Consequences for Agriculture: Drought hits California’s farmers hard

California, the economically most important US state, is not only struggling with heat at the moment, but has also been facing a drought for two years. The consequences for the farmers are devastating.

Dry, brown earth as far as the eye can see. Farmer Joe Del Bosque’s farm in Northern California looks different this year than usual. Del Bosque usually grows asparagus, melons, almonds and cherries on his farm, which is over 1,000 football fields. But there isn’t enough water this year, he says. “You won’t see any plants growing in this field, no people working there, no food that is harvested,” Del Bosque told Reuters.

It is an economic catastrophe. No plants also mean less work for many people in the region. Mexican immigrants in particular usually stand in the fields and pick cherries or strawberries.

Water consumption subject to approval

Farmers are only allowed to use as much water as the California authorities allow them. And these quantities are getting smaller because the storage facilities in California are running dry. There has been another drought for two years. 2021 may be the driest year of all the drought years of the previous century, says Park Williams of UCLA Los Angeles, the TV channel PBS.

Great lakes like Folsom Lake in Northern California have hit an all-time low. However, the water, which the farmers need, is fed from these lakes.

Ranchers have to buy additional water dearly

Only farmers who grow vegetables or fruit have the opportunity to set aside their fields and thus save water. Ranchers like Loren Poncia, on the other hand, have to buy water at a high price. Because of this, he had to sell some of his cows, he says on local television. “I’m afraid I don’t sleep well. I think in the long run the prices of meat will rise, including milk, protein, vegetables, everything!” He says.

Meteorologist Eric Boldt of the US weather and oceanography authority NOAA looks to the coming months with concern. “If it doesn’t rain enough next winter, we’ll have to use even more groundwater,” he says. “If we look at the conditions now, we will see more forest fires in the summer, more heat waves and more smoke, so air pollution.” For Boldt, one thing is clear: the drought and heat waves are a sign that the earth’s temperature is rising. The California governor has already declared a drought emergency for almost all counties in California.