Tuesday Top of the Scroll: How drought, climate change impact California almond agriculture
First came the asparagus field. Then came the melons. And now Joe Del Bosque is considering the unthinkable: tearing out a sprawling almond orchard bursting with healthy, nut-producing trees. … Two decades of almost unrelenting growth vaulted almonds into the upper ranks of California agriculture. Now, though, the state’s $6 billion-a-year industry is being humbled by a devastating drought. Farmers have slowed the pace of new orchard plantings and, in a few cases, have plowed up trees still capable of bearing almonds.
Related articles:
- Sacramento Bee: Opinion: Central Valley farmers need to know plan for future water usage
- ABC 10-Sacramento: California’s growing water crisis
- California WaterBlog: Lessons from three decades of evolution of cropland use in the Central Valley
- PBS News Hour: As California restricts water use for farmers, low supply levels add to drought’s harsh reality
- Cotton Grower: Drought, Water Issues Driving California Cotton Acres Down