Benefits of CASP
The California Almond Stewardship Platform (CASP) allows growers to complete assessments, learn about alternative and best practices, and use free decision support tools, while meeting regulatory requirements.
Through educational workshops and a confidential self-assessment benchmark report, growers can quickly identify strengths and opportunities for continuous improvement.
The CASP assessment process empowers growers to document and "tell their story" regarding the sustainability of their practices to buyers and consumers. CASP supports generation of aggregate, anonymized statistics on industry wide adoption of management practices. In addition, growers can choose to anonymously share CASP assessment data with their handler(s) through Grower Data Sharing.
Interactive Tools
These tools are designed to streamline both crop input decision-making and regulatory reporting requirements.
Nitrogen Calculator 
The Nitrogen Calculator uses models developed by UC Davis plant scientist Dr. Patrick Brown and colleagues to predict how much nitrogen to apply and when to apply it to meet yield-based demand. To use this tool, enter a yield estimate for pre- and post-bloom, and add early-season tissue-sampling results. Using the nitrogen calculator completes much of the data required from the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP) Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) reports. The handy 'clone' tool allows you to copy information from one orchard to another or from one year to another.
A research-based predictive model, this tool advises how much and when to apply fertilizer nitrogen to meet yield-based demand. All you have to do is enter yield estimates (starting with a pre-bloom and ideally returning to enter a post-bloom yield estimate that will further refine the demand during the growing season), early-season tissue sampling results, and other factors necessary to account for nitrogen credits from other sources like groundwater and cover crops. With that, you'll learn your crop's nitrogen demand for the growing season. The information can then be imported into the Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) worksheet to meet reporting requirements of the Irrigated Lands Regulatory Program (ILRP).
Mapping Tool The mapping tool allows you to draw field boundaries, enter APNs (assessor's parcel numbers), and drop pins to plot the locations of active, abandoned wells or observation wells, as well as discharge points and other features you wish to record. Once the map is created, you can generate a report showing those features as required by Part D of the ILRP farm evaluation plan.
Depending on if your fields are all in one coalition or several, the mapping tool and nitrogen calculator allow you to enter the coalition-specific details and create reports by coalition.
Draw boundaries of your fields and the parcels (APNs) to create the map report as required by Part D of the ILRP farm evaluation plan.
Irrigation Calculator The irrigation calculator is a popular tool for those who haven't invested in complex irrigation monitoring and reporting systems. It uses the latest UC research, and recommends the amount and timing of water to be applied to almond orchards based on evapotranspiration (ET).
Using active CIMIS stations, spatial CIMIS and historical climatic zones, the calculator can show both past and forecasted water demand for a whole season.
To use the calculator, enter information about the orchard, such as row and tree spacing, soil texture, root depth, etc., as well as some basic information about the irrigation setup. Once entered, the calculator updates the weather information and calculates the run time for that irrigation system. And show the hours and inches needed to replace the water lost from ETc for each week. The handy 'clone' tool allows you to copy information from one orchard to another or from one year to another.
Generate irrigation run time schedules that advise the amount and timing of irrigations based on local evapotranspiration and information about your individual orchard and irrigation system. When linked to your nearest CIMIS station, this tool automatically integrates current weather information, allowing you to better calculate your orchard's irrigation needs.
Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan Tool Irrigated Lands Regulatory Reporting (IRLP) includes a requirement to keep an Irrigation and Nitrogen Management Plan (INMP) worksheet onsite and submit a summary report to your coalition in March post-harvest. The INMP tool imports assessment answers and data entered in the Nitrogen Tool to fulfill regulatory requirements for both the worksheet and summary report. Importing data is optional, and you can use the tool stand alone. The handy 'clone' tool allows you to copy information from one orchard to another or from one year to another.
Import responses from assessments and the Nitrogen calculator or simply use the tool to build your INMP worksheet and summary reports as needed by water coalitions to comply with ILRP requirements.