ABC Form No. 52 (Exp. 11/2022) OMB No. 0581-0242

ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE DIRECT VERIFIABLE (DV) PROGRAM 

FOR FURTHER PROCESSING OF UNTREATED ALMONDS

Pursuant to § 981.42 of the almond marketing order - 7 CFR Part 981, and as specified in § 981.442(b) of the marketing order’s 

regulations, handlers shall subject their almonds to a treatment process or processes that have been determined to achieve in total 

a minimum 4-log reduction of Salmonella bacteria. Handlers may treat the almonds prior to shipment, ship the almonds under 

the DV program to approved manufacturers (DV Users) who treat the almonds accordingly before the almonds are moved into 

consumer channels,

1 or ship untreated almonds outside of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Handlers must label each 

container of untreated almonds with the term “unpasteurized.” The Almond Board of California (Board or ABC) locally 

administers the marketing order, with oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

All Applicants Must Meet the Following Criteria:

1. Receive almonds directly2 from a handler or from another DV user as specified below:

2. Subject such almonds to a treatment process or processes using a technology that has been determined to achieve in total a 

minimum 4-log reduction in Salmonella, pursuant to a letter of determination issued by the Food and Drug Administration, 

accepted by a scientific review panel as identified by the Board, or as established by a Board-approved process authority;

3. Have a documented product traceability program in place that tracks the receipt and processing of almonds by such DV 

User;

4. Identify the manufacturing locations where treatment will occur or the warehouses where raw almonds will be stored by the 

manufacturer operating under the DV program – handlers may only ship to those specific approved locations; 

5. DV Users must provide documentation that their treatment technologies and equipment have been validated by a process 

authority approved by the Board. Treatment technology and equipment that have been modified to the point where 

operating parameters such as time, temperature, or volume change, must be revalidated;

6. Any almonds which will not be treated must be returned to a handler, shipped to another DV User approved by the Board, 

shipped to locations outside the United States, Canada, and Mexico (containers must remain labeled as “unpasteurized”), or 

disposed of in non-edible channels; 

7. Provide for audit by a Board-approved DV auditor; and 

8. Maintain all records regarding validation and verification of the treatment method, processing, and product traceability. 

Such records shall be retained for two years, and will be made available for review by the Board or its agent.

Procedures for Shipping to Approved DV Users:

1. Handlers must obtain a DV User code, issued by the Board, confirming that the DV User agrees to all the requirements 

specified in the application prior to shipping untreated almonds directly to DV user facilities;

2. Handlers must include the Board-issued DV User code on documentation that accompanies the lot, (e.g. shipping 

documentation) to provide traceability from the handler to the DV User and a basis for inspection. Handler records must be 

maintained for two years; and

3. Handlers must only ship directly to the approved locations – lots cannot be shipped to a third party, or delivered to a 

different location than those approved in the DV application.

4. Handlers must identify each container of almonds shipped to a DV user with the term “unpasteurized.” The lettering must 

be on one outside principal display panel, at least 1⁄2 inch in height, clear and legible.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a 

collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is OMB 

0581-0242. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 60 minutes per response, including the time for 

reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection 

of information.

 1 Applications will be reviewed and approved by the ABC Technical Expert Review Panel (TERP). Should the 

applicant disagree with TERP’s decision, it may appeal the decision in writing to the Board and ultimately to 

USDA.

2 This can include receipt at a manufacturer’s warehouse.
ABC Form No. 52 (Exp. 11/2022) OMB No. 0581-0242

ALMOND BOARD OF CALIFORNIA

DIRECT VERIFIABLE (DV) PROGRAM FOR FURTHER PROCESSING OF UNTREATED ALMONDS

APPLICATION FORM

As outlined in the attached document, the Direct Verifiable (DV) Program enables a manufacturer who meets the outlined criteria 

to become an approved DV User and to receive untreated almonds. Manufacturers approved under the DV program certify that 

they have a treatment process in place which conforms with the requirements outlined in § 981.442(b) of the Federal marketing 

order regulating almonds grown in California - 7 CFR Part 981. Authority for this program is provided in § 981.42 of the order.

In consideration of the approval of this application, this document serves as an agreement by _____________________________ 

(Direct Verifiable applicant) for __________(crop year) to receive and further process untreated almonds from Almond Handlers. 

The manufacturing locations or warehouses covered by this agreement include:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Address) (City) (State) (Country) (Processing/Warehouse)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Address) (City) (State) (Country)(Processing/Warehouse)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Address) (City) (State) (Country)(Processing/Warehouse)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Address) (City) (State) (Country)(Processing/Warehouse)

The DV User agrees that all untreated almonds received from the almond handler shall meet the requirements outlined in the application criteria. 

The DV User agrees to provide with this application documentation, if applicable, from a Board-approved process authority establishing that the 

technology and equipment provide a treatment process that complies with the requirements outlined in paragraph (6)(i) of § 981.442(b), or that 

has been established by a Board-approved process authority.

Undersigned hereby certifies to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Board that the information supplied herein is complete and correct 

and that the above agreement as to usage and reporting is accepted. The making of any false statement or representation on this form, knowing it 

to be false, is a violation of Title 18, section 1001, United States Code, which provides for the penalty or imprisonment, or both.

Date___________________ Company________________________________________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________

Telephone (______)______________________ Fax (_____)_______________________ 

Email Address____________________________________________________________

By_____________________________________ Title____________________________

 (Authorized person)

 For ABC Use:

Date Received by ABC: MM/DD/YR

Date Approved by ABC: MM/DD/YR

Approved DV User Number: YR/CMPY/___

Effective for Crop Year: August 1 – July 31, 20___

Date DV User Notified of Approval: MM/DD/YR
ABC Form No. 52 (Exp. 11/2022) OMB No. 0581-0242

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 

Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 

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program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American 

Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA 

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To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at 

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