Drought. Climate change. Population growth. Endangered fish. Mandated reductions in water allocations. Adjudicated water rights. Uncertain regulatory future. The forces coming to bear on water supply for agriculture have never been so significant. Water availability will be one of the most prominent forces shaping the future of agriculture in California. California agriculture has a great opportunity at this time to innovate new solutions, demonstrate leadership in achieving multiple benefits, and forge new partnerships to address these challenges.

Agriculture is an activity that serves the public by providing food, acting as an economic driver for rural areas, and providing many other benefits. Water is a basic and necessary input of food and fiber production for society, yet declining water supplies mean that many producers are facing tough choices. Smart water use – agricultural water stewardship – helps producers address the associated operational risks and challenges while supplying benefits to the broader watershed. Agricultural water stewardship practices are core to the values that characterize sustainable agriculture and will help protect the future viability of agricultural production for California and beyond.