WHAT THEY ARE SAYING: Biden Harris Administration Invests Up to $400 Million to Address Drought, Conserve Water through Production of Water Saving Commodities

Press Release

Release No. 0159.24

WASHINGTON, August 9, 2024 - On August 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it will invest $400 million with at least 18 irrigation districts to help farmers continue commodity production while also conserving water across the West. The funding is expected to conserve up to 50,000 acre-feet in water use across 250,000 acres of irrigated land in production, while expanding and creating new, sustainable market opportunities.

Here's what they're saying:

Senator Michael Bennet (CO): "Family farmers, water users, and communities across the American West are facing the effects of a 1200-year drought and a changing climate. This is a five-alarm fire, and Washington ought to treat it that way. With this investment, the Biden administration answered our call to bring resources to bear that will help producers innovate and become more resilient to drought. I'm grateful for Secretary Vilsack's leadership in delivering this relief for Colorado and the West."

Representative Yadira Caraveo (CO-08): "I'm very excited the bicameral effort I helped lead in April urging USDA for Western drought investments paid off. This new Water Savings Commodity Program and federal investments will be life changing for Colorado - giving our communities the resources and protections they need."

Senator Martin Heinrich, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee (NM): "New Mexicans are on the front lines of increasingly extreme weather events driven by climate change, including prolonged drought and long-term aridification. We need better tools to stay prepared. I applaud the USDA for heeding our calls to invest in new, innovative resources for our agricultural producers and communities to strengthen water security and climate resilience."

Senator Jeff Merkley (OR): "As climate chaos fuels long-term drought in Oregon and across the American West, the federal government must use all the resources at its disposal to address this ongoing crisis. My colleagues and I urged the administration to take action earlier this year, and I applaud the USDA for creating this new program to fund innovative water solutions. This is a much-needed step forward to build a stronger, more resilient future for the West's economy and environment."

Senator Alex Padilla (CA): "California farmers feed the nation, but long-term Western drought and water supply challenges threaten their livelihoods and, in turn, our agricultural industry. These investments in the beating heart of our rural communities will build resiliency in our agricultural production and fortify California's water supply through new water-saving technologies and commodities."

Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02): "New Mexicans understand the critical impact that long-term droughts have on our communities and agricultural industries. After calling on the USDA for additional resources, I'm now proud to welcome this $400 million investment to address droughts and improve water conservation efforts. This funding will help ensure a more sustainable, resilient future for the American West."

Senator Ron Wyden (OR): "It is absolutely essential that the communities in Oregon and across the nation facing droughts and wildfires have every available resource they need to be safe and thrive. These are not your grandfather's fires. They burn hotter and bigger than at any other time in recent history. I will continue to advocate for more support for communities in affected by drought and wildfires caused by the climate crisis."

Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage District, Elroy, AZ: "Central Arizona Irrigation and Drainage Districtis pleased to be considered for the Water-Saving Commodities. Any water savings projects to assist our growers in efficiencies with less volumes of water are greatly needed. "

Central Oregon Irrigation District, Redmond, OR: "Central Oregon Irrigation Districtis grateful for USDA's investment in our conservation projects. This partnership will advance our ongoing efforts to improve crop yields, create opportunities for long-term water reliability, and conserve water, making a lasting impact in the Deschutes Basin."

East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Othello, WA: "The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District is pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the USDA on this critical effort. This collaboration will enable us to address the pressing challenges of water management in our district, particularly as we work to increase water delivery efficiencies. By supporting initiatives that enhance irrigation efficiency and modernize our infrastructure, we can ensure that our agricultural producers continue to thrive while increasing sustainable levels of commodity production. The benefits of this partnership extend far beyond immediate improvements; they represent a long-term investment in the resilience and productivity of our district."

Elephant Butte Irrigation District, Las Cruces, NM: "Elephant Butte Irrigation Districtappreciates yet another opportunity to collaborate and work with our federal partners to put real solutions on the ground for our local farmers and communities. We are excited about this opportunity to further advance our innovative, cutting-edge strategies for contributing to solutions that address overall lower levels of water availability while ensuring our producers are supported and can continue to feed the public and support our local economy."

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, Willows, CA: "The Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District(GCID) is extremely excited about the opportunity to partner with USDA to pursue the timely and important water conservation efforts and investments supported by the USDA Water-Saving Commodities Program. This partnership seeks to promote the utilization of water efficient technologies while maintaining and increasing commodity production and consumption in the face of increasing periods of drought and climate change impacts. GCID is the largest Irrigation District in the Sacramento Valley, serving water to over 160,000 acres of irrigated lands. This Program is consistent with the goals of the District, and will serve to greatly improve water use efficiency, while sustaining our regional agricultural economy."

