Is THIS The Next Terrifying Shortage Under Biden?
(AmericanProsperity.com) – California is facing a severe drought, resulting in officials restricting the amount of water residents can use. While many can likely get away with watering their lawns once a week, farmers don’t have the same luxury, especially rice farmers. The amount of rice California produces this year will only be a fraction of its normal production.
Rice Reduction
Many people don’t realize that California is the nation’s second-largest domestic source of rice, behind only Arkansas. Colusa County is Sacramento Valley’s top rice grower, typically producing over 150,000 acres of rice in a year. Colusa officials have noted there will be a serious reduction in its production in 2022.
In fact, it’s an issue Sacramento Valley faces altogether as it looks to fallow 370,000 of its 450,000 acres of rice. In other words, farmers will prepare the land but won’t plant on over 80% of their fields. Colusa County will be planting around 7,000 acres, a fraction of its typical 150,000.
Water Woes
The underlying issue for farmers is the quantity of water officials are allowing them to use. California is experiencing a serious drought leading to harsh restrictions. The first half of California’s water went back into the ocean due to environmental reasons and endangered species of fish. As a result, Colusa County’s water allocation for 2022 was only 0.4-acre feet per acre.
The county noted the water allocation wouldn’t be “enough to support rice production.” Colusa County Administrator Wendy Tyler asserted “The economic devastation is unprecedented,” adding that “people aren’t dying, but businesses and communities are.”
Food Future
California Farm Water Coalition President Bill Diedrich stated that any produce farmers grow this year will end up on the shelves of stores the following year. He added that there could be a shortage of food in the next year due to the fact California isn’t currently growing rice on 300,000 acres.
Administrator Tyler declared that when farmers are unable to plant and grow crops, everyone in the supply chain will suffer at some point. The rice reduction comes as the world may already be facing a global food shortage due to the complicated conflict ongoing in Eastern Europe, where Russia and Ukraine are among the top grain producers in the world, namely when it comes to wheat and corn.
Could California’s drought further impact the global food supply? What does this mean for American families?
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