Farm Bureau: Governor's water storage plan benefits whole state

» September 19, 2007 «

Saying that California is long overdue in developing new reservoirs to provide for its people and environment, the state's largest farm organization announced its support for Gov. Schwarzenegger's call for investment in new water projects.

The California Farm Bureau Federation board of directors voted to support the governor's plan to expand water supplies by building new surface-water storage.

Farm Bureau President Doug Mosebar said water stored in the reservoirs proposed by Gov. Schwarzenegger will benefit the California environment and economy, and provide additional flexibility needed to weather future droughts.

"California has spent a lot of money on water conservation and environmental restoration during the past decade, and the governor's plan would add to that work," Mosebar said. "His plan takes the next step, restoring balance to water policy by enhancing water supplies that have not grown as our population has grown."

Mosebar noted that water shortages already affect many California farmers, and that a court ruling last month setting aside more water for protected fish will ratchet up the pressure on water supplies even further.

"New surface reservoirs will bring significant value for urban and environmental water uses. And they will relieve pressure to fallow a lot of farmland during future droughts. We need to keep farmland producing affordable, locally grown food for our people, and to maintain our rural communities," he said.

"Thanks to the governor's leadership, policy makers in Sacramento are now focused on the need to improve our state's water supply," Mosebar said. "We have a unique opportunity to pursue balanced water policies that benefit all Californians and we must seize that opportunity."

The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of nearly 92,000 members.

Contact: Dave Kranz
Phone: 916/561-5550
news@cfbf.com

Permission for use is granted, however, credit must be made to the California Farm Bureau Federation when reprinting this item.