LOCAL RANCHERS HIT BY DROUGHT

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East County News Service

July 15, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) -- The drought is hitting local ranchers hard.

Severe drought has killed off grasses in pasturelands across inland San Diego County, forcing cattle ranchers to sell off calves early and even their breeding stock.

San Diego’s backcountry is normally home to about 17,000 head of cattle grazing on 200,000 acres, the San Diego County Farm Bureau says.  But a UC Davis report from the Center for Watershed Sciences indicates that statewide, California farmers are facing a billion dollar loss in revenue due to the drought.

Locally, the drought has hit hardest on cattle ranchers as well as avocado growers, KPBS reports.

Farm Bureau director Eric Larson says farmers and ranchers had to irrigate over the winter due to lack of rain, creating higher water bills that many cannot afford if this drought continues. So now they’re selling off even breeding stock- - impacting their future long term survival.

Statewide, well water levels have also dropped sharply.  

San Diego is home to more family farms 10 acres and less than any other county in America. Overall, our county’s agricultural industry is valued at 1.6 billion dollars a year—and that’s no bull.


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