Because of the drought, many farmers in California are adapting by minimizing water use by using systems like drip irrigation that deliver water in the most efficient way possible. They’re also simply having to use far less water than many crops grown in California normally require to achieve proper yield.
It does however still take an adequate amount of water to produce the over 400 crops grown in The Golden State, so they can be shipped to eaters here in California, throughout the U.S, and overseas.
California feeds the nation and much of the world. The state produces foods you all love, wherever you live. Imagine your dinner table without food grown in California? Very limited. Rather boring. Less nutritious food for you and your family.
The reality is that farmers in California need to be allocated more water to grow food. It isn’t happening. As a result, farmland is being fallowed. Additionally, crop yields will be down, many crops won’t be planted, and the price of food will increase even more than it already has so far this year. A perfect storm, except this storm doesn’t offer any precipitation.
Meanwhile, residential water use in the state was way up last month, leading the Governor in late May to threaten state-mandated conservation measures for urban, suburban and rural residential water use, which he should do now instead of threaten to do, because if not now, he’ll have to do it anyway in a month or two when things get even worse. And they will. It’s very odd — and it’s poor public policy too — that he hasn’t done it already. Votes, perhaps? Or is he praying for rain? Maybe he’s waiting for Californians to take water conservation into their own hands? That’s a laudable goal — but it hasn’t worked in the past. It hasn’t worked so far this year either. I doubt it will happen soon. (As of June 23, Governor Gavin Newsom hasn’t proposed mandatory water rationing and his office says there currently aren’t plans to do so.)
The Governor might be afraid of mandates in general, after all those he imposed during the pandemic shutdown because so many Californians criticized his efforts, which from both a human standpoint and a political standpoint is perfectly understandable to me. But neither fear, nor loathing, will help get Californians to conserve water.
Much of the water use increase is for watering residential lawns so they look green and pretty. The city of Davis, home of the University of California at Davis, has demonstrated that reducing lawn watering is the most effective form of urban, suburban and rural residential water conservation. Professor Jay Lund at UC Davis has done empirical research on this and his data is available online or from the university.
Growing food or greening lawns with water, which is in scarce supply? You choose. The priority is a simple one to me — growing food. Conserve the most in areas where using water is the least important. Water for drinking, growing food, bathing and even industrial use are all more important than using it for watering residential and commercial building facility lawns. Priorities. Real vs. cosmetic needs. You choose.
Realize it or not, you’re a stakeholder in California agriculture if you eat food, particularly if you live in the state, but also if you live elsewhere and enjoy any of the 400-plus crops — almonds, lettuce, stone fruits, celery, cauliflower, artichokes, strawberries, grapes, citrus fruits, on and on — grown in the Golden State and sold in grocery stores in every state in the nation, as well as enjoyed by eaters in countries throughout the world.
We’re entering a hot summer in California farm country. The summer comes at a time when food prices are at their highest levels since the late 1970s due to runaway inflation. On top of this is the supply chain crisis, which continues to plague the country and is a major contributor to fast-rising grocery prices.
Growing food requires water. Farmers grow food and need an adequate amount of water to produce what’s needed to feed the country. The drought will result in fewer crops being grown in California this year. Less supply means higher prices, and even shortages, for food at grocery stores and restaurants.
The governor and California policy-makers need to elevate agriculture’s priority on their public policy agenda. They also need to advocate for California agriculture with federal water authorities and the state’s members of Congress, along with President Biden and others in the administration. Food and farming matters in California. The drought isn’t going away any time soon. The Golden State’s farmers and agrifood industry, as well as consumers who rely on the state’s 400-plus crops, need action.
My Job Depends on Ag Magazine columnist and contributing editor Victor Martino is an agrifood industry consultant, entrepreneur and writer. One of his passions and current projects is working with farmers who want to develop their own branded food products. You can contact him at: victormartino415@gmail.com.
