardoza submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                      the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the 100th anniversary of the formation of the California 
 Almond Growers Exchange, a cooperative to market almonds produced by 
                      members of the cooperative.

Whereas, on May 6, 1910, 230 California almond growers formed the California 
        Almond Growers Exchange, a cooperative to market their almond 
        production;
Whereas 60 percent of California's almond growers eventually joined the 
        cooperative and developed America's first brand for almonds, Blue 
        Diamond, named after the world's highest quality gem;
Whereas by 1917, representatives of Blue Diamond made their first trip to Italy 
        and Spain to share cultural and marketing information, and this was the 
        first promotion and marketing of California almonds in foreign markets;
Whereas Blue Diamond established a partnership with the Federal Government to 
        obtain better rail rates and transmitted the first speech in America 
        aboard a train headed cross country about the importance of equitable 
        almond prices;
Whereas in 1937, Blue Diamond developed the first cellophane bag to package 
        almonds and funded the first nutrition research to establish almonds as 
        an essential food in the Federal school lunch program;
Whereas in 1949, Blue Diamond introduced the first snack almond in America, 
        Smokehouse Cocktail Almonds, which became the first treenut to be served 
        to passengers on airlines;
Whereas in 1950, Blue Diamond established the Almond Board of California, a 
        Federal marketing order to collect market information, fund research and 
        promote California almonds;
Whereas Blue Diamond opened the Japanese market in the 1950s and established its 
        first foreign office in Japan soon afterwards;
Whereas Blue Diamond exported California almonds to Russia, when it was still 
        the Soviet Union, and at one time, Russia was the largest export market 
        for United States almonds;
Whereas, in the 1970s, Blue Diamond opened the Indian market for California 
        almonds, and India now imports over $100 million of California almonds, 
        which make California almonds the largest United States export to India;
Whereas Blue Diamond is now expanding the market in China for California 
        almonds;
Whereas, from a small industry of three million pounds of almonds in 1910, 
        California is now producing over 1.65 billion pounds of almonds 
        annually, which is 80 percent of the global supply;
Whereas Blue Diamond's business has grown to nearly $1 billion, and more than 
        half of California's almond growers are members of the cooperative; and
Whereas almonds are California's largest food export, and almonds also rank as 
        the largest tree crop in the world: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes the 
California Almond Growers Exchange for its 100 years of leadership in 
developing and promoting the California almond industry both 
domestically and worldwide.
                                 <all>