California is the United States' top farming state, but its
future is clouded by water shortages, forecast to worsen with
climate change.
Here are some facts about California farming and
water:
- California leads all states as top farm producer measured by cash
receipts of $69.8 billion in 2007, 13% of the US total and nearly
twice the output of No 2 Texas and No 3 Iowa.
- The state has 75,000 farms and ranches and is home to nine of the
nation's top 10 producing counties.
- It supplies over half of US fruits, nuts and vegetables and over
90% of US almonds, artichokes, avocados, broccoli and processing
tomatoes. Grapes, lettuce and almonds are the biggest crops in cash
value.
- California produces 80% of the world almond crop and one-third of
the world's canned tomatoes.
- California is not technically a breadbasket. It is not a top five
US producer of any grain product, but it is, surprisingly, the
nation's largest dairy producer.
- Overseas exports have risen in recent years to 25% of total
production today from 16% 10 years ago. The top three destinations
- the European Union, Canada and Japan - accounted for nearly 60%
of the 48-commodity total.
- Farming accounts for two percent of the state's $3 trillion
economy, but its demand for equipment, transport, labour and other
services make it a key economic sector for the world's
eighth-largest economy.
- The San Joaquin Valley accounts for 60% of the state's prime
farmland and is the world's most productive agricultural region. It
depends mostly on snowpack melt from hundreds of miles away for
irrigation.
- Farming accounts for 80% of the state's water usage, according to
the Pacific Institute, but the farm industry and government put the
number much lower at 40% to 60%.
- California is expected to suffer its third straight year of
drought in 2009. Economic losses could rise to $5.7 billion and
95,000 agricultural jobs will be lost. Federal water deliveries
will be zero and state water allocations could be 15% of the amount
requested.
- Over the course of this century, climate models show California's
water supply dropping 24% to 30%, most in the second half,
according to studies by the University of California, Davis.
World News Video
-
Dangerous rush to Everest summit (1:59)
-
Dozens killed in Syrian massacre (2:09)
-
'King of Romance' competes in Eurovision (1:46)
