California Ag Today California Ag Today

Greg and Monica Willems are bringing growers and consumers remarkable new blueberry varieties.  Their California Berry Genetics is one of the top blue berry nurseries in the nation. New varieties such as Sweet Duchess, Early Duchess, and Blue Duchess will be sold under the Farm to Table Berries brand.

Joe Del Bosque is a long-time farmer in Wester Fresno and Merced Counties. He farms almonds, melons an other crops.  He said farmers are selling their land and giving up their professions and the state wants to buy out other farms for the water rights!

The vast majority of food, produced in the US, comes from California, which is experiencing another drought. However, for food security, sound policies must be made to allow farmers to get surface water for their crops. Too much water flows to the Pacific Ocean, which should go to farmers!

For decades, Mario Santoyo is someone who has fought hard for water for California Farmers. He describes the catastrophic nature of SGMA.

William Bourdeau is Vice President of Harris Farms, a Director of Westlands Water District, and Chairman of the Board of the California Water Alliance. He speaks about preserving the California Food Supply for the Future.

Mario Santoyo served as assistant manager for 30 years on the Friant Water Users Authority, and then served as Executive Director for the San Joaquin Valley Water Infrastructure Authority representing the counties of Merced, Madera, Fresno, Tulare,  and Kings, in order to promote the building of Temperance Flat Dam. He has seen many zero allocations and has been bruised badly trying to insure water for California Agriculture. This is part 1 of his dire prediction for the Agricultural industry in California.