San Joaquin Valley Archives

Billions in Coronavirus Aid will go to Farms. But Farmers say it’s Not Enough to Keep Them Afloat

May 4, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /CalMattersby Manuela Tobias

Ryan Indart says he may have to kill off some of the sheep at his east Clovis ranch this fall. With restaurants shuttered amid the coronavirus pandemic, he has no market for his animals. When a new flock arrives in October, he won’t have enough space in his pasture if his current flock is still there.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday a $3.6 million program to help farms and food banks stay afloat, coupled with a philanthropy pledge of $15 million. That promise came on the heels of a much larger federal aid package of $19 billion for farmers and ranchers across the country.

Farmers across the San Joaquin Valley echoed Indart’s concern.

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Groundwater Might Be Newest Cash Crop for Valley Farmers

April 14, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /GVWireby Lois Henry

San Joaquin Valley farmers may soon have another crop to sell along with almonds, tomatoes, and peppers — the groundwater beneath their land.

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SGMA To Dry Up One-Fifth of Irrigated SJ Valley Farmland

March 25, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Kimberlyn Velasquez /Western Farm Pressby Todd Fitchette

The cost of fallowing upwards of one million acres of farmland across California will be measured in the billions of dollars to the state’s economy as an estimated 85,000 jobs are lost and farm income declines by more than $7 billion annually, according to a university report.

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Opinion: Own Up to Bringing Water to Farmers and Help Put Food on American Families’ Tables

March 10, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Bakersfield Californianby Sen. Shannon Grove and Kristi Diener

California’s agriculture industry helps feed the world. California grows more than 400 food and fiber products including a third of the country’s vegetables and two-thirds of the nation’s fruits and nuts. In fact, 99.9 percent of our nation’s commodities, including peaches, artichokes, olives, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, and so many others, are grown right here in the Golden State. Further, we lead the nation in the supply of 75 total foods, such as broccoli, mandarins, carrots, corn, strawberries and more.

Food security for families depends on the ability of California farmers to continue producing. Growing food successfully depends on countless risk factors, such as weather changes, water allocations, labor availability and trade stability.

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Feds Ink Deal with Water District Tied to Bernhardt

March 3, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /E&E News by Jeremy P. Jacobs

The Trump administration on Friday awarded a permanent water delivery contract to the country’s largest agricultural district, brushing aside environmentalists’ concerns about California’s uncertain water future in the face of climate change.

At issue is irrigation water that flows through the Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project to the Westlands Water District, a Rhode Island-sized agricultural powerhouse and former client of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt.

Reclamation cast the agreement as a good deal: In return for a contract that lasts in perpetuity, Westlands pays off its debt for the Central Valley Project construction much faster. As of Sept. 30, 2018, Westlands owed about $480.7 million to the federal government.

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Trump’s Signature Could Mean More Water for Valley

February 19, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /GV Wire (Fresno, Calif.)by David Taub

More water will flow toward San Joaquin Valley farmers, President Donald Trump declared at an event in Bakersfield on Wednesday afternoon.

Trump announced the completion of biological opinions that will increase water allocations in Californians.

“A major obstacle to providing more water for the region’s farmers has now been totally eliminated by the government,” Trump said.

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New Online Interactive Tool Helps Californians Prepare for Future Drought

February 13, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /KSBW 8 (Salinas, Calif.)by Alani Letang

This rain-year has brought an alarmingly dry winter in California so far, according to climate change experts.

Now, there’s a new tool to help Californians navigate your water supply. It’s an online toll that allows a person to see the groundwater levels in their area. The tool then gives a representation of what could be at risk or impacted if a drought hits.

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Opinion: Hard to Swallow Newsom’s “Voluntary Agreements” Under the Threat of Doom

February 11, 2020/in California and the U.S., Home Headline, Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Sunby Wayne Western Jr.

First things first: you’d be wise to forget everything you’ve read or heard recently about “voluntary agreements,” which according to the usual suspects, will bring a just and peaceful end the seemingly never-ending battle over California water.

Not true. Not even close.

To be crystal clear: “voluntary agreements”, no matter who crafts and agrees to them, would result in more money and even more scarce surface water leaving the Valley.

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500,000 Acres of San Joaquin Cropland to go Fallow as Groundwater Management Goes Into Effect Over 20 Years

February 11, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /Sacramento Business Journalby Emily Hamann

Last month, many regions passed a major milestone in implementation of state legislation that has the potential to transform the way crops are farmed in the state.

At the end of January, big regions of the San Joaquin Valley had to turn in their plans for how residents and growers would comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

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Program Preps Communities for Next Drought

January 30, 2020/in California and the U.S., Media Coverage /by Mike Lee /The Sun-Gazette (Exeter, Calif.)

Whether or not you accept climate change as a reality, one thing is for certain – the San Joaquin Valley will have another drought. Throughout recorded history, the semi-arid Valley has had extended dry spells with little precipitation to moisten its fertile soil creating a micro climate of economic crisis. The Valley is still dealing with the effects of an overdrated groundwater basin including abandoned private wells, contamination in remaining rural wells and subsidence in its water conveyance systems.

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