News - Facts From Farmers

When Did an Act of God Become the Farmer’s Fault?

factsfromfarmersFebruary 13, 2023February 13, 2023

Since the last big storm hit Santa Barbara County and flooded parts of Orcutt and Guadalupe, I have heard many comments saying that it is the farmers’ fault. It always surprises me when farmers are the first to get blamed. Are they such an easy target that people do not put any critical thinking into other possible contributing factors? What about urbanization? Poor planning and construction? Overgrown weeds, trees and shrubs in retention basins, drainage systems and riverbeds? Do we think so little of farmers that we are willing to believe city planners, contractors, maintenance workers, regulatory agencies, road developers and others are absolutely perfect in their work that they could not have possibly contributed to the situation?

Personally, I do not believe it is one reason more than any other. I think all are contributing factors.

Not to mention, this storm system was an act of God. A one in 25-year event, they say. Although I have also heard several farmers say they have never seen a storm like this in their lifetime.

Bottom line is that we, collectively as a community, were not prepared for this type of storm system. Besides, farmers were victims, too. The most recent estimate is at $35 million worth of damage to Santa Barbara County agriculture, and we are not done calculating.

My guess is that the next assumption from most people will be “farmers can afford recovery” or “insurance will cover losses.” While those statements are true, to some extent, they are also made in an effort to rationalize catastrophic impact. They are not constructive or empathetic remarks. They are minimizers. It is the equivalent of telling a friend who has been hurt “it could have been worse.”

We offer our condolences to victims whose homes have been flooded, but tell farmers, “Too bad, so sad.” Not only is this extremely unkind but narrow-minded. People are failing to realize that they will be affected by it, too.

We complain about the price of eggs, and that store shelves are emptier than normal. Perhaps, the Cardi B’s complaints about the price of lettuce being $7 will jog your memory?

From the damage I have seen in the Santa Maria Valley, most crops that came into contact with flood waters will have to be destroyed, and flooded ground cannot be replanted for a minimum of 30 to 60 days. These practices are required for prevention of pathogenic growth and the safety of our food supply.

From what I hear, Monterey County had it worse. Thousands of acres of farmland were under water.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the next couple of months when all these crops should have been sent to market. If we think it’s bad now, it has the potential to get worse.

As farmers, we will take some responsibility for flooding events. We do have a lot of ground under plastic that contributes to storm water run-off. But what you may not know is that we also have to adhere to strict state and federal regulations around the preservation of natural habitat and riparian areas that also contribute to storm water run-off.

It is partially those regulations that prohibit farmers from being able to adequately clean ditches and drainage canals to prevent flood damage to their fields and surrounding areas.

There is always more to the story than what meets the eye. We have become so quick to make judgments based on what we perceive rather than what is true.

Our entire legal system is predicated on innocence until proven guilty. Jurors must listen to all sides of the story and be presented with facts before they make a determination. Perhaps our opinions should be formed the same way.

*Also published in Noozhawk.

Downstream, Santa Maria River Levee Comes Up Short

factsfromfarmersFebruary 7, 2023February 7, 2023

After the big Jan. 9 storm that hammered Santa Barbara County, several major news media outlets highlighted the deadly Montecito flash flooding and debris flows that occurred five years before, to the day. While I do not want to minimize the 2018 tragedy, I want to raise awareness of a smaller corner of Santa Barbara County that is feeling the impacts of the one-in-25-year storm that recently passed through.

Over the past year, farmers have been in a small battle with the county over a recreational trail it wishes to impose adjacent to our agricultural lands along the Santa Maria River levee. The trail is a permitted second use by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which built the levee. The primary use is flood control — to protect the city of Santa Maria from flooding by storm events like the one we just experienced.

Not only did the corps determine that the levee would be worthy of protecting Santa Maria, but also some of our county’s richest farmlands that extend west beyond Santa Maria to Guadalupe, where the structure stops at the Highway 1 bridge. At the time of its construction, the Army Corps of Engineers decided not to pursue construction west of the bridge in Guadalupe, as the properties that could be damaged by flooding near the mouth of the river did not provide enough value to warrant the expenditure.

In other words, not enough people would be affected, and the value of their land, their homes and their possessions did not equate to spending millions of dollars to continue levee construction for their protection. Instead, Guadalupe property owners have been forced to construct barriers, at their own expense, which were obliterated in the most recent storm.

