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Kern County farmland values continue downward slide

• by Lois Henry
Farmland valuations continued their downward trajectory in Kern County, in some cases dropping  a whopping 47.6% over the first six months of 2024, according to the second quarter Kern County Ag Land Values report put out by brokerage firm Alliance Ag Services LLC. Some farmland has dropped back to, or even below, 2005 prices. “I…
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New(ish) Kern groundwater authority gets underway

• by Lois Henry
A somewhat new groundwater authority held its first meeting Monday with a mandate to represent Kern County lands not covered by existing water districts. The so-called “non-districted lands” within the Kern subbasin (the San Joaquin Valley portion of Kern) had sort of been previously represented by the Kern Groundwater Authority KGA. But the KGA has…
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As companies buy up more valley farmland, the wells get deeper, according to new study

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Private companies have been snatching up more and more farmland and drilling deeper wells, according to new research.  A newly published study looked at data from 2003-2017 and showed a drastic increase in limited liability companies (LLCs) buying up farmland throughout the state. It also looked at well drilling in the San Joaquin Valley specifically…
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State not ponying up enough $$ for farmland retirement, critics say

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Though $40 million was added to the state’s farmland retirement pot, some worry it won’t be nearly enough. Gov. Gavin Newsom authorized the funding Tuesday night to be added to the state’s new Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program. The program, initially funded with $50 million in 2021,  pays for farmland to be taken out of production…
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Will $10 million “make a dent” in Tulare County groundwater use?

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
Three San Joaquin Valley water agencies are gearing up to spend $10 million each in grant funding they received from the state Department of Conservation to retire or repurpose farmland. Valley agencies that received grants so far include the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District, Pixley Irrigation District Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and Madera County. SJV…
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Deadline to apply for $50M to retire farmland coming up April 1

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
The state has $50 million to spend to retire farmland, which it intends to give out as block grants to local agencies, tribes and nonprofits in the San Joaquin Valley. But there are strings attached to the money. The groups that receive the block grants will have to work directly with farmers and community members…
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Gov.’s proposed $40 million for farmland retirement is welcome but more needed

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water
More money could be coming to California’s new farmland repurposing program. But it’s still just a drop in the bucket, according experts.  In his budget summary for 2022-2023, Governor Newsom proposed an additional $40 million for the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program, a program approved last year to pay farmers incentives for taking irrigated land out…
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Bill aimed at repurposing farmland is a step closer to passing

• by Jesse Vad, SJV Water reporting intern
Lawmakers may be close to passing a bill aimed at helping farmers cope with water restrictions. Assembly Bill 252, the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Incentive Program, would set up a program under the California Department of Conservation to use grant money for repurposing former ag land in critically over drafted groundwater basins. The bill was authored…
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