Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Trump Said Water Wars 'Easy' to Fix. What Do Farmers Say Now?
David Website Replacement
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 6 years ago on
July 3, 2019

Share

Three years ago, presidential candidate Donald Trump got right to the heart of Central Valley agriculture’s fight over its most precious resource.
“We’re going to solve your water problem. You have a water problem that is so insane,” Trump told a campaign audience at Selland Arena in May 2016.  “It is so ridiculous where they’re taking the water and shoving it out to sea.”
Trump said the seemingly endless grind among agricultural, urban, and environmental interests over water resources would be simple to fix.
“We’re going to get it done, and we’re going to get it done quick. Don’t even think about it. That’s an easy one.”
On June 28, farmers gathered in Los Banos to ask questions of President Trump’s agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue.  GV Wire took the opportunity to ask growers if they believed Trump was doing enough to bring water to farmers.
Generally, they said they like how things are progressing.

Farmers: Problems at Local, State Level

Gino Pedretti III, the Merced County Farm Bureau president and a farmer in El Nido, said water is his top issue. But he said his water problems are more with local district issues and the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA).
When it comes to federal regulations, Pedretti said U.S. authorities are doing the best they can.
“Where I’m situated, (the water) is locally owned. The federal government is doing the best they can on biological opinions and to deal with the state,” Pedretti said. “As far as federally, they don’t have much input with the water my family uses to farm.
“The Trump administration has been very open to helping California farmers with the water situation. There are a lot of laws and different biological opinions from the past that are hurting us. It just takes time to work through. They have been very aggressive to help agriculture out,” Pedretti said.
A precinct-level breakdown of the 2016 presidential election shows that many of the rural areas around Los Banos voted for Trump. That includes the precinct covering El Nido — about 11 miles south of Merced — which voted 65% for Trump.

Water Uncertainty Still Problematic

Aaron Barcellos of A-Bar Ag Enterprises said heavy rainfall in the last year has helped.
“Mother Nature has delivered for us the last couple of years, where we’ve had a pretty good supply of water. I know (Trump has) made it a little bit easier on the regulative side for us to get better water supply,” Barcellos said. “Water certainty is still a big question, up in the air, for us. We’re not sure what happens when we get in a drought type of years.”
That lack of certainty makes it hard to plan for the future, said Barcellos, who also cited SGMA as an issue.
Barcellos said he doesn’t agree with Trump on everything, but he appreciates the administration’s water efforts.
“I think they’re trying,” he said. “It’s a better environment for us than it has been in previous administrations.”
Trump won 62% of the vote in the precinct where A-Bar is located.

Trump Trying, but More Water Wanted

Joe Del Bosque, a westside grower of nuts, fruit, and vegetables, says that Trump is doing his part.
Portrait of Firebaugh farmer Joe del Bosque
— Joe Del Bosque
“I think that most people would say the administration has been trying to make sure we get some water,” said Del Bosque, who in 2014 gave President Barack Obama a tour of his farm.
Still, Del Bosque would like access to more water, noting the allocation levels set by the federal Bureau of Reclamation.
“I don’t know if it has been enough. This year, we should have had 100%, where it is 75% for the westside,” he said.
The precinct that contains one of Del Bosque’s Firebaugh farm supported Hillary Clinton with 64% of the vote.

DON'T MISS

Elon Musk Sells X to His Own xAI for $33 Billion in All-Stock Deal

DON'T MISS

US Naval Academy Ends Affirmative Action in Admissions

DON'T MISS

Elon Musk Backtracks on a Legally Questionable Plan to Pay Voters

DON'T MISS

Appeals Court Clears Way for DOGE to Keep Operating at USAID

DON'T MISS

Trump Pledges US Aid for Asia Quake Despite Former Official Saying System in ‘Shambles’

DON'T MISS

Is Fresno Political Consultant Alex Tavlian Behind Election Attack Mailer?

DON'T MISS

Gronk-a-Mania Set to Run Wild Over WrestleMania Weekend

DON'T MISS

Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Dismantling Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

DON'T MISS

St. Agnes’ Newest Robot Promises Less Invasive Surgeries, Faster Recoveries

DON'T MISS

California Food Banks Brace for Funding Cuts, and Not Only From the Trump Administration

UP NEXT

California Food Banks Brace for Funding Cuts, and Not Only From the Trump Administration

UP NEXT

Madera Authorities Seize 80 Pounds of Meth, Arrest Two Suspects

UP NEXT

Cal State Automatically Admitting High School Students With Good Grades

UP NEXT

Merced Receives Satanic Flag Request Amid Policy Debate

UP NEXT

Tulare County Wetlands Preserve Is Open to Public on Saturday

UP NEXT

Fresno County Missing Child: 7-Year-Old Damien Deleon

UP NEXT

Fresno Animal Center to Hold Free Drive-Thru Vaccine Clinic for Your Dog

UP NEXT

California Democratic Lawmaker Exaggerated His Record as a Police Officer

UP NEXT

Utah Becomes the First State to Ban Fluoride in Public Drinking Water

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Sara Ploeckelmann

David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Appeals Court Clears Way for DOGE to Keep Operating at USAID

13 hours ago

Trump Pledges US Aid for Asia Quake Despite Former Official Saying System in ‘Shambles’

13 hours ago

Is Fresno Political Consultant Alex Tavlian Behind Election Attack Mailer?

13 hours ago

Gronk-a-Mania Set to Run Wild Over WrestleMania Weekend

14 hours ago

Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Dismantling Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

14 hours ago

St. Agnes’ Newest Robot Promises Less Invasive Surgeries, Faster Recoveries

15 hours ago

California Food Banks Brace for Funding Cuts, and Not Only From the Trump Administration

15 hours ago

Why the Nation Would Be Wise to Support a Third Term Amendment for Donald Trump

15 hours ago

RIP, Bill Lyles: One of Fresno’s Most Iconic Builders and Philanthropists

16 hours ago

Madera Authorities Seize 80 Pounds of Meth, Arrest Two Suspects

17 hours ago

Elon Musk Sells X to His Own xAI for $33 Billion in All-Stock Deal

JACKSONVILLE, Mi — Elon Musk has sold social media site X to his own xAI artificial intelligence company in a $33 billion all-stock deal, th...

12 hours ago

12 hours ago

Elon Musk Sells X to His Own xAI for $33 Billion in All-Stock Deal

13 hours ago

US Naval Academy Ends Affirmative Action in Admissions

13 hours ago

Elon Musk Backtracks on a Legally Questionable Plan to Pay Voters

13 hours ago

Appeals Court Clears Way for DOGE to Keep Operating at USAID

13 hours ago

Trump Pledges US Aid for Asia Quake Despite Former Official Saying System in ‘Shambles’

13 hours ago

Is Fresno Political Consultant Alex Tavlian Behind Election Attack Mailer?

14 hours ago

Gronk-a-Mania Set to Run Wild Over WrestleMania Weekend

14 hours ago

Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Dismantling Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend