Staff Reporter
The California almond industry, valued at $4.7 billion annually, is under severe threat as a historic rat infestation spreads across the San Joaquin Valley, damaging orchards, irrigation systems, and crop yields at an unprecedented scale.
Expert Alarm as Crisis Escalates
For most of his 17 years at the University of California-Davis, rodent expert Roger Baldwin rarely received calls about rats troubling almond orchards.
“During much of my career, I would get maybe one call a year,” Baldwin explained.
Now, Baldwin says his phone has become a constant lifeline for growers searching for answers.
“The problem went from very, very low to being the number one issue I’ve dealt with in my entire career,” he said. “There are inquiries and questions about rat control, interviews, seminars, and even article requests.”
The Scope of the Damage
According to the Almond Board of California, the infestation has already damaged more than 100,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley, one of the world’s most important agricultural hubs.
Losses have been calculated at $109 million to $311 million in just one year. This includes both crop destruction and extensive infrastructure damage.
One grower reported a $20,000 replacement cost for a single irrigation system chewed through by rodents. Another farmer said half of his crop was lost, despite killing up to 100 rats per day.
Why Almond Orchards?
Experts say the rat invasion may have been driven by a combination of drought, rainfall patterns, and regulatory limits.
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During the early 2020s drought, more than 500,000 acres of farmland were left unplanted, creating open habitat for rodents with no pest-control measures.
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A return to average rainfall since 2022 created an abundance of vegetation, boosting rodent food sources.
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State pesticide restrictions have left farmers with fewer tools to combat rodent populations.
Baldwin notes that the shift has been startling.
“Rats were more commonly a problem in citrus orchards,” he said. “But now they’ve developed a taste for almonds, and that’s where the most serious destruction is happening.”
Chewed Wires, Broken Pipes, and Weakened Trees
The damage extends far beyond lost nuts. Rats have been chewing through drip irrigation lines, sprinklers, and even electrical wires, with some incidents leading to small fires.
They also gnaw the bark of almond trees, weakening them and reducing future productivity.
“Damage to irrigation systems, equipment, and infrastructure is often greater than direct crop loss,” the Almond Board warned in its newsletter.
A Growing, Moving Threat
Rats appear to be expanding their reach by traveling along irrigation canals and burrowing beneath trees instead of nesting above ground.
“They spend the day in abandoned fields or vineyards, then move into orchards at night,” explained Roger Isom, president and CEO of the Western Tree Nut Association.
Last fall, Isom saw the remains of a rat feast firsthand.
“Down at the base of a tree, it looked like a dining table,” he recalled. “You could see piles of empty almond shells where they had eaten.”
Farmers Search for Solutions
Growers are now experimenting with a range of pest-control measures. These include:
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Bait stations and snap traps
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Fumigation of burrows
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Owl boxes to attract natural predators
Isom said the owl boxes show promise, though it remains uncertain whether they can curb an outbreak of this scale.
“The hope is to reduce damage ahead of what could be the second-largest almond harvest on record,” he said.
A Billion-Dollar Question
The California almond industry is vital not only to the state but to the global market. California supplies all U.S. almonds and over 75% of the world’s production, exporting to more than 100 countries. India remains its leading customer.
With the industry already losing hundreds of millions of dollars, the concern is whether the infestation will permanently alter production.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” Isom warned. “Growers have lost more than half their yield in some orchards. We don’t know yet if this was weather-related or directly caused by the rat damage. But it has certainly affected harvests.”
The coming season will reveal whether California’s growers can fight back against a rodent threat that has quickly grown into the biggest challenge in modern almond farming.
The California almond industry stands at a crossroads, facing a crisis that could reshape the future of one of the world’s most valuable crops. With rats chewing through orchards, equipment, and profits, farmers are racing against time to find effective solutions. Whether through natural predators, stricter pest control, or new strategies, the battle will determine not only the survival of California’s almond harvest but also the stability of a global supply chain that depends heavily on this region.
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