Anna Boser News Today

California farmers could save a lot of water, but would have to go for less profitable crops

Noozhawk republishes news articles from CalMatters on state and local policy issues that impact Santa Barbara County readers.  California farmers could

California farms could use 93% less water but less-thirsty crops, such as grains and hay, are much less lucrative than nuts and fruits. Fallowing a small fraction of the thirstiest

While some legislation sets out extreme methods to save water, this new study says there are simple, less extreme steps that could be taken.

<p>While Hollywood and Silicon Valley love the limelight, California is an agricultural powerhouse, too. Agricultural products sold in the Golden State totaled $59 billion in 2022. But rising temperatures, declining precipitation and decades of over pumping may require drastic changes to farming. Legislation to address the problem could even see fields taken out of cultivation.</p>