California Drought Causes Estimated $1.84 Billion Agricultural Losses
DAVIS (CBS/AP) -- A new study estimates $1.84 billion in agricultural losses from the fourth year of California's drought.
Researchers from the University of California at Davis looked Tuesday at the likely farm costs of the drought in 2015.
Their study estimates California farmers and ranchers will fallow about a half-million acres this year for lack of water.
The report also says the drought will cost about 10,100 seasonal farm workers their jobs this year. Agriculture overall employs about 400,000 workers in the state.
California is the country's top agriculture-producing state. Agriculture consumes about 80 percent of all the water that Californians use, and accounts for about 2 percent of the state's economy.
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