Tag Archive for: Agriculture

County’s Updated Conservation Plan Aims to Save More San Diego Farmland

/in , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Deborah Sullivan Brennan

More San Diego farmland will be eligible for an agricultural conservation program under new rules the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has approved. San Diego has lost much of its farmland over the past decade. Since 2009, about 60,000 acres — 20 percent of San Diego County’s agricultural land — has been converted to other uses. The county has tried to stem that decline through the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement, which is called the PACE program.

 

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County’s Updated Conservation Plan Aims to Save More San Diego Farmland

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Deborah Sullivan Brennan

More San Diego farmland will be eligible for an agricultural conservation program under new rules the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved Wednesday.

San Diego has lost much of its farmland over the past decade. Since 2009, about 60,000 acres — 20 percent of San Diego County’s agricultural land — has been converted to other uses.

The county has tried to stem that decline through the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement, which is called the PACE program.

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Reclaimed Water Could Be the Solution to Farming in a Drier Future

/in , , /by /Yes Magazineby Cirrus Wood

On a Saturday in late October, Carolyn Phinney is hip-deep in a half-acre of vegetables, at the nucleus of what will one day be 15 acres of productive farmland.

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California Drought, Dry Conditions Causing Concern for Farms and Agriculture

/in , , /by /ABC10
Much of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valley regions are seeing abnormally dry or drought-like weather so far in winter 2021.
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Arizona Changes ‘Use It or Lose It’ Water Law

/in , , /by /AZPM News (Arizona Public Media)by Ariana Brocious

A change in Arizona water law will let farmers and ranchers conserve water without worrying about losing their rights to it in the future.

Like most western states, Arizona water rights are “use it or lose it,” meaning that if farmers or ranchers don’t use their full amount for a certain number of years they risk forfeiting their rights forever. Kim Mitchell, senior water policy advisor with Western Resource Advocates, said that disincentivizes conservation at a time when we increasingly need more of it.

“We’re on the heels of 20 years of drought and now we have these recent commitments to divert less water from the Colorado River. And annual flow in many of our water courses have been decreasing with climate change and the drought that continues to grip the region,” Mitchell said.

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Valley Farmers Disappointed at Low Reservoir Water Allocation This Year

/in , , /by /ABC 30 (Fresno)by Dale Yurong

Valley farmers as well as communities that rely on surface water deliveries from reservoirs were disappointed to learn how low their allocations will be this year.

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Red Alert Sounding on California Drought, as Valley Gets Grim News About Water Supply

/in , , /by /The Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler and Ryan Sabalow

A government agency that controls much of California’s water supply released its initial allocation for 2021, and the numbers reinforced fears that the state is falling into another drought.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said Tuesday that most of the water agencies that rely on the Central Valley Project will get just 5% of their contract supply, a dismally low number. Although the figure could grow if California gets more rain and snow, the allocation comes amid fresh weather forecasts suggesting the dry winter is continuing.

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Feds Start 2021 with Light Water Supply for Valley Farmers

/in , , /by /San Joaquin Valley Sunby Alex Tavlian

Valley farmers had low expectations heading into the spring. Federal water authorities likely met them, to say the least.

Tuesday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced its first water allocations for farmers and water users along the Central Valley Project.

Light snowpack is, once again, the culprit, Federal officials said.

“Although we had a couple of precipitation-packed storms in January and early February, we are still well below normal for precipitation and snowfall this year,” said Bureau region director Ernest Conant. “We will monitor the hydrology as the water year progresses and continue to look for opportunities for operational flexibility.”

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Lack of Rain Could Potentially Impact Crops in the Central Valley

/in , , /by /Fox 26 Newsby Shelby Bracho

Crops are now blooming here in the San Joaquin Valley, which marks the beginning of harvest season for farmers.

As a drier-than-usual wet season continues to unfold, many are worried about how current drought conditions will impact this year’s crop.

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Drought-Stricken West Holds Out For More Than Just Dry Snow

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Susan Montoya Bryan

It’s a picture-perfect scene — the snow-dusted Sandia Mountains providing a backdrop to the dormant willow and cottonwood trees lining the Rio Grande.

While the recent snow has provided a psychological salve to the pains of a persistent drought, it won’t go far in easing the exceptional conditions that have taken hold of New Mexico over the past year.

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