28. California Water Management: Foreshadowing a World of Weather Extremes? with Chris White

The FARMSMART Podcast, presented by Nutrien Ag Solutions

California is in the middle of a historic drought. And since 1990, average annual water allocation to growers from state water systems has been cut in half as water resources dwindle.

So how do growers plan for their crop when faced with an unreliable water supply?

On this episode, Chris White, General Manager of the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority, is going to explain how they get water to the 240-thousand acres of agricultural land east of the Diablos. He'll give an in-depth explanation of water transfer markets, including how much it costs and how transportation affects water quality.

He'll also talk about regulatory decisions that have affected water use and distribution in the area, including one which pushes water agencies to achieve groundwater balance by 2040.

Plus, Tom and Sally will be telling us about farmers in the Netherlands protesting government restrictions on nitrogen fertilizer use, how even banks are targeting net-zero scope three carbon emissions goals, and how data-sharing by growers can help negotiate more realistic and effective sustainability practices.