Saturday, May 2, 2015

The Real Value of Farming to California's Economy

Yes, it is cherry season in our neighborhood. While last week's rain was welcome, it cost the cherry growers dearly. Any rain near harvest is a problem. The cherries will split because of the moisture. One neighbor figures he lost 10% of his crop.
   We need the rain so bad we will take rain anywhere, any time. But, please remember that someone is harvesting something every day in Fresno County. So the answer is- rain will affect someone's crop.


The Real Value of Farming to California’s Economy
By Paul H. Betancourt

            There has been a fair amount of chatter the last few weeks that agriculture is only 2% of California’s economy. It looks like they want to say if Ag dries up and blows away it will be no big deal. Really? If we stop making surf boards there may be some disappointed surfers, but everyone will get fed. If we stop growing food…

When I was Fresno Farm Bureau president UC Davis came out with a report that 1 in 3 jobs in the Valley were directly related to Ag; 1 in 10 jobs state wide. A recent UC Davis report says the number is 6.7% of jobs state wide are directly related to Ag. What would happen if those jobs were lost? UC Davis reports there are over 450,000 jobs in Southern California alone that are directly related to Ag. What would happen to the So Cal economy if another 450,000 people lose their jobs?

            As I said a few weeks ago, Farming is not an optional industry. At the risk of repeating myself, once again here is an Farming Is Not An Optional Industry

     This past week I have seen more comments about how the drought will not hurt the California. Let me remind you of what three time Democratic candidate for the Presidency William Jennings Bryant said a century ago-
“Burn down your cities and leave our farms, and your cities will spring up again as if by magic. But destroy our farms and the grass will grow in the streets of every city in the country.”



Look up the details yourself. You can find the data at-http://aic.ucdavis.edu/publications/moca/MOCAbrochure2013.pdf

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