At a recent Ag Breakfast Club meeting in Fresno, CA, farmers joined English-American Commentator Steve Hilton live on Fox News to share their urgent need for increased water allocations, among other challenges that need to be addressed to support agriculture across the state. Former policy adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron, Steve is also seriously considering running to succeed Governor Newsom in 2026. Watch as Steve joins Matthew Malcolm on California Ag Network to discuss his views supporting agriculture and the need for a “California revolution”.
Tag: California Drought
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Central Valley Farmer Responds to Initial 2025 Water Allocation
On February 25, the Central Valley Water Project announced an initial farm water allocation of 35%. This comes as welcome news to farmers that were hampered last year around the same time by an initial allocation of only 15%. Watch this brief interview with pistachio/carrot grower and Director at Westlands Water District William Bourdeau, as he shares his perspective on the announcement on California Ag Network with Matthew Malcolm.
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Congressman Duarte Addresses Water Issues & Solutions for California Ag
Despite the great rainfall and snowpack California has experienced in the last couple years, little of this abundance has been shared with agriculture or even saved for the inevitable times of drought that lay ahead. Farmers are fed up with the state’s many years of mismanagement of our water resources and lack of practical investment in our water future. This led a farmer to run for congress and bring some new, realistic solutions to the table. Watch this brief interview with Representative John Duarte from the 13th Congressional District of California as he shares some of these priorities that offer relatively quick and longterm water availability benefits for farmers and all Californians.
Special thanks to American Pistachio Growers for sponsoring this video.
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California Growers Celebrate Legislative Win Supporting Groundwater Recharge
Last Fall, Governor Newsom signed SB 659, The California Water Supply Solutions Act of 2023, sponsored by the California Association of Winegrape Growers and the Regional Water Authority in Sacramento. But what does this mean for California farmers implementing groundwater recharge practices in the coming months? Watch this video with Michael Miiller from the California Association of Winegrape Growers to find out.
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LandFlex Succeeds as an Incentivizing Farmer-Driven Solution for SGMA Compliance
Permanently retiring millions of acres of productive California farmland is not a solution the growing world population needs right now. That is why a new program, known as LandFlex was created, providing an alternative solution to assist farmers in meeting the requirements of SGMA. Millions of dollars of LandFlex funding have recently been awarded to serve farmers within critically overdrafted basins of California. Watch this video with Anja Raudabaugh, CEO Western United Dairies, to learn more about the success of the program.
Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.
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Application Deadline Approaching for On-Farm Water Recharge Incentive Funding
It’s very important for California farmers to know that not only will there be more funding available in the next round of the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), but the application deadline is coming much earlier this year. And for growers that are interested in getting some incentive funding for participating in on-farm groundwater recharge, applications are due by Nov. 3rd. Watch this brief interview with Wendy Rash from NRCS to learn more.
Please thank this video’s sponsor afimilk for their industry support.
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Turlock Irrigation District Comments on Serving Farmers in a Wet Year
With the bountiful supply of much needed rain and snowpack over the winter and spring, watch this brief interview with Michelle Reimers from Turlock Irrigation District as she shares how they are utilizing it, serving and protecting their farming customers this summer with full water allocations.
Please thank this video’s sponsor G3 Enterprises for their industry support.
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California Farmland to Serve State in Recharging Groundwater Supply
The Governor of California recently issued an Executive Order allowing local water districts to utilize floodwater for groundwater recharge purposes, a record amount of which will take place on California farmland. This is desperately needed and welcomed by farmers and other water users all over the state that have suffered decades of drought conditions. Watch this brief interview with Adam Borchard from the California Fresh Fruit Association for more insight on what the announcement entails.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Ranch Systems for their industry support.
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Exploring Different Options for On-Farm Groundwater Recharge
While they can’t make it rain, California water districts and farmers are finding creative ways to be a part of the solution to severe drought conditions and subsiding groundwater levels by sinking water back into the earth during the “wet season”. Watch this brief interview with Chase Hurley from Triangle T Water District as he shares some success stories and different ways growers and water districts can approach groundwater recharge.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
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NRCS Incentive Funding for On-farm Groundwater Recharge Projects
As drought conditions persist in California, farmers are making the most of every drop of water they use. However, there may be more they can do during the rainy season to put water back into the ground with assistance of the USDA-NRCS. Watch this brief interview with California Water Quality Specialist Wendy Rash to find out.
Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.