In 1988, SAREP funded a small project, Comparing Organic to Conventional Culture Methods in Commercial Almond Production in Central California (Hendricks 1988-91), comparing two commercial almond operations in Merced County, one managed organically, the other conventionally farmed. The initial project expanded to a larger comparison of eight orchards. The results indicated that organic almonds could be produced economically without insecticides. This project was the impetus for the successful Biologically Integrated Orchard Systems (BIOS) program, jointly developed by SAREP and the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF).