Report: Ag corporations boom despite California’s historic drought
California is suffering from its worst drought in 1,200 years, but that hasn’t prevented some of the state’s most powerful corporate agricultural interests from flourishing. In a report released Wednesday, Food & Water Watch found that agricultural corporations have used an outdated water rights system to their advantage and expanded their most water-intensive operations, even as some rural communities have run out of water completely. … The report urged Gov. Gavin Newsom to overhaul the system before it’s too late. California is becoming hotter and drier, and while a recent string of atmospheric rivers has bolstered the state’s water supply, residents are still bracing for a third year of drought; over 1 million Californians already lack access to clean water, and that number is expected to increase.
Related articles:
- Agri-Pulse: California records double-digit decline in statewide pesticide use
- The Sun-Gazette Newspaper: High heat, low demand hurt walnut crop