This is the state of California agriculture in the fourth year of record-setting drought. With deliveries of surface water through state and federal pipelines slashed by 70 percent overall, the state’s 77,000 growers are struggling to produce the diverse agricultural bounty that makes California the nation’s leading farm state. At least 800,000 acres likely will
Despite the drought, the number of workers employed in California’s agricultural industry rose to its highest level in at least 24 years, as many farmers shifted toward labor-intensive, permanent crops, according to the latest state and federal statistics. The employment figures paint a more complicated picture than the message from some state officials and agricultural
Soil is the foundation for everything we’ve built — all agriculture and civilization must grow from healthy soils. And we’re heading straight for some hard limits, beyond which soils will no longer support us. Or, as UC Berkeley soil scientist Ronald Amundson and his colleagues put it in this paper, “Soil is the living epidermis
For the first time in nearly a century, farmers who normally receive canal water from the Fresno Irrigation District will get no regular deliveries this year. Fresno Irrigation general manager Gary Serrato said Thursday that the board decided to make only minimal water available for groundwater-recharge uses because its entitlement from the Kings River will
Global warming is on the tip of our tongues – when stoked by spices and seasonings. They add zesty tastes and healthful ingredients to meals at home in a few quick shakes – no scratch-cooking necessary. People are curious about what their neighbors eat, especially their multicultural neighbors. Also, the lofty pace of general market
The value of California’s merchandise export trade declined in March, falling 2.9% from the same month last year, according to a Beacon Economics analysis of foreign trade data released this morning by the U.S. Commerce Department. The state’s exports of goods to foreign markets in March totaled $14.98 billion, down from the $15.43 billion recorded
Irrigation leaders may reconsider providing water this year to recently annexed customers, including Trinitas Partners, because of strident protests from some established irrigators. Also, the Oakdale Irrigation District board on Tuesday raised this year’s historic water cap from 30 inches per parcel to 36 inches. They put off deciding whether allocations to so-called tier 2
Drought-related water cutbacks could affect several San Diego-area industries, according to one new study. Agriculture, breweries, dry cleaners, food manufacturers and construction firms could suffer in the face of water cutbacks, a National University System Institute of Policy Research (NUSIPR) study found, as those industries tend to use more water, though cutbacks will likely only
We join a vast coalition of citizens, working families, business leaders, family farmers, water experts and community-based groups in supporting the governor’s plan to update the aging system that supplies water to 25 million Californians and 3 million acres of farmland. Our failure to adequately invest in our water infrastructure is contributing significantly to our lack of
The Oakdale and South San Joaquin irrigation districts defied the federal government by diverting some Stanislaus River water to a local reservoir, where it might help thirsty crops, rather than releasing it down the river to benefit fish. The move follows an announcement that the irrigation districts are willing to go to extraordinary lengths, including