SJR 25, as introduced, Vidak. Water: agriculture.
This measure would call on the President of the United States to use his executive authority to find innovative ways to provide more water for agriculture in California.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, According to the Department of Food and
2Agriculture, California’s 80,500 farms and ranches produced over
3$44.7 billion in agricultural products in 2012; and
4WHEREAS, California agriculture relies on an adequate water
5supply system for irrigation; and
6WHEREAS, California is currently experiencing drought
7conditions that have not been experienced in the state since 1976
8and 1977; and
9WHEREAS, As a result of the current drought conditions, no
10water has been allocated from the Central Valley Project to
11agricultural users, and only 5 percent of water from the State Water
12Project has been allocated to agricultural users; and
13WHEREAS, The agricultural industry estimates that without
14any additional water provided for agriculture, the current drought
P2 1will result in the fallowing or removal of trees on 800,000 acres
2of agricultural land, an economic loss of $7.48 billion for the state,
3as well as the loss of tens of thousands of farmworker jobs; now,
4therefore, be it
5Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of
6California, jointly, That the Legislature calls on the President of
7the United States to use his executive authority to find innovative
8ways to provide more water for agriculture in California; and be
9it further
10Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
11this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
12States, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Majority
13Leader of the Senate, each Senator and Representative from
14California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author
15for appropriate distribution.
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