Food Security is National Security
California is an agricultural giant, providing more than half of all domestically grown vegetables, fruits, and nuts. A quarter of the nation’s food is produced in the Central Valley, an agricultural singularity that boasts a unique combination of soil, climate, and weather that enables the Valley to feed millions around the country.
As California’s historic drought reaches its third year, many farms in the Central Valley will once again receive a zero percent allocation from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project. This lack of water has devastating implications not just for our country’s food supply but for our country’s national security as well.
When agricultural water supplies are not available, farmers are forced to fallow land, which reduces the amount of food and fiber crops they produce. In the past, the nation would respond to this decreased production by simply increasing imports from abroad. However, as highlighted by the global food crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrate, this is not a reliable strategy.
The nation’s food supply was already under strain due to Covid-related labor shortages, the supply chain crisis, and increasing fuel prices. Now, these factors are combining with rising inflation, and food costs are soaring. The less we produce domestically, the more we have to rely on foreign sources which makes us more vulnerable to geopolitical conflicts and supply chain bottlenecks like we saw recently in Texas. What’s more, trying to source more crops from foreign producers also means importing from places with weaker environmental regulations, a lack of worker protections, and lower food safety and quality standards. When we are talking about something so critical to our lives as food, we should not (and do not need to) be putting ourselves and our nation in such a precarious situation.
In order to take back control and sustain the ability to feed and clothe ourselves, we need to secure a reliable and adequate water supply for one of the most fertile areas in the Country- the Central Valley. Doing so will take coordinated action among both federal, state, and local policymakers. It must be a national priority.
One transformational step in that direction is unfolding right now in California. Last month, Governor Gavin Newsom announced major progress towards a long-sought-after compromise that will reform how water resources in the state are managed. Governor Newsom stood with state agencies, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and a number of public water agencies when the Voluntary Agreements were signed. These agreements lay a foundation for a more reliable water supply in the future, balancing the needs of families, farmers, and the environment. It is a model that has been successful in other watersheds in America.
To build on that foundation, policymakers will need to implement reforms that provide for more water management flexibility based on frequent monitoring and scientific review. Beyond the Voluntary Agreements, policymakers need to ensure that infrastructure funding is provided to critical projects that create and improve surface water and groundwater storage, water recycling, and habitat restoration.
Few things are more critical to a nation than a dependable food supply. The lack of water in California’s Central Valley increases the United States’ vulnerability to these global shocks. We must invest in the resources and creativity to provide a more reliable and adequate water supply for the agricultural backbone of this country. As we look at current events and the higher prices we are paying at the grocery check-out, let’s not ignore this opportunity to make sure it doesn’t get worse than it already is.
Dr. Michael Shires is associate dean for strategy and special projects and an associate professor of public policy at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy.
