Water Scarcity’s Economic Toll on California Agriculture: Why We Must Act Now If egg prices are any indication of what happens when a disruption occurs in our food supply, consumers should prepare for rising prices and reduced availability in other aisles of the grocery store as well. Unlike temporary and short-lived supply interruptions like those affecting egg prices today, we should all be concerned about the effect of increased water shortages on the fruits, nuts, and vegetables that have long been grown in California. Background It’s no secret that water is the lifeblood of California agriculture. It is fuel for the industry that feeds the nation and sustains our rural communities. But as droughts intensify, as some experts say they will,

California Agriculture: Dispelling Myths and Correcting the Record California’s agricultural sector has long been the subject of debate, particularly regarding its use of water and environmental impacts. A recent article published by Al Jazeera titled “California Water Wars: A Century of Wrangling Over Los Angeles’s Water” presents a misleading and incomplete picture of California’s agricultural water and its role in the state’s economy.   Too often columnists lean on sensationalist claims, biased or incomplete information, and outdated, inaccurate tropes when describing California agriculture and water, as in this article published by Al Jazeera.   The article fails to provide a nuanced, data-driven perspective, instead favoring a simplistic narrative that misrepresents the facts. California’s farmers are not reckless water users—they are stewards

California’s Water Allocations Get a Boost— and Why It Matters for the Nation’s Food Supply Guide California’s water management is famously complex, relying on a network of reservoirs, aqueducts, rivers, and groundwater basins to meet the needs of farms, cities, and the environment. In recent years, the state has endured extended drought conditions and seen years of abundance. The surge in precipitation through February has provided a welcome boost to water supplies, and there remains time to further advance on those gains- smart management of water resources in California is critical to the people of California, and the nation. February’s Atmospheric Rivers Bring Welcome Relief February’s storms delivered significant rainfall and substantial snowpack to many parts of California. As of February

Farmers understand the vital importance of water, not only for their farms, livelihoods, and farm-based communities, but also for surrounding ecosystems. The recent developments in California’s approach to water management and environmental restoration offer a promising path forward for both agriculture and the environment.

It’s no secret that water policy in California is incredibly complex—so complex, in fact, that it rarely fits neatly into a headline or a 30-second news clip. Yet, this complexity has real-world consequences that ripple far beyond the pages of newspapers or social media feeds and into the very fields that feed millions of people across the nation.

The recently released drought map from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) looks like another looming crisis, which is red meat for journalists. The data made available by the U.S. Drought monitor on January 1 highlights areas categorized as “abnormally dry” or in “moderate drought.” However, a closer look at other data from the California Data Exchange Center (CDEC) presents a contrasting perspective, showing that 14 of the state’s 17 largest reservoirs are currently at or above year-to-date historical averages.