Second Tulare County farmland conversion workshop scheduled
A local collaborative is seeking input from farmers, tribal members, residents and environmental advocates to help determine the future of the Tule subbasin at a workshop Tuesday, June 10 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the International Agri-Center in Tulare.
The workshop, “Finding Common Ground and Shared Priorities on Land Repurposing,” is free and dinner will be provided.
The Tule Subbasin Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP) is a local collaborative that supports landowners, farmers and communities in achieving groundwater sustainability by voluntarily transitioning irrigated agriculture to alternative land uses, a practice known as land repurposing.
Tuesday’s gathering follows on the heels of a prior workshop. That event explored options for more than 70,000 acres expected to come out of production in the Tule subbasin of southern Tulare County as groundwater use ratchets down to comply with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
Organizers hope to build on the momentum gained in April by continuing to explore projects that will cover more than 20% of the subbasin and have multiple benefits for the community, such as habitat restoration, solar farms and low-water crops.
Guests are encouraged to RSVP.
For more information, contact Nicolia Mehrling at nicolia@aginnovations.org, or Laima Diaz (Spanish-language contact) at laima@aginnovations.org.
