Catastrophic weather events wreaked havoc on U.S. agriculture last year, causing nearly $22 billion in crop and rangeland losses, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. California accounted for $1.14 billion of that figure, including nearly $880 million in damages from severe storms and flooding. The figures represent a significant shift from previous years, when drought and wildfires were California’s biggest challenges. Since then, atmospheric rivers, Tropical Storm Hilary and other weather events battered our farming communities.
- Written by Matthew Viohl, director of federal policy for the California Farm Bureau