The ongoing drought in California is likely to idle 1 million acres of land this year, as a result of zero allocations from federally managed water sources announced Friday.
The lost agricultural production in the Central Valley is expected to affect 60,000 to 80,000 workers and wipe out $2 billion in income. The region produces over half of the fruit, vegetables and nuts grown in the United States, according to a Reuters report, and prices on these items are expected to increase.
"It doesn't get any worse than zero," California Farm Bureau Federation President Doug Mosebar said in a statement. "Our water reliability has hit rock bottom."
Federal officials say allocations might be increased later in the year to 10 percent of contracted amounts, but only if an unexpectedly large amount of rain and snow falls.
Read full Reuters coverage at the link below.