Greybull Valley Irrigation District, Emblem, WY: "Greybull Valley Irrigation District (GVID) is extremely excited to explore water conservation efforts with the USDA Water-Saving Commodities team, this is a great opportunity for the District and their producers. GVID is always looking for ways to conserve water while supplying their producers with a steady flow for their crops, livestock, underground pipelines and pivots. The District is looking forward to discovering other conservation measures that would be very beneficial for all GVID members."

Imperial Irrigation District, Imperial, CA: "Imperial Irrigation District (IID) is eager to learn more about the USDA program details and explore how we can align this funding with our existing on-farm conservation programs and enhance our water conveyance system. We are glad to be considered in this pilot project and our goal is to maximize the benefits for IID's growers and producers."

Maricopa Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District, Maricopa, AZ: "Maricopa Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District is pleased to be working with USDA to implement practices and projects that save water and improve efficiencies at a time when the historic drought in the southwest has put so much pressure on our agricultural producers. Investing in agriculture is an investment in America."

Palisade Irrigation District, Palisade, CO: "The Palisade Irrigation District is excited to be included in the preliminary group of irrigation districts invited to partner with USDA in this new water savings initiative. Our District has the potential to save water through the improvement of off-farm delivery and on-farm application systems."

Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District, Quincy, WA: "Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation Districtis excited to enter into partnership with USDA to help bring Federal dollars to local growers. Our top priority is providing efficient and dependable irrigation water to our constituents, and we look forward to working with USDA to explore new water-efficient practices in the Columbia Basin."

Sutter Mutual Water Company, Robbins, CA: "Sutter Mutual Water Company is excited about this unique opportunity to partner with the USDA to continue to be innovative water stewards for the Sutter Basin."

Zippy Duval, President, American Farm Bureau Federation: "Farm Bureau appreciates that USDA recognizes the unique challenges faced by our western farmers and ranchers and others. Prolonged drought conditions have threatened the sustainability of farms and ranches, and infrastructure improvements and crop productivity investments are needed to help farmers make it through the tough times. We look forward to learning more about the investment, and we urge USDA to provide flexibility as they deploy these resources."

Kevin Moran, Associate Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund: "USDA's water conservation investments are a welcome show of support for western communities facing the region's driest stretch in a 1000 years. Long-term drought is the new reality for farmers, communities, and ecosystems across the West. This funding will help support irrigation districts who are adapting to aridity with innovative and necessary water conservation efforts. The Tribal set-aside is a particularly crucial component and we look forward to learning how the funding will be used to meet specific Tribal needs. The scale of increasing water scarcity in the region means further support for water savings will be necessary, but this is a welcome and much-needed step towards stabilizing and securing a resilient water future for the American West."

Dan Keppen, Executive Director, Family Farm Alliance: "We welcome USDA's announcement, which will benefit many of our members who need this funding. Our long-held philosophy is that the best solutions to local water resources challenges come from the locals themselves. Irrigation districts are governed by the farmers and ranchers they serve. Putting those districts in the driver's seat to work with USDA will in turn allow the districts to work with their producers to determine the best specific strategies for water conservation."

Julie O'Shea, Executive Director, Farmers Conservation Alliance: "Farmers Conservation Alliance is grateful to the USDA for creating the Water Savings Commodity Program to support irrigation districts and farmers in managing the ongoing drought in the Western United States. This funding will be instrumental in modernizing aging infrastructure and helping conserve water while ensuring farmers and ranchers can continue to produce essential commodities. We appreciate the efforts of Senators Merkley and Wyden in encouraging USDA to create programs that help address the challenges of long-term drought in the Western United States."

Kim LaFleur, President, National Association of Conservation Districts: "NACD appreciates USDA's investments enabling producers and local conservation leaders to take meaningful steps to more effectively conserve water resources and address significant drought conditions in the American West. NACD and conservation districts across the country are committed to working with USDA and our partners to help producers implement conservation practices that conserve water and improve their operations."

Erin Foster West, Policy Campaigns Director, National Young Farmers Coalition: "We are encouraged by the announcement by USDA and hope to see investments that prioritize not just efficiency, but also take into account resilient ecosystems, wildfire, and cultural practices. Tribes and acequias can be models of water conservation tools and practices, while also supporting collaborative decision-making. We look forward to the coming announcements about how USDA will partner and target funds to these key groups."

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