Water, flood impacts inspire dialogue at Capitol Ag event
By Christine Souza As California farmers and ranch- ers work through challenges including
water bond to fund such projects, which face burdensome regulatory reviews and delays. “Why can’t we do better as a state?” Johansson asked. Kounalakis said the water projects must go through “very cumbersome processes.” She added, “Right now, with all this water, people are saying, ‘Well, the drought’s over, right? How could it not be over? Look at all this water.’ If it rains more and melts too fast, you’re not going to capture it.” San Diego County egg farmer Frank Hilliker suggested that the state repair existing dams to bolster water supply. “There are 53 dams in the county, with 10 of them considered high haz- ard, which means they cannot be filled,” Hilliker said. “We have about 140,000 acre-feet to 150,000 acre-feet of water we could be storing down in San Diego, and this is probably indicative through- out the state. Isn’t it a little bit easier to fix the dams we have, so we can fill them up?” Kounalakis answered, “Those are the kinds of projects that I want to know about.” As warm temperatures melt the snow- pack and water is lost to aridification, Dorene D’Adamo, vice chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board, said the California Department of Water Resources expects the state’s surface water supplies to decrease 10%, or 6 million acre-feet, by 2040. The Newsom administration is acting on a strategy to make up for the antici- pated shortfall, D’Adamo said, by “really accelerating efforts through a number of different categories.” She said those efforts, including working to complete water projects under Proposition 1, can add an additional 2.7 million acre-feet of off-stream storage and groundwa- ter storage. Other projects she touted include conveyance improvements, the delta tunnel, water recycling and groundwater recharge. Johansson applauded executive or- ders by Gov. Gavin Newsom last month as positive steps for agriculture and water users. One order temporarily lifts permit restrictions so water users can di- vert floodwaters to farmland for ground- water recharge. Another suspends drought regulations, including curtail- ment orders put in place two years ago for certain watersheds. Johansson said, “The governor has taken some positive steps, so we will give credit where credit is due.” D’Adamo noted that Newsom re- scinded some drought curtailment orders issued by the state water board two years ago. In the watersheds where the curtailments have been lifted, she said, “That’s helpful for many that can breathe a sigh of relief.” But she said cur- tailments remain in “watersheds where we’re continuing to see significant fish flow issues, and that’s the Scott (River) and the Shasta (River).”
floods and droughts, water cutbacks, crop damage, inflation and supply-chain disruptions, they look to engage with government leaders on solutions.
At the California Farm Bureau’s Capitol Ag Conference in Sacramento, members from across the state went to work on the organization’s legislative agenda—with Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, state lawmakers and agency officials present for direct conversations. “There is a better way,” said Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson, as he opened the event by championing grassroots advocacy by member farm- ers and ranchers. “We think it has a lot to do with our policy book, with the decisions that we make at our county levels and at our state levels. “There is a better way, and lawmak- ers are going to be open to the concerns because they’re hearing it from their constituents. They’re hearing about the high prices, high energy costs and the lack of water,” he said. “It’s even ap- parent in the media: ‘Why are we in a drought with all this water running out to the ocean? Why can’t we keep some of this water?’” Kounalakis, the keynote speaker, an- swered questions from Johansson and attendees on water, energy, the state budget, higher education and more. A California native who grew up in rural Sacramento County, Kounalakis is the state representative for international affairs and trade, and previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Hungary. She told farmers about her father, a prominent real estate developer who immigrated to the U.S. from Greece as a teenager and worked briefly in agriculture. She praised the state’s farmers and ranchers for the work they do. “When it comes to farming sustain- ably, when it comes to the best labor practices, I think it’s safe to say anywhere in the world, when it comes to the qual- ity of the agriculture and the quantity of the agriculture, nothing compares to California,” Kounalakis said. “No place in the world farms the way that you farm. “It should be very, very well known, cer- tainly in Sacramento in the Legislature, of what it has taken and how proud Californians should be about our ag in- dustry,” she added. “I will do my part to help make sure that the message and the word gets out.” With flooding impacting many California communities, Johansson pointed to the need to capture water for future use. He added that many water infrastructure projects have been in the works for decades, such as building Sites Reservoir and Temperance Flat Dam and raising Shasta Dam. In 2014, state voters approved the $7.1 billion Proposition 1
California Farm Bureau President Jamie Johansson, above, interviews Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, who described Farm Bureau as “an incredibly important voice for agriculture.” At right, Dorene D’Adamo, vice chair of the California State Water Resources Board, delivers a presentation on water supply, infrastructure and regulations.
2023 Health & Safety on the Farm and Ranch
Members, enjoy access to free classes! Register for the upcoming training webinars.
California Farm Bureau is pleased to offer this year-long program of training sessions presented by Nationwide. Select topics will be presented in both English and Spanish.
Trainings will be presented via Zoom. The Hazardous Agricultural Materials (HAM) training must be attended in person at a participating County Farm Bureau office or at the California Farm Bureau office in Sacramento.
For a list of class dates and to register, visit cfbf.com/FBE or call (800) 698-FARM for assistance.
You will receive a Zoom link and details two days prior to your selected webinar date.
See SPEAKERS, Page 16
April 5, 2023 Ag Alert 15
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