California's approximately 6,000 almond growers are expected to harvest a record 1.5 billion pounds of the healthful tree nuts in 2008, according to a Bakersfield Californian article citing USDA statistics. It will be the third consecutive record crop.

The news comes even as almond farmers fret about colony collaspe disorder of bees and dwindling water supplies.

Reporter Jeff Nachtigal spoke to UC Cooperative Extension entomology farm advisor David Haviland, who speculated on possible causes of CCD, including bacterial infection, viruses or man-made problems.

“The bottom line is no one knows what’s causing it,” Haviland was quoted.

But the bees did their job in almond orchards this year, taking advantage of a near-perfect pollination window in late February, mild spring weather and a fair summer.

The health of bee colonies for next season’s pollination period won’t be known until late winter when bees come out of hibernation, Nachtigal paraphrased Haviland.