Economists in California’s Central Valley are closely monitoring the effects of drought, tariffs, and immigration raids on crop output and supermarket prices as spring approaches. While prices have remained relatively stable across two presidential administrations, concerns are mounting that California’s water retention challenges and American trade policies could drive costs higher. Brad Rubin, sector manager at Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute, said, “Any time you impact farming conditions that shorten a crop, you are going to expect prices to drive higher.” He noted that water availability significantly affects farming conditions in the region.

Other drought news:

• ABC10 (Sacramento, Calif.): Exceptional drought returns for 1st time since December 2022​