Let's pretend California was no longer the "Breadbasket of the Nation" (San Francisco: theater, subsidized)

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

There has been recent discussion about desalinating ocean water in order to provide enough water for the ag industry in CA, because we are, after all, The Beadbasket of the Nation (to be said with a loud amphitheater echo).

Let's pretend for a minute, that the law changed, and there was no longer water for the giant ag industry farms in CA. And it was not allowed or possible to take water from the ocean, or to divert any of the water in the aquaduct systems, or to pump water into the state from any other state or nation.

So, the ag industry in CA dies. With no hope of revival.

Where would the nation then get it's food?

How would this truly affect life for most of the citizens of CA? Or the rest of the nation?

[wac_432]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

Where would the nation then get it's food?

How would this truly affect life for most of the citizens of CA?

China. Or, grown in south america, packaged in China. Regardless, higher prices, heavy metal, virus, and bacteria contamination would become commonplace.

Less economic activity for CA. No more 1 dollar local produce at the 99 cent store that is too ripe to ship to Boston or some other frozen hellhole.

[Tulemutt]

California isn't really the "breadbasket of America", as "bread" refers to the almighty grains that comprise the largest part of American diets. And the majority of that wheat and corn comes from other states. However, California IS the nation's biggest supplier of fruit and vegetable produce - and nuts (excluding peanuts, which are legumes, not nuts).

That said, we already get a lot of produce from Mexico. That would be the greatest increased supplier, obviously.

[RudyOD]

Originally Posted by wac_432

China. Or, grown in south america, packaged in China. Regardless, higher prices, heavy metal, virus, and bacteria contamination would become commonplace.

Less economic activity for CA. No more 1 dollar local produce at the 99 cent store that is too ripe to ship to Boston or some other frozen hellhole.

Only 10% of China is arable land, it used to be able to sufficiently provide for itself, but now it is a net importer of grains from other countries, with nations like Brazil serving as its own personal Wal-mart of raw resources. Plus, China has much of the same issues as California with water shortages.

Also, I don't think the second part is necessarily true. The USA is still a big enough economic power to influence safety and food production policies in other countries, and if we started importing more fruits and vegetables, I'm sure the American market would demand for quality produce, or shift to a country that could provide it.

[BeauCharles]

California is the produce stand for America. That said, the production would shift to Arizona, Texas, Oregon, FL for some crops and Chile, Australia, South Africa and Mexico for others.

[DriveNotCommute]

Originally Posted by RudyOD

Only 10% of China is arable land, it used to be able to sufficiently provide for itself, but now it is a net importer of grains from other countries, with nations like Brazil serving as its own personal Wal-mart of raw resources. Plus, China has much of the same issues as California with water shortages.

Also, I don't think the second part is necessarily true. The USA is still a big enough economic power to influence safety and food production policies in other countries, and if we started importing more fruits and vegetables, I'm sure the American market would demand for quality produce, or shift to a country that could provide it.

Or even bring limited farming back to California for specialty, premium grade produce even if it is expensive due to a hypothetically high price of water. Having a market means having people willing to pay the price.

If the exercise is about all farming becoming non-existent in California, I would imagine some of the southern states could expand their agricultural activity to pick up the slack. As a very broad generalization, many politically conservative states are heavily dependent on the agriculture industry. Therefore it should be logical to expect them to make the effort to expand that industry when an opportunity arrives. The one question I have about this idea is the thought that if they had the ability to do so for the same variety of produce that California grows, then it would have already happened.

[RudyOD]

My biggest concern would actually be on the quality of our cuisine, aha. In all seriousness though, California is a trend setter, and this includes food. Locovore (farm to table), slow food movement, fresh produce...are all reasons why California cuisine has an international following, and it has influence global gastronomy, like the Nordic kitchen, to focus on being creative with locally produced ingredients. The vast variety of produce that is grown here and our year round growing seasons also allows chefs to be creative with an astonishing of amount of locally grown ingredients.

It's funny, when people are considering moving to California, they mostly focus on the climate, but little take into account its gastronomic offerings, which really can only be compared to countries like Italy and France. I mean, half the best part of living in San Francisco is that you have wine country right next to it, and a collection of some of the world's best restaurants. Plus, it's hard to imagine life without California avocados and almonds (I'm a heavy almond milk drinker) lol.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

California is the produce stand for America. That said, the production would shift to Arizona, Texas, Oregon, FL for some crops and Chile, Australia, South Africa and Mexico for others.

Production wouldn't shift to AZ and TX, because those states are drying up. it might shift to WA State, and maybe some of the SE states. Those ag areas would be a lot more susceptible to natural disasters, though; hurricanes and such.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Originally Posted by RudyOD

Only 10% of China is arable land, it used to be able to sufficiently provide for itself, but now it is a net importer of grains from other countries, with nations like Brazil serving as its own personal Wal-mart of raw resources. Plus, China has much of the same issues as California with water shortages.

Also, I don't think the second part is necessarily true. The USA is still a big enough economic power to influence safety and food production policies in other countries, and if we started importing more fruits and vegetables, I'm sure the American market would demand for quality produce, or shift to a country that could provide it.

This is a good point. I have a friend who works in a lab in Yolo County, where they are an FDA testing facility. They get all kinds of things from vitamins to fresh blueberries to you-name-it that is being either produced in the US or imported here. They test for pesticides, etc.

No doubt they can't catch everything, but there is a process in place to see if the imported goods are in compliance.

Originally Posted by DriveNotCommute

Or even bring limited farming back to California for specialty, premium grade produce even if it is expensive due to a hypothetically high price of water. Having a market means having people willing to pay the price.

If the exercise is about all farming becoming non-existent in California, I would imagine some of the southern states could expand their agricultural activity to pick up the slack. As a very broad generalization, many politically conservative states are heavily dependent on the agriculture industry. Therefore it should be logical to expect them to make the effort to expand that industry when an opportunity arrives. The one question I have about this idea is the thought that if they had the ability to do so for the same variety of produce that California grows, then it would have already happened.

I wonder about that. It would be like a mom and pop store going up against Walmart, in a way. The ag businesses here are huge, and highly subsidized as I understand it. If that CA cheap competition was to disappear, I just wonder if some places who couldn't compete, would throw their hat in the ring, so to speak.

[LoriBee62]

What about replacing half the corn crops in the middle of America with more food crops?