Farmers May Be Powerful in California Recall Elections

He said state officials had to make grueling but necessary decisions about water use. “They had no options. We know this will hurt. We are always optimistic about farming, but there are many things that are against us right now and we cannot farm without water.”

Bryce Lundberg, who represents the agricultural business At the State Food and Agriculture Board, he said while Governor Newsom should prioritize pandemic response, progress was still being made on water issues.

Mr. Lundberg, owner of the rice-growing Lundberg Family Farms, said Mr. Newsom has prioritized plans for an eco-friendly riparian reservoir in the Sacramento Valley. Sites Reservoir. The reservoir will capture excess water from major storms and store it for drier periods.

Mr. Lundberg, who supported Mr. Newsom in the election, said: “There are a lot of farmers who are under severe stress and there are a lot of farmers doing business this year because they don’t have water.” “It’s human nature to look for fault, but they’re not looking in the right place if they want to blame Governor Newsom.”

The company’s owner, Chanowk Yisrael, said some minority farmers were particularly disappointed in the state, saying their small plots had denied the influence of larger farms that could lobby them to make decisions. Yisrael Urban Family Farm in Sacramento. Instead of limiting their own land, many black farmers lease farmland from other farmers, which can reduce tenants’ water supplies.

Mr Yisrael said he has not decided how to vote, but understands that Mr Newsom is grappling with a number of complex issues: climate change, severe wildfires and the challenges of the pandemic. Still, he added, “a lot of things that need to be talked about are being swept under the rug.”

for Lorna Roush, who directed Schultz Farm Fears that water would be scarce when he eventually took over the farm in Fresno County with his father, brothers and children raised his concerns about Mr. Newsom. His family tried to make plans for a potentially sharp reduction in the water supply; said they have already minimized their use and made adjustments to their farming practices.