SACRAMENTO -  Blue Diamond Growers supports and is encouraged by the historic trade agreement signed with China this week. This agreement benefits all U.S. agriculture including the California almond industry. China is a very important market for California almonds and this agreement will help stabilize the trade relationship with China.

This benefits both China's consumers who want healthy almonds and California almond growers. We look forward to increased trade with China which this agreement provides. We are also looking forward to phase two agreement with China which is expected to provide additional benefits to almonds.

Because California almonds are one of the top U.S. specialty crop exports, it is important to the industry to remove trade barriers and promote equal trade opportunities. An agreement such as this begins that process with the second-largest market for California almonds; supporting economic growth to California almond growers and the more than 104,000 individuals the industry employs.

On behalf of their 3,000 grower owners, Blue Diamond appreciates the vigilance and progress made by President Trump, U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer and his team in moving toward fair and equitable trade with China.