California farmers produce about two-thirds of the fruits and nuts in the United States, plus one-third of the nation’s vegetables. As of April of this year, the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) announced that more than three-quarters of the state had entered moderate to severe drought conditions.
Agriculture is an important part of California’s economy. The California Department Of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) report states that California’s exports in agricultural goods were worth $21.7 billion in 2019. Extremely high temperatures and prolonged drought led to severe water shortages, forcing farmers to choose between the high cost of planting or forgoing planting altogether.
