Policy Brief Policy Brief: The Future of Agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Ellen Hanak, Spencer Cole, Josué Medellín-Azuara Feb 8, 2023 Agriculture is a key driver of the regional economy in the San Joaquin Valley, but water for irrigation is an ongoing—and growing—concern. Our latest research offers the most accurate, nuanced, and localized look at where fallowing may need to occur—and details the policy and management actions that could lead to better outcomes.
Policy Brief Policy Brief: Drought and California’s Agriculture By Alvar Escriva-Bou, Josué Medellín-Azuara, Ellen Hanak, John Abatzoglou Apr 13, 2022 California’s agricultural sector is the nation’s largest: it generates more than $50 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs more than 420,000 people. The ongoing drought is taking a toll on agriculture, related sectors, and rural communities, but there are ways to increase resilience in a warming world.
blog post Budgeting for Agricultural Sustainability and Resiliency By Lori Pottinger Jan 27, 2021 We talked to Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, about agricultural programs designed to build climate resilience and support farmers’ financial resilience and water security.
Report Managing Water and Farmland Transitions in the San Joaquin Valley By Ellen Hanak, Andrew Ayres, Caitlin Peterson, Alvar Escriva-Bou ... Sep 18, 2023 How can the San Joaquin Valley adapt to a future with less water? We’ve been researching this issue for the past seven years, and our new report presents highlights from we’ve learned, including a robust list of policy suggestions to help the valley weather—and make the most of—the coming changes.
Report Health Care Access among California’s Farmworkers By Paulette Cha Apr 25, 2022 Farmworkers are a key link in the food supply chain and important contributors to California’s economy. As farmworkers age, their health care needs are changing—and cost and lack of insurance are often barriers to care. While recent state and federal policies have made insurance more accessible, not all policies improved coverage among farmworkers.
blog post “The Central Valley Needs a New Narrative” By Ellen Hanak May 18, 2015 In conversation with water-law expert Dan Dooley on the future of agriculture in the Central Valley.
event Farming in a State of Extremes Apr 21, 2022 California’s agricultural sector is the nation’s largest: it generates more than $50 billion dollars in annual revenue and employs more than 420,000 people. But the ongoing drought is taking a toll on agriculture, related sectors, and rural communities. Join us for a panel discussion about the drought’s impacts on farming regions—and how the state and other actors can best respond to looming challenges.
blog post Food Security in a Time of COVID-19 Insecurity: How the Virus Affects Farming By Lori Pottinger Mar 30, 2020 How will COVID-19 affect California agriculture—key to food supplies locally and nationally? We talked to farmer Cannon Michael about the pandemic’s impact on farmers and farmworkers.
blog post Groundwater: Act Locally, Think Sustainably By Lori Pottinger Mar 1, 2017 An interview with Karen Ross, secretary of the state Department of Food and Agriculture, on progress in implementing the state’s groundwater law.
