Rain washing out California farms will mean higher prices in the grocery store
CALIFORNIA - Storm after storm is taking its toll on farms across the state and will create an increase of prices in grocery stores.
"California is the leading agriculture state in the United States," said produce expert Michael Marks.
Now all the rain that has flooded farm fields is becoming a burden to the booming business.
"You cannot get a tractor onto your land when it is all muddy," said Marks.
He told CBS 13 that some farmers in the Salina Valley have had to restart planting altogether.
"That is the salad bowl for the United States," Marks said. "Every bit of that land is going to need to be tested."
Marks said the rain has flooded the farms plus nearby cattle ranches, forcing farmers to test the land before planting.
"Because we do not want any outbreak of salmonella or E. Coli outbreak later on if those fields come up with things like lettuce and spinach," Marks told CBS 13.
It is not just our greens and veggies being hit, the rain is also knocking off blossoms on fruit trees.
"Every single blossom is a piece of fruit," said Marks. "The more blossoms you knock off, the less fruit you are going to have in the summer and fall time."
Take tomatoes for example, Marks said California grows 99% of all the tomatoes for processed canned goods. This means our pasta and pizza sauces may also be at risk.
"All that is grown in the San Joaquin and Sacramento Valley," said Marks. "That is going to cut supply and that is going to impact the cost of tomato sauce all the way into next year."
All the rain is also keeping bees away from pollinating.
"Bees have the best labor union on the face of the planet," said Marks. "They do not go out when it is cold, windy, hot or rainy."
Many crops take 60 to 90 days to mature. Farmers can usually harvest three to four times on a single piece of land but now those fields are underwater. Early transports in fields are no longer viable.
"We are going to have a rollercoaster ride when it comes to supplies and price of produce and this is going to start with Easter all the way into fall," Marks told CBS 13.
San Joaquin Dairy Farmer, Andrew Genasci, said their farmland is underwater. He has had to move thousands of his cattle.
"The water and flooding we are seeing in the Tulare area will increase milk prices," said Genasci. "Last I heard there were nine dairies displaced already. It is really brining to the forefront the need for investment in flood protection in rural and disadvantaged communities."
Farmers are asking for more projects like Sites Reservoir in the Western Sacramento Valley to be completed. They believe without more reservoirs or aquifers locally grown food will come at a bigger cost.
"We are going to have to build more reservoirs to keep up with the water needs in California," said Marks.
Farmers said they are going to continue to work with the state to get these projects done.