California Drought Continues for a Third Year

Feb 24, 2014

Three Years of Intense Drought Leaves Uncertainty in Agriculture

As the severe drought in California continues for a third year in a row, farmers in the nation’s largest agricultural producing state grow more concerned that their businesses may not survive much longer without water. The usual winter rains failed to materialize again this year, leaving nearly the entire state parched. Ground water wells and reservoirs are quickly becoming depleted, and the recent storms in Northern California have hardly had any impact on the dire situation.

With the majority of fruits and vegetables in the United States being grown in California, consumers can expect food prices to increase as production becomes more difficult and unsustainable. According to California Governor Jerry Brown, this is "perhaps the worst drought California has ever seen since records began being kept about 100 years ago."

With more than 200,000 hectares (over 770 square miles) now lying fallow, farmers are losing income at record levels, which has also lead to a reduction in their workforce, in some cases shutting down their entire operations and laying off their employees. This is not the first time in California’s history that drought has been a major concern. In 1976-1977, the state suffered a major drought, and before that in 1924. However, while the drought we are seeing now in the 21st century is severe, it may continue for longer than the dry spells the state has experienced in the past.

Farmers continue to reduce their water consumption as much as possible (agriculture accounts for 80% of the state’s water usage) and have even switched to growing crops that require less water to produce. All Californians must remain vigilant and continue to practice water conservation by reducing water use for non-essential purposes, including outdoor water use for lawns and gardens.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.