Once again, I am here as an Idaho local to inform you that this fight isn't new, and "these poor farmers" are glyphosate, GMO, and chemical fertilizer using, monocrop producing, big lawyer bullying, assholes who have been getting rich playing the system for 100+ years. Buying desert land for pennies on the dollar and then using nepotism to transfer water rights away from riparian areas to break out new fields has destroyed thousands of acres of wildlife habitat, displaced families, and over appropriated our basins. They think they've been clever when in fact, they've been unethical. My grandma's domestic well ran dry a few years ago. We haven't had water on some of our property for 30+ years because their money and nepotism codified theft. Reap what you sow.
I don't know what to think. I'm sure there are some small farmers getting caught with their pants down, and that sucks, but the irrigators being curtailed are all holding water rights from after 1950s, which coincides with big ag's explosive addiction to industrial fertilizer and fed farm subsidies. We only get 10 inches of average annual precipitation. To put that into perspective, Arizona averages 12. If you have irrigators pumping more than what naturally recharges into the aquifer from that 10" of precipitation, then your system is over appropriated and will continue to decline until a change is made, and the law says "First in time, first in line." If that means shutting off newer irrigators to reach sustainable recharge, then so be it. Broadly speaking they're a handful of hypocritical "good ol' boys" who wave around Gadsden flags while getting rich off the government's teat. Who has the money to buy up thousands of acres of previously unfarmed land, procure ground water rights, hire full time lawyers to wheel and deal the state to get said water on said land, and then put it all under pivot under 80% Fed funded equip projects? Probably not many "small" farmers.
Once again, I am here as an Idaho local to inform you that this fight isn't new, and "these poor farmers" are glyphosate, GMO, and chemical fertilizer using, monocrop producing, big lawyer bullying, assholes who have been getting rich playing the system for 100+ years. Buying desert land for pennies on the dollar and then using nepotism to transfer water rights away from riparian areas to break out new fields has destroyed thousands of acres of wildlife habitat, displaced families, and over appropriated our basins. They think they've been clever when in fact, they've been unethical. My grandma's domestic well ran dry a few years ago. We haven't had water on some of our property for 30+ years because their money and nepotism codified theft. Reap what you sow.
Article from 1995: https://www.hcn.org/issues/issue-29/no-more-ignoring-the-obvious-idaho-sucks-itself-dry/
This is happening all over the West https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZwBSjBgMXg
Very interesting perspective, which another reason why I don't pass judgement instantly until I read something like this. Thx for the insight, friend.
What do you think the goal is here? Although these farmers are unethical, globalists goal is obviously to control food.
What do you think about all of this? It is an agenda to do something negative, interested in what you think.
Intentions? Solutions?
I don't know what to think. I'm sure there are some small farmers getting caught with their pants down, and that sucks, but the irrigators being curