California has deep roots in agriculture. California is the #1 agricultural state in the nation.Through the decades, California farming has provided an affordable, diverse food supply and a bedrock of long-term economic stability. The bounty of California farming would not exist without the safe, effective use of fumigation. For 50 years, growers have relied on the proper use of farming chemistry on hundreds of thousands of acres throughout California. Fumigation helps us use our precious resources wisely.
California, with a population of 38 million, will reach a population of 50 million by 2050. Where will our food supply come from? California agriculture faces serious challenges with urban growth irreversibly removing farmland, limited water resources, and regulations exceeding the rest of the nation.
Securing adequate land to grow crops and raise livestock was the top challenge identified again this year in the annual American Farm Bureau Federation survey…
Over the past 30 years, an average of approximately 30,000 acres of California agricultural land was permanently converted to non-agricultural uses annually. An acre of urban land emits 70 times more greenhouse gas emission than an acre of irrigated cropland.
California is the nation’s leader in food production and contributes significantly to our food security and our economy. Ample food production, including fruits, nuts, tubers, root crops, and vegetables, is a key measure of national and global security. Who wants to depend on foreign countries for something as crucial to our survival as food?
We all have a large stake in California agriculture as specialty crop farms and nurseries provide abundant fruit, nuts, tubers, root crops, and vegetables. More and more research increasingly documents the benefits of fruits and vegetables to our health. We depend upon and can thank the contribution that fumigation provides in making these foods available in abundance, high quality, and at affordable prices.
According to the USDA, “People who eat more vegetables and fruits as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of heart attack and stroke, certain types of cancer, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.”
California family farmers provide over 1,000,000 jobs. Agriculture is a livelihood, directly or indirectly, for many in California.
California is facing one of the most severe droughts on record. Fewer acres of land are being planted and crop yields are shrinking. The devastation of California's drought will affect food prices. Fumigation allows plants to get their start in healthy soil, improving crop productivity and decreasing the amount of water needed.