Agencies agree to reduce Colorado River water use The Biden administration announced agreements with California water agen- cies last week to conserve Colorado River water supplies and boost reservoir levels at Lake Mead. agreement to conserve some 100,000 acre-feet in 2023. proach and close collaboration among federal, state, tribal and local communi- ties. When we work together, we can find solutions to meet the challenges of these unprecedented drought conditions.”
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton joined federal, tribal and state leaders in Nevada in announcing agreements that federal officials say will conserve up to 643,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead. The nation’s largest reservoir, located near Las Vegas, is at about one-third of ca- pacity. But officials said 2023 storms raised Lake Mead levels by 40 feet higher than ex- pected for this time of year. The Coachella Valley Water District agreed to conserve up to 105,000 acre- feet of water, and the Quechan Indian Tribe agreed to save up to 39,000 acre- feet through 2025. Previously, the Imperial Irrigation District signed an
The bureau said additional agreements with the Palo Verde Irrigation District and Bard Water District are expected to be fi- nalized in coming weeks in cooperation with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Reclamation also said a second agreement is pending with the Coachella Valley Water District. “These agreements represent anoth- er critical step in our collective efforts to address the water management challeng- es the Colorado River Basin faces due to drought and climate change,” Touton said in a statement. “Addressing the drought crisis requires an all-hands-on-deck ap-
Officials also announced $295 million in federal funds to support water conser- vation projects to ease demands on the Colorado River. The Biden administration previously announced $4 billion funding from the Inflation Reduction Act would be made available to support water management and conservation efforts in the Colorado River Basin. The funds could be used for water-saving infrastructure and reimburs- ing farmers who fallow fields.
Seeds Continued from Page 5
Townsend, Wash., nonprofit dedicated to promoting “an abundant and diverse supply of organic seed.” But demand for organic seed in the United States still remains low, Zystro said. “There is real interest in growing the or- ganic seed market, but the challenge for seed producers is the demand side,” he said. “If we want to see investment in the needs of organic growers, we need to see some increased uptake in organic seed among growers.” Zystro said the Organic Seed Alliance’s 2022 State of Organic Seed report noted the seed market remains stagnant for vegeta- ble farms of more than 50 acres. “There is a lack of growth or decrease in use of organic seed among the largest vegetable farms,” he said. Michael Willey, North America pro- duction lead at Bayer Crop Science, appealed to growers at the Monterey gathering to reach out and tell seed companies if they want organic seed. Breeding programs can take between 10 to 12 years to produce seed at a large scale, Willey said. “We’re really hoping to partner with many of you and hopefully get into this space of producing organic seed if that is where you, our customer, are willing to go,” Willey said. Crisantes described some drawbacks to growing seed, including getting adjusted to a one-time payment for seed versus the constant cash flow of growing vegetables. He also listed benefits of growing organic seed, from predictable, set prices for the crop to rewarding relationships built with seed scientists. Zystro said growing more organic seed can boost crop genetics. He said unique strains of genetics are frequently discard- ed because the seed market is not robust enough to support diverse varieties. “There could be varieties addressing your production challenges or opportu- nities for new markets that you could cap- ture with unique colors and flavors,” Zystro said. “There could be a lot more options and more organic-tailored genetics if there was more investment.” Zystro said using organic seed reinforces organic integrity and standards while also maintaining a trusting relationship with consumers, who believe organic produce comes from organic inputs. “Whenever there is a discrepancy be- tween consumer expectation and the realities,” Zystro said, “it’s a risk point for everyone.” (Caitlin Fillmore is a reporter in Monterey County. She may be contacted at cslhfillmore@gmail.com.)
California Farm Bureau proudly endorses Nationwide ® for insurance and financial services Farm Bureau thanks the following Nationwide appointed agents * for their support California Farm Bureau proudly endorses Nationwide ® for insurance and financial services Not all listed agents may offer both insurance and financial services
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8 Ag Alert December 20, 2023
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