May 1, 2015 | Monthly Briefings

April 2015 Monthly Briefing

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Drought IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES RECORD LOW SNOWPACK MELTS EARLY IN MOST STATES

West-wide snowpack is melting earlier than usual, according to data from the fourth 2015 forecast by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Nowhere are things hotter than in California, where Gov. Jerry Brown earlier this month ordered city dwellers across California to cut water use by 25% as part of a sweeping set of mandatory drought restrictions. Immediately, he was put on the defensive, as his administration tried to deflect criticism from urban media outlets that farmers were mostly spared from his latest drought mitigation measures.

California farmers and ranchers watched in initial disbelief as misinformation about their way of life was broadcast out to the world, and the social media and anonymous bloggers derided Central Valley irrigators for wasteful water use, poor crop selection, and a host of other criticisms, many of which were based on decades-old myths. However, in recent weeks, producers from the nation’s number one agricultural production state have channeled their anger and frustration into a determined, coordinated response to tell their story that is beginning to gain traction with the public. Read more about these recent developments, and how the Family Farm Alliance has engaged on behalf of Western farmers and ranchers.

Click here to read the April 2015 “Monthly Briefing” and learn more about this issue and other recent developments in the Western water world:

  • Western Snowpack and Water Supply Conditions
  • Calif. Drought Dominates Recent Media Coverage
  • The Human Toll of the California Drought – Jacobsma Leaves Friant
  • Alliance and Western Allies Assess Interior Dep’t Proposed Water Development Procedures
  • Forest Service Withdraws Controversial Groundwater Directive
  • Save the Date! 2016 Family Farm Alliance Annual Conference-Feb. 18-19, 2016
  • Family Farm Alliance Supports Regulatory Integrity Protection Act
  • Agribusiness and Water Council of Arizona-Annual Meeting and Conference Notice