What is it?  Water.

Farmers and consumers share a unique relationship. Many of the same sources of water meet the domestic needs of millions of Californians as well as the irrigation needs of the farmers who grow our food. And without California’s local farms, we would have a greater dependence on foreign food sources along with uncertain farm practices that can affect food safety.

California is home to one of only five Mediterranean climates on earth. Our cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers provide perfect growing conditions for over 400 crops. The three things necessary for plant growth are sunshine, soil and water and California has them all. Moving water from the wet, northern part of the state to the dry central and southern regions makes it possible for farmers to grow delicious fresh fruits, nuts, vegetables and many other crops. It would be difficult to grow the abundant produce that goes into a salad if farmers had to depend on just the local, natural rainfall to water their fields. By capturing water in the winter and storing it in a reservoir, we can save it for the summer when farmers use it to grow the fresh food we all find at the grocery store.