from drought to drenching storms Facing challenges
E xtraordinary events that California farmers, ranchers and agricultural communities faced in 2023 underscored what the nearly 29,000 members of the California Farm Bureau already knew: Our farmers and ranchers will rise to any challenge to produce the food and fiber that America needs, even as those challenges may change dramatically. After three years of withering drought conditions, California’s farming regions faced a deluge of rain and catastrophic flooding in 2023. While welcome storms filled reservoirs, they also breached levees, flooded farm fields, damaged crops and inundated dairies. In scenes of courage and resiliency, farmers and ranchers helped their neighbors, rallying to protect lives and property and rescue livestock. California Farm Bureau, which has long fought for
building and upgrading water-storage and flood- control infrastructure, let state officials know about the consequences of delaying critical projects that could have protected communities and captured more water for dry years. The governor was convinced to sign an executive order to cut through red tape and allow farmers and ranchers to direct floodwaters to replenish groundwater supplies. Infrastructure projects, including Sites Reservoir north of Sacramento, pushed closer to fruition. And our farmers and ranchers kept working, producing the bounty that makes California America’s most important agricultural sector. Farm Bureau fought for our agricultural communities and way of life, while providing our members with our full range of services in 2023.These numbers tell the story.
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