Despite deficit, state must invest to protect farming
By Christopher Reardon As California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom embark on their annual
need protections from both extremes. Since 2021, Newsom and lawmakers have committed to spend nearly $8.7 bil- lion on issues directly related to drought and flood control. Newsom’s budget pro- posal would cut that amount by $194 mil- lion. A separate budget cut would strip away $40 million in funding intended for flood-plain projects. Those projects would allow for rivers to flood in strate- gic places during winter storms or Sierra snowmelt, therefore reducing risks for downstream populations while also pro- viding for beneficial ecosystems. The good news is that Newsom admin- istration officials now acknowledge that recent storms and flooding impacts have elevated policymakers’ understanding of the importance of flood investments. The hope here is that the governor and Legislature will reconsider and invest in and fast track groundwater recharge ef- forts, maximize stormwater capture, sup- port reservoir repair and expansion and modernize water conveyance systems. There are other considerations that need to be reviewed as we look at this year’s budget, starting with food security and ensuring healthy choices at afford- able prices for all Californians. Food pric- es spiked by nearly 10% last year amid the highest inflationary surge in 40 years. Yet California farmers continued to fallow large swaths of prime agricultural lands due to water shortages as California failed to deliver on needed infrastructure to manage its most precious resource. How do you explain that to rural farming communities facing uncertain futures with double-digit unemployment rates? In short, we must ensure that we can move water to support the people work- ing to grow the food we all consume. Additionally, we need to ensure tools
budget dance, the state finds itself facing a projected $22.5 billion defi- cit. State budget watchers suggest the deficit will continue to climb before the annual budget revision process in May. Only a year ago,
Dust blows over an idled field in the Klamath Basin in 2022. Prime agricultural lands were fallowed statewide as California cut water deliveries, failed to deliver on infrastructure and explored new policies
that could harm farm production.
Christopher Reardon
California boasted a budget surplus of $100 billion. The Newsom administration had pots of money to distribute, with no worries about making painful budget cuts that could now affect a wide variety of ser- vices. Recently, the California Legislative Analyst Office reported, “The current eco- nomic environment poses a substantial risk to state revenues.” It remains to be seen what things will look like as the budget process winds through the Legislature, but you can be sure there will be program cuts and proj- ects put on hold—particularly if the defi- cit keeps growing. And yet, amid times of extreme competition for state resources, California must seriously consider new in- vestments in infrastructure—starting with a 21st century water system constructed for the changing nature of our climate. Historically, California has acted to pro- tect its future, even during times of budget stress. But after three years of devastating drought, followed by a sudden deluge of storms, California can’t afford to hide and wait. We’re told that future weather pat- terns will most likely careen between at- mospheric rivers and long, dry conditions. Our cities and critical agriculture sector
Photo/Rob Wilson/University of California Intermountain Research and Extension Center
for pest management continue to be safe, affordable and accessible to farmers. The Department of Pesticide Regulation has been engaging in discussions on increas- ing the mill assessment, a fee on the sale of all registered pesticides, without ade- quately explaining the need for includ- ing such an increase in the state budget. This seems to reflect a view that some- how California’s pesticide regulatory program doesn’t work. In fact, our state has the most comprehensive pesticide regulations in the world, including rigor- ous oversight by state and local agencies. Finally, it seems that the economic im- pact of agriculture in this state is too often taken for granted. Our farmers and ranch- ers and agricultural businesses produced more than $55 billion in revenue in 2020. California agriculture employs more than 400,000 people and grows more than 400 commodity crops, producing more than one-third of U.S vegetables and two- thirds of America’s fruits and nuts. We are also the nation’s top dairy and wine
producer, while exporting $22 billion in agricultural products around the world. So, as you may imagine, agriculture has a lot at stake in the state budget process. California Farm Bureau’s government affairs team will be actively participating in discussions in Assembly and Senate budget subcommittees, in the May bud- get revise and subsequent budget confer- ence committee sessions later this spring. California has a long history of making historic investments during times of eco- nomic uncertainty, ever mindful of safe- guarding our communities—urban and rural—for the years ahead. In this year’s challenging budget process, we must con- tinue working to build needed infrastruc- ture to protect our water resources so our farmers may grow the food and fiber to meet the demands of the future. (Christopher Reardon is director of governmental affairs for the California Farm Bureau. He may be contacted at creardon@cfbf.com.)
VOL. 50, NO. 7
February 15, 2023
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