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Why do we get so much of our food from California when there are more places that are simply wetter and is better for agriculture?
Sorry, I am watching Water and Power again, and they mention USA gets huge percentage of its food from the State of California and how California is biggest food producer of all time. Basically it is hyping up CA as a huge agriculture giant.
But why? They had to build this giant irrigation system, and have to keep drilling for water. There are other states with more water that is easier to access.
Why is the agriculture not more productive there than in California? Are there no producers in other states? Why all the producers choose California? It must be the weather.
I think the temperature is a big part of it. The Great Plains for instance receives ample rainfall, but doesn't have the right kind of growing season for the type of crops that are grown in California. Most of California outside the far north and the Mojave desert has a mediterranean climate, which has been considered one of the most optimal climates for thousands of years.
I am living in the Central Valley and grew up in Madera and was graduated from Fresno State. I drove big trucks in AG to get through college.
The water system did not "have to be built", but it got the water to the areas that were flat. Flat is the easiest ground to harvest. Growing something is one thing, and harvesting is another. Flat and straight is easiest for the GPS on the tractors and harvesters to navigate.
Some of the best places to grow stuff are places that are not well known. Huron, Firebaugh, Mendota etc... are uglier than a bar of homemade soap, but they are flat and this week will reach 111 degrees with very little cool down at night. The water will be put on the tomatoes at night and any mold or what have you will be scorched off in the day. Most of the world's canning tomatoes will come from this area.
It is LA that should not be in CA, not the crops.
Last edited by Tanker-yanker; 06-17-2017 at 12:10 PM..
This seems like an odd thing to say. Why not both?
Plenty of resources online to answer your question. I am not sure that LA should be where it is even if there were not sizeable AG in CA.
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