Desalination plant would help preserve San Diego county’s farming heritage

In an opinion article written by Eric Larson, executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau, he urges approval for the Carlsbad desalination plant, currently being considered by the State Lands Commission. He notes that farmers are impacted by the 30% cutback in agricultural water deliveries, and that water is the scarcest and most expensive variable for a farmer. San Diego county farmers are already using water conservatively, he says, so the future of farming in San Diego depends on developing local sources.

From the article:

Why should San Diegans care about the county agricultural industry? There are more small family farms in San Diego County than anywhere else in the United States. San Diego County is the 12th largest farm economy among all counties in the nation, and is host to more than 6,000 farmers. Our local agriculture industry ranks as the fifth largest industry in San Diego County, producing more than $1.4 billion in crops. When all economic factors are considered, including payroll, purchase of goods and transportation, agriculture has a total value of $5.1 billion to the local economy.

In addition to the value to the economy, the farmers of San Diego County own and maintain vast tracts of open space, plant trees and crops that help improve air quality, provide a sumptuous harvest of locally grown products and help protect the ambience that is San Diego County. For the farm community, water supply is not just a bottom line business issue; it is critical to the preservation of San Diego County’s open space and environment. Unless we secure a reliable water supply, San Diego’s rich agricultural heritage will be changed forever. Farmers unable to afford the skyrocketing cost and overcome the unreliability of imported water supplies will look to sell their land. And as farm water supplies are redirected to supplement urban users, agricultural enterprises will suffer and allow farm land to become more readily available to developers and cities contemplating other land uses that will undoubtedly have traffic, noise and air pollution impacts.

To read the full text of his editorial as posted on the San Diego Union-Tribune website, click here.

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