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Delta Fix Affordability San Diego Farm View Eric Larson Executive Director San Diego County Farm Bureau

Delta Fix Affordability San Diego Farm View Eric Larson Executive Director San Diego County Farm Bureau . National Rankings. #16 farm economy among all counties # 1 in nursery production # 1 in avocado production # 1 in number of small farms #1 in number of organic farms

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Delta Fix Affordability San Diego Farm View Eric Larson Executive Director San Diego County Farm Bureau

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  1. Delta FixAffordabilitySan Diego Farm ViewEric LarsonExecutive DirectorSan Diego County Farm Bureau

  2. National Rankings • #16 farm economy among all counties • # 1 in nursery production • # 1 in avocado production • # 1 in number of small farms • #1 in number of organic farms • # 1 in farmers with off-farm income

  3. San Diego’s Top Crops Ornamental Trees and Shrubs Indoor Plants Bedding Plants Avocados Tomatoes Eggs Lemons Cacti & Succulents Herbaceous Perennials Cut Flowers & Foliage

  4. The Crop Profile Fruit 21% Vegetables 9% Livestock & Poultry 4% Nursery & Floral 65% Other <1%

  5. Economic Sales and inputs Jobs Environmental Air quality Fire suppression Open space Wildlife corridors Community Character History Local products Ambiance What Farming Means to the Community

  6. What Farming Means to Water Sales Regional value as customers Easy to serve volume buyer Source of fixed fees Interruptible customer Potential for large volume recycled water use

  7. From 2001 to 2011 in San Diego County • Irrigated acreage down 16% • 61,000 to 51,000 • Crop value up 30% • $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion • Ag’s imported water use down 60% • 100,000 af to 40,000af • Water price increased 190% • $450/af to $1300/af

  8. Adjustments Made by Farmers Investment in conservation Reduction in planted acres Crop changes Increased production per acre More groundwater use Capture and reuse of irrigation water

  9. Farm Water Challenges Efficiency has limits Crops need a level of irrigation or production falls off precipitously Poor water quality requires more irrigation Price of inputs has no relationship to crop sale price Every crop grown here is easily replaced by production someplace else

  10. Impacts of Rising Water Prices • Significant reduction in water sales • Tree fruit acreage taken out of production • Other crops now at risk • Reluctance to make new investments

  11. Imported Water Price Sensitivity #1 Citrus #2 Avocados #3 Strawberries #4 Vegetables #5 Cut Flowers #6 Nursery

  12. What Farmers Must Do to Afford the Delta Fix Seek differential pricing Invest in research Take full advantage of technology Change production practices Casual farmers must go all-in Consider alternate crops Diversify

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