Just when I think that things can't get any harder or worse for California farmers, I am horrified to be wrong. Our severe drought is causing more hardship for them including severe restrictions on water use.
This NY Times article talks about both the economic hardships and the hardships the drought has brought to the Central Valley, especially the town of Mendota which now has a 35 percent unemployment rate (and no, that's not a typo)!!! As the mayor says in the article, "People are saying, ‘Are you a third world country?’"
Other grim facts the article points out: "Last year, during the second year of the drought, more than 100,000 acres of the 4.7 million in the valley were left unplanted, and experts predict that number could soar to nearly 850,000 acres this year. All of which could mean shorter supplies and higher prices in produce aisles — California is the nation’s biggest producer of tomatoes, almonds, avocados, grapes, artichokes, onions, lettuce, olives and dozens of other crops"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/22/us/22mendota.html
We are still the number one agricultural state so this affects all us, truly sad what's happening in our state.
No comments:
Post a Comment