A group of Central Valley farmers and businesses on Thursday delivered two semi-truck-loads of peaches, honeydew melons and other produce to the Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank.
“This fresh produce will go toward feeding the families of agricultural workers who are unemployed because of the severe drought conditions,” said James Floros, president and CEO of the Food Bank, which distributes food to 370,000 people per week.
The drought-relief donations, given by California Water Feeds Our Communities, are part of a statewide effort to help feed needy families and to raise awareness of the link between water and food supplies.
“California…has fallowed out over 800,000 acres statewide and the effect of that dominos throughout the economy and throughout the state,” said Aubrey Bettencourt, executive director of the California Water Alliance.
The drought is hitting the Food Bank two-fold, said Floros.
“The cost of fresh produce is going to go up significantly because of the lack of water and a lack of the availability of the fresh produce,” Floros said. “And also joblessness will increase because workers who depend on the agricultural industry will find themselves out of work.”
Produce prices are expected to rise an estimated 6 percent in coming months, with the highest increases on avocados, berries, broccoli, lettuce, and tomatoes, according to a recent study by Morrison School of Agribusiness at Arizona State University.
In San Diego County, cattle ranchers, avocado and citrus growers are among the hardest hit.
Nearly 200,000 acres in the region’s backcountry are dedicated to 17,000 cows, according to the San Diego County Farm Bureau. But a lack of rainfall has turned the normally green pastures brown, forcing ranchers to sell off some of their herd.
San Diego County’s overall agriculture industry is valued at $1.6 billion a year. Most growers in San Diego County are municipal water customers and pay approximately $1,400 per acre-foot of water, according to the Farm Bureau.
