Jerry Brown Defends Drought Order That Doesn't Limit Farmers

[RandySF]

Gov. Jerry Brown on Sunday defended his order requiring Californians statewide to cut back on their water use in a historic mandate that spares those who consume the most — farmers.

As California endures a fourth year of drought, Brown's order this week requires towns and cities statewide to draw down water use by 25 percent compared with 2013 levels. While past reductions were voluntary, Brown said he is using his emergency powers to make the cuts mandatory.

Martha Raddatz, host of ABC's "This Week" public affairs program, asked Brown why the order doesn't extend to California farmers, who consume 80 percent of the state's water supply but make up less than 2 percent of the state's economy. Brown said farmers aren't using water frivolously on their lawns or taking long showers.

"They're providing most of the fruits and vegetables of America to a significant part of the world," he said.

Brown said that before the cutbacks, some California farmers had already been denied irrigation water from federal surface supplies, forcing them to leave hundreds of thousands of acres unplanted. Many vulnerable farm laborers are without work, he said. Farmers who don't have access to surface water have increased the amount of water pumped from limited groundwater supplies.



http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/gov-jerry-brown-defends-drought-order-spares-farmers-30109223

[99th_Monkey]

1. Exempting Farmers from water regs is one thing

Exempting Big Oil refineries & Frackers is another.
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/04/03/dry-california-thirsty-oil-and-big-ag-industries-exempt-water-regulations

[tularetom]

2. Brown has been a fantastic governor in all respects but

he's dead wrong about this.

Agriculture is responsible for less than 5% of the states GDP but consumes more than 80% of the available water.

And quite frankly, who benefits from the gazillions of tons of almonds that require the use of gazillions of gallons of water, only to be imported to China? These aren't mom and pop farmers, they're corporate food factories and the rest of us are once again going to be penalized so that these corporations can make a profit.

I think Brown really stepped on his weenie this time, and I predict if the situation worsens and the restrictions become more draconian, he will face a revolt of the state's water users.

[XemaSab]

3. I don't have a problem with feeding the US

but the rest of the world can grow its own food.

[BeyondGeography]

4. Sounds like kid glove treatment for agriculture

He has already kicked the can down the road on issues like groundwater sustainability. I hope the people of CA stay on Jerry's and Big Ag's ass.

[Submariner]

5. Brown should ban almond farming

California's worst drought on record isn't stopping the state from growing massive amounts of nuts: The state produces over 80 percent of the world's almonds and 43 and 28 percent of the world's pistachios and walnuts, respectively. As Mother Jones' Tom Philpott details in this longread, the state's almond market in particular has taken off: What was a $1.2 billion market in 2002 became $4.8 billion market by 2012.

Why are the almond growth rates so...nuts? (Sorry.) One reason is that the average American now eats two pounds of the crunchy snack per year—more than twice as much as a decade ago. But the biggest demand is coming from abroad: The US now exports 70 percent of almonds.



California's Almonds Suck as Much Water Annually as Los Angeles Uses in Three Years

http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2015/01/almonds-nuts-crazy-stats-charts

[Wellstone ruled]

6. Most Ag operators are covered by

Federal Water rules not state. Called Federal Water Allotments.

[tularetom]

7. Not ground water

Those allotments only apply to water delivered by projects constructed by the US Bureau of Reclamation (dams and surface water impoundments). And the limits imposed by the USBR in the early 20th century have been amended so many times that they are virtually meaningless anymore.

What makes it worse is that California is the only state that provides no regulation of ground water. None, nada, zilch, squat. In 2015. You can put a giant straw into the earth and suck up a thousand years worth of accumulated water in a day and they can't stop you.

[Wellstone ruled]

9. What a loophole.

Most states control ground water irrigation wells. That is a major hole much like Arizona were the big veggie growers switched to Alfalfa which takes double to trip the necessary water. Worst part,this hay is sold to China and Japan as well as Korea at three times the local market price.

[The River]

8. When Thirst Comes to Shove

and there is no more water for human consumption, our Governor will have no choice.

Irony alert: As I type this, it's raining like hell outside, a bit northeast of Sac.