Even as wet weather finally descended on California yesterday, a UC Davis expert was briefing the California Board of Food and Agriculture about what will likely be a third year of drought in the Golden State, according to the Stockton Record.
Ag writer Reid Fujii noted that Richard Howitt, chairman of the UC Davis Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, apologized to the board for being the bearer of bad news after he told the board that potential water deliveries of just 15 percent of full allocation could cause the loss of 40,000 jobs in California and $1.15 billion in farm and related income.
Another speaker at the event described how one of his suppliers, a third-generation farming family, was forced to lay off all of its 20 full-time and 200 seasonal workers because of water shortages.
"Shame on all of us Californians," Stephen Patricia of Westside Produce said, for not taking steps to ensure an adequate water supply.