Farmers use water to grow our food, a basic need. No water, no farming, no food. Farmers have been stewards of our natural resources for generations, and have provided jobs and commerce. Despite California’s extensive aqueduct system, the current drought has severely strained surface water supplies.
As a result, groundwater is being pumped out at record rates, harming the state’s aquifers and sometimes other landowners. One of the reasons this is happening is that California lacks consistent groundwater management.
A number of lobbyists in Sacramento representing some farm groups – though certainly not all farmers – claim that farmers aren’t ready for groundwater regulation. Yet, many farmers acknowledge the need for well-thought-out groundwater management, especially in this time of drought and decreasing groundwater levels.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/15/6629533/viewpoints-farmers-want-reasonable.html