[env-trinity] Fresno Bee - Reliable Water for Western San Joaquin Valley Farms

[Tom Stokely]

AGRICULTURAL USE / CENTRAL VALLEY
Farms look to longevity
Reliable water supply lets local growers devote more acres to permanent crops.
Fresno Bee - 8/8/04
By Robert Rodriguez, staff writer

Rows of cotton, tomatoes and sugar beets are giving way to orchards of almonds and pistachios as farmers in western Fresno County search for more profitable crops. 

Within the sprawling 600,000-acre Westlands Water District -- the region's primary water source -- farmers say a more reliable water supply coupled with a booming market for nuts are driving the growth in permanent crops.

The shift adds to the diversity of crops grown in the area and holds the promise of more year-round work for residents within the district's boundaries.

Of the new permanent plantings within the district, almonds lead the way.

Almond acreage grew by 29% to 37,554 acres from 2000 to 2003. During the same period, pistachio acreage rose by 117%, to 11,158 acres. And table grape acreage grew by 22%, to 1,235 acres.

"We have always believed that the stability of water would result in farmers making the investment in permanent crops," said Tupper Hull, spokesman for the Westlands Water District. "Just the fact that farmers are making more costly investments that produce higher-value crops is very encouraging."

Hull said a combination of factors, including the purchase of 55,000 acres of drainage-impacted land and policy changes within federal regulatory agencies, have created a more dependable flow of water. The district also plans to purchase 45,000 more acres over the next two years. 

"There is no doubt that when you go into planting permanent crops you aren't going to do it without a reliable water supply," said Vince Marshall of Gragnani Farms. "Water is always an issue."


Marshall and his family have planted about 1,000 acres of almonds, about half nonbearing. It takes about three years before a newly planted tree can produce a crop. Marshall realizes he is taking a gamble on planting a crop that won't earn money for several years, but he and other farmers are awed by the almond industry's performance over the past several years.

Despite record crops that eclipsed one billion pounds, exports and domestic consumption are on the rise.

Per capita consumption of almonds in the United States increased 57% between 1996 and 2000, according to the USDA's Agricultural Research Service. And domestic shipments, during the same period, increased 54%.

In the almond industry, California reigns supreme, producing nearly 100% of the nation's supply and 88% of the world's almonds.

This summer, almond exports topped $1 billion and are expected to reach $1.5 billion by year's end.

Prices for almonds also are at a premium, ranging from $2.25 to $2.35 a pound for the nonpareil supreme variety of almonds.

"Almonds is one of the greatest ag stories in the U.S.," said Susan Brauner, spokeswoman for Blue Diamond Growers in Sacramento. "And the outlook is just as good through the end of the decade."

But Brauner said Blue Diamond officials caution growers against overplanting.

Marshall said he realizes that every industry has its limits. That is why he and other west Fresno County growers are adding almonds as part of diverse operations.

"We aren't going to put all our eggs into one basket," Marshall said. "Most of our ground is suitable for rows crops, and we need to have that option."

The Gragnani family grows 15 commodities, including traditional west Fresno County staple crops such as cotton, onions, alfalfa, wheat and sugar beets.

The family farms 12,000 to 14,000 acres, depending on the season and the crop's price.

Economist Wendy Illingworth, who wrote a report for Westlands on the economic impact of land retirement, said permanent crops also can be more appealing because they are not tied to federal price support programs such as cotton.

"We are talking about crops that don't have to worry about anything other than the market," Illingworth said. "These are crops that are independent of political issues."

Illingworth's 2002 analysis found that as Westlands acquires land and takes it out of production, more water becomes available for land remaining in production.

Westlands farmer Mark Borba, a cotton, garlic and processing-tomato grower, has debated for 10 years the decision to plant almonds. He recently planted 480 acres of almonds and will plant an additional 2,000 acres this fall.

"We have watched this a long time, and we really believe almonds has a bright future and a potential for profit," Borba said. "That's more than can be said for other crops. And as cotton growers, we know we have a safety net right now, but we also know that won't be forever."

Over the past three years, cotton acreage in Westlands has dropped by 32%, or 58,000 acres.

At one time, Borba farmed about 9,000 acres of cotton, but he has whittled that down to 4,400.

Borba also sees almonds as a good fit for Westlands' soil and sometimes irregular landscape. Unlike some row crops that depend on flat ground to accommodate sprinkler irrigation, almonds can be watered by drip irrigation on uneven terrain.

Research by the University of California also has shown that drip irrigation is more efficient and requires less water than other irrigation methods such as flood irrigation or sprinklers.

Pistachios also are being planted in greater numbers in west Fresno County.

"I've seen fields that used to be dryland wheat and pastureland now with pistachio trees," said Bob Klein, director of research for the California Pistachio Commission.

Klein said the pistachio industry is a relatively new one in California. Commercial production did not begin until the mid-1970s, when a 1.5 million-pound crop was produced on about 4,350 acres.

The industry is now at 350 million pounds grown on 93,000 acres, with much of it centered in the San Joaquin Valley counties including Kern, Kings, Fresno, Madera and Tulare.

"It's been profitable and it remains profitable," Klein said.

Although Iran is the world's leading pistachio grower, Klein said California's nuts are superior in quality and preferred in Europe, Japan and Canada. About 40% of California's pistachio crop is exported.

Health studies also have shown that eating nuts, including almonds and pistachios, is beneficial.

Longtime west-side farmer John Diener is optimistic about Westlands' changing landscape.

Diener has dabbled in wine grapes since 1997 and recently planted 30 acres of French colombard grapes.

Diener said many of the new vineyards and nut crops are being planted on the district's western edge, along Interstate 5.

The area's gentle slope protects crops from foggy weather and brackish water, a chronic problem in the district's poorly drained areas.

Some farmers refer to the area as the "banana belt" for its temperate climate.

While Diener agrees that Westlands will see more permanent plantings, he estimates that farmers will devote about one-third of their land to permanent crops.

"We do feel secure about a portion of our water supply," Diener said. "But we are not going to take cotton acreage and turn that into permanent crops. We are not going to become a Selma or Kingsburg; we just don't have the water for that."

Economist Illingworth said that while the switch to more permanent crops likely will lead to fewer jobs, there also is the potential for more year-round work for residents in the west side communities, including Mendota, Huron, Firebaugh, San Joaquin, and Tranquillity.

Cities in west Fresno County suffer from high unemployment, largely because farm work is seasonal.

Illingworth said it is too soon to say how many jobs have been created. "Over time, we still believe it will have an impact," Illingworth said.

Rural city officials are hoping that will be true.

Firebaugh City Manager Jose Antonio Ramirez said many workers lost jobs when some Westlands farmers took land out of production near his city.

"Some of these people have gone to Hollister or Salinas to work because they can't find any here," Ramirez said. "We hear that farmers are planting more permanent crops, like almonds, and we hope that it leads to more jobs. We don't want to see them planting too much and overdoing it."

Richard Fosse, director of the I-5 Business Development Corridor, said these changes on the west side remind local leaders that economic diversification is the key to survival.

It's why communities such as Mendota, cantaloupe capital of California, are pursing a federal prison project.

"But it's tough, real tough for some cities," Fosse said. "We are out in the middle of nowhere."#



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