I’ve spent my career working alongside the men and women who harvest the food that feeds our state, particularly in Kern County and the Delano area, where table grapes, citrus, almonds and other crops dominate the land. They take immense pride in their work and remain deeply committed to sustainability. But the way California is pursuing its clean energy goals is putting that commitment — and livelihoods — at risk.
Every day, I’m reminded of how resourceful and adaptable our Central Valley farmers are, navigating unpredictable weather, market pressures and constant technological change. Yet, even with their resilience, the strain on family farms is impossible to ignore.
I oversee post-harvest operations at a grape-packing facility in Delano, where we process thousands of boxes of grapes every day. Running the heavy machinery to do this work takes an enormous amount of energy. We’ve invested in five acres of solar panels generating around one megawatt of power, but even that isn’t enough to keep our operations running smoothly. We still rely on the grid, but rising energy costs, unrealistic energy mandates and expensive equipment requirements are stretching family farms to the breaking point…