From Shasta to Folsom, shriveled reservoirs show depths of California’s drought disaster [Sacramento Bee]
… California’s reservoirs, normally the bulwark of the state’s elaborate water system, have been left defenseless by a drought that seems to worsen by the day. … It adds up to a terrible summer — for the environment, for agriculture. … Jeffrey Mount, a water expert at the nonprofit Public Policy Institute of California, said reservoirs have been drained in order to serve the agricultural contractors of the feds’ Central Valley Project. … Yet government officials say they haven’t been sacrificing the reservoirs simply to keep farms afloat. … But certain groups of farmers have special historical water rights that guarantee them plenty of water. … Environmentalists say that’s an outrage — and the farmers’ legal rights shouldn’t take precedence over long-held environmental rules and regulations.
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/water-and-drought/article251954358.html
Drought calls for desperate measures from Northern California farmers [North Bay Business Journal]
… As the current drought wears on — it began last year — it’s becoming even more difficult for the ranching community, which mostly depends on surface water, noted Stefan Parnay, Marin County’s agricultural commissioner. … In Napa County, where wine grapes make up most of the region’s agriculture, producers like David Wilson have been trying to stay ahead of the drought amidst the uncertainty of how long it will last. “Our focus this season so far has just been to get in early for all of our practices because we’re trying to conserve the moisture that is there,” said Wilson, a second-generation farmer at Rancho Chimiles and a member of the Napa County Farm Bureau’s board of directors. … Sonoma County Farm Bureau Executive Director Tawny Tesconi said the impact of the drought can best be assessed through variances among three regions.
https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/article/dry-times-call-for-desperate-measures/
Drought conditions already hurting California growers [KTXL TV, Sacramento]
Harvest season is months away, but growers in Sutter and Yuba counties say they can foresee a disastrous crop because of troubling drought conditions. … The drought has dried out the soil, so peach, prune, almond, pecan and walnut trees need even more water than usual. … There are plenty of orchards in the area that look healthy, but appearances can be deceiving. … There are more troubles ahead come this winter because young trees are vulnerable to frost if there is not enough water in the ground. … Already, the dry ground conditions have caused growers to advance water schedules with water that is already in short supply.
https://fox40.com/news/local-news/drought-conditions-already-hurting-california-growers/
Sustainable farming helps Salinas Valley ag industry fight drought [KSBW TV, Monterey/Salinas]
Have you ever been driving through the Salinas Valley and noticed how green the crops are against the golden hills? How do those crops get their water? The water comes straight from rainfall. It’s all local water. … You may think the lack of water the past two years would immediately impact our crops but because most of the water comes from underground from up to five years ago, it’s a slow impact. … Farmers keep high hopes for wet weather next season and until then all they can do is limit their water intake so other farms can get the water they need.
Biden to launch task force on bottlenecks in supply chains [Associated Press]
The Biden administration has completed a 100-day review of supply chains and will form a task force to address the bottlenecks in the semiconductor, construction, transportation and agriculture sectors. … The new task force will be led by the secretaries of Commerce, Agriculture and Transportation to focus on parts of the economy where there is a mismatch between supply and demand. Besides the task force, the administration will take several other steps to bolster supply chains, with an effort spread across the government. … The Agriculture Department will spend more than $4 billion to strengthen the supply chain for food.
Opinion: How California can create a more equitable food system [CalMatters]
… In his May budget proposal, Gov. Newsom affirmed the need for significant investments in a healthier and more equitable food system. … Assembly Bill 125, a bond proposal that has bipartisan support in the Legislature and enthusiasm from more than 160 groups, also would invest around $3 billion during five years in food system infrastructure projects, workforce training and the technical assistance needed for these projects to succeed. … We urge the Governor and the Legislature to approve comprehensive funding to ensure a climate-smart, healthy, and more equitable food and farming system for all.
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