What we saw in this last storm was swells of water more than 10 feet high raging through farmland on the north and south sides of the Santa Maria River, wiping out strawberry and vegetable production. We saw residents south of the river throwing out their belongings, with the view of high-water marks staining half the height of their homes behind them. Some of our county’s most underserved residents are now forced to spend money they do not have to rebuild their lives, because the Army Corps of Engineers did not think their livelihoods were worth the investment to protect.

Meanwhile, our Assembly and congressional representatives and our governor were in Montecito, smiling for photos, congratulating everyone on a job well done, and taking pride in the success of a multimillion-dollar debris basin to prevent another catastrophe there.

To be clear, my frustration is not directed at Montecito or its residents. The community should be commended for its resilience and the preventative efforts it has since taken.

However, Guadalupe and its residents cannot necessarily afford to mitigate or rebuild.

I am disappointed that the Army Corps of Engineers finds more value in opening the levee as a recreational trail than it does extending it beyond Highway 1 to protect residents of a low-income community.

I am even more disappointed in our elected representatives who claim to care for the underserved but bring cameras to show off the investment in a community that writes checks to their campaigns, not raise awareness for the minority and underprivileged community they so proudly declare to serve.

*Also published in Noozhawk.

Root Cause and Ripple Effects.

factsfromfarmersNovember 28, 2022December 15, 2022

It has been said that the third generation takeover of a business is usually when it fails or sells. It should be no surprise when I say that the state of California has generally been unkind to businesses, especially ag businesses. Increasingly complex and overreaching regulations are forcing many family farms to shut down or sell out, not to mention, the complications that can arise when multiple generations and many members of the family are working for the business.

Most farms in our area are family-owned and operated, many within their 4th, 5th, or 6th generation of operation. What an incredible feat to keep a business successful for that many years with the uncertainty of farming! Agriculture is a very expensive, turbulent, and oftentimes stressful industry. Whether you start the business or inherit it, there’s a lot on the line.

As I reflect on this past election, I cannot help but think about what is ahead for our local farms. Farmers today are producing more food on less land, using less chemicals and less water, and leaving behind a smaller carbon footprint. Yet, the perception is that we are not doing enough to care for our land and environmental resources. Upcoming regulation on electrification, water, wages, labor, and pesticides, among many others, will surely continue to squeeze the life out of California farming businesses.

I fear what that may look like for our community.

Most local farmers I know, cannot imagine doing anything else. When you get them talking about an element of work they are passionate about, they light up. However, when they are talking about an element of work they are frustrated about, their demeanor completely changes. The sound of defeat is evident in their voice. It is as if they already know they are fighting a losing battle. They are warriors on the frontline of our domestic food supply, dodging and taking regulatory bullets, where some will survive, and some will not.

For the businesses that die, there is the potential for their farm ground to be leased or purchased by another local farmer. The more likely consequence however, is that if the farm ground is not converted for housing or commercial development, it will be leased or purchased by a non-local company. The reality of that outcome is that no one cares about the Santa Maria Valley more than Santa Marians. An investment group is not going to care about supporting the local football team, like the farmer who played on that high school football team. A CEO headquartered out of state isn’t going to fundraise millions of dollars to build a wing expanding our community hospital, like the farmer who wants to ensure his family and his employees receive the best possible healthcare.

Local farmers donate to the Food Bank, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Rape Crisis Center, Dignity Health, sports teams, 4-H and FFA, Young Farmers and Ranchers, CASA, American Cancer Society, and many other organizations that benefit our community. The more it costs them to do business, the less money that gets invested back into non-profit programs. The harder it becomes for those nonprofits to fundraise, the harder it is to serve those who need services the most.

Agriculture is the number one economic driver in our county. It is truly the backbone of our local economic success. As with the human body, a significant injury to the spine can potentially leave you paralyzed. Likewise, a significant injury to agriculture can paralyze an entire community. Look what happened to farming in the Central Valley due to the San Francisco Bay Delta Smelt. Was it truly the Smelt's fault? No. People with good intentions tried to save a non-native fish, and the unintended consequences can still be felt throughout the region today. If you think something like this couldn’t happen locally, you might want to learn about steelhead trout in the Santa Maria River and the latest controls placed on the release of water from Twitchell Dam. While I encourage everyone to fight for the causes they believe in, I also encourage you to consider the potential impact your cause may have on our local farms, the industry, and agriculture as we know it today.

*Also published in Noozhawk.

Don’t Bite the Hand that Feeds You.

factsfromfarmersSeptember 28, 2022September 28, 2022

There were two general topics of conversation during public comment at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, September 20th. One was National Voter Registration Day, and the other was rural crime.

Supervisor Lavagnino made a comment about how roughly 6,000 of the 28,000 registered voters in his district of 90,000 showed up to vote in the last election, and that possible reasons for such a weak turn out is that people are fed up with their government, they feel their voice doesn't matter, or they have disengaged and given up.

I think it's a little of all three.

There are two pieces of advice that I regularly receive when I engage with elected officials:

Tell your story.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

When I started working in agriculture, a mantra one of my mentors used to say was, “Produce never sleeps.” He was/is right. Time is money, and time away from our farms impacts our efficiency and productivity. Sure, we can go to a Supervisors meeting every now and then, but we cannot participate to the extent that some other community members who may be retired or paid to engage in the political process are able to. But that doesn’t make our issues any less relevant or important than theirs.

There are some supervisors who have been more receptive to agricultural issues than others. When the four speakers addressed rural crime, it was clear which supervisors are in touch with the needs of our county’s largest economic driver and which are not. One supervisor visibly squirmed in his chair and verbally dismissed the notion that agriculture may be suffering. That response is exactly why people choose not to attend board of supervisor’s meetings. It is why people do not engage with the political process. You vulnerably, passionately, and courageously plead for help only to be told or shown through body language that your problems are not relevant to their agenda.

I have also been advised that certain topics need to be addressed to the supervisors with care. “Be subservient,” I was told. That advice is exactly why people are fed up with their government: it is the very opposite of democracy. Yes, you may catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, but supervisors are elected to serve us, not the other way around. If they cannot put aside their personal feelings to manage the business at hand, then that isn’t leadership at all. And quite frankly, if they can’t handle being in the hot seat, then they’re in the wrong profession.

Fact is: Rural crime is up 86%. Theft and vandalism have cost one local farm upwards of $200,000 over the past year. Expenses like these add up and can affect a grower’s profitability for that season.

Agriculture has been accused of not “sharing the wealth” enough with their workers. Perhaps it may be true, or not, however, we are involuntarily contributing to the livelihoods of criminals and houseless who continue to help themselves to our equipment, our materials, and our properties. The costs to repair and/or replace what is damaged or stolen comes out of our bottom line, which ultimately inhibits investment into additional resources for our workforce. Contrary to popular belief, not all farms make a profit each year.

If our community would like to continue reaping the rewards of a prosperous agricultural industry, it might be in the best interest of our representatives to engage with and listen to the people who feed us all. At the very least, they should show respect to the people who do show up and participate in the political process, regardless if they agree with the views presented. We all pay their salaries, not just the ones who voted them into office.

*Also published in Noozhawk and the Santa Maria Times.

Farm Revenue vs. Farm Profit

factsfromfarmersAugust 28, 2022August 30, 2022

The Santa Barbara County Agricultural Commissioner recently released its 2021 Crop Report and reported a 5.1% increase in revenue from 2020. While this is good news for our local industry and community, it only paints part of the picture.

The most important thing to understand is that revenue does not equal profit.

The Crop Report reports gross values and does not represent net profit or loss experienced by individual growers or the industry as a whole. For example, what the crop report does not take into account is:

The minimum wage increase that adds to labor costs
Inflation and supply chain shortages that have greatly increased farm expenses
Rising cost of health care and other insurances provided for employee health and safety
Increase in theft, crime, and vandalism which adds to labor and farm costs
Not all crops are created equally (e.g., strawberries had a great year, but avocados did not)

What farmers sell their produce for is subject to supply and demand. Farmers enter into contracts well before the crop is planted and sell it for a price based on projected demand.

For example, a farmer may enter into a contract for the following season to sell his or her strawberries for $1.88 per clamshell knowing it costs roughly $1.85 per clamshell to grow, harvest, and transport to a cooling facility. The Crop Report bases its numbers on the $1.88. However, for some farmers, the expenses could have surpassed the projected $1.85 costing them $1.87 or $1.89 per clamshell - numbers that are not reflected in the Crop Report.

It is also important to remember that whatever price your local grocery store is selling the strawberry clamshell for, it does not change the price of what a farmer receives. Whether you pay $2.99 or $3.50 or $4.99, the farmer still only receives $1.88 - a price set and agreed upon long before the product hits grocery store shelves.