arizona news
Has been updated: April 2, 2023 at 2:34 PM
(File photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
To
LOS ANGELES — For those of you in California and Arizona who can’t decide whether or not they like the rain after the storm that drenched both states, consider what it’s doing to farmers.
The intensity and frequency of rains pushing through one of the country’s most productive agricultural regions has blessed some farmers and devastated others after years of drought.
For example, in Monterey, Calif., home to a bountiful vegetable-growing region dubbed the “Salad Bowl of the World,” estimated flood-related damage was estimated at about $336 million in late February. County in March.
However, some winegrowers were caught in a shower, especially as drought had to force some of their vineyards out of production.
“Rain, rain, and rain again. increase.
Heavy rainfall was mostly welcomed as good news in Arizona.
“I have heard about the flooding and other issues California is experiencing with fresh vegetables,” said Heather Flowers, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Agriculture.
In Yuma, rain can slow down production. Yuma Center of Excellence in Desert Agriculture.
Because of the low rainfall, Yuma growers rely heavily on the Colorado River for water, he said. This gives farmers better control over their irrigation than relying on Mother Nature for much-needed rainstorms. Plus, they can produce year-round, so reliable contracts for fresh produce can be made 6-12 months in advance.
The Colorado River Basin, particularly in Wyoming and Upper Colorado, requires rain and snow to replenish the rivers that feed Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Yuma growers will have access to this water for their production.
But when it comes to feeding the country, it’s California that matters most. The state is by a long shot the largest food producer in the United States by 2021, based on cash income, followed by Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Minnesota. USDA ReportArizona is 31st.
After years of drought, California’s rainfall so far this season is poised for another dismal dry year, imposing tougher water conservation measures as a result. Fresno, in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley agricultural region, has lost more than 13 inches this year, compared with just over 1 inch at the same time a year ago, according to a University of California report. There was precipitation.
California’s unusually heavy rainfall is due to what meteorologists call “rivers of the atmosphere”, rivers of warm moisture flowing in from the Pacific Ocean. This condition is nicknamed “Pineapple Express”. Yet another storm passed through the state this week.
In Monterey County, romaine lettuce, strawberries, celery, carrots, broccoli and garlic were hit hardest. About 15,705 acres were affected, According to research It was announced by County Agriculture Commissioner Juan Hidalgo.
Flooding in rural Pajaro after a levee breach not only left families homeless, but also flooded fields in a major strawberry growing region, leading to the prospect of rising prices.
California Strawberry Commission Chairman Rick Tomrison said the toll was based on preliminary estimates of “hundreds of millions of losses” and “thousands displaced in the town of Pajaro.”
But as is often the case when it comes to agriculture, some growers suffer from drastic weather changes while others thrive. Some winemakers seem to have triumphed in the end.
Nancy Kirchhoff of Kirchhoff Family Wines in Clarksburg said, “Severe drought conditions over the past few years have presented significant challenges to maintaining plant health.
“Winter storms have brought much-needed benefits to dry farming by increasing the groundwater levels that our vines depend on to nourish them.”
Peachy Canyon’s Beckett said his family’s winery was struggling to hold out during a drought when it had to put 30 acres of vineyards out of production. Rain not only recharges the aquifer, but it also washes away unwanted salt build-up.
It goes without saying that the rain has not interfered with the normal work of the vineyard. Peachy Canyon is having a hard time doing tractor work and pruning. But these necessary tasks are mere inconveniences compared to the benefits of repeated deluges.
Beckett said, “I will let all the rain fall.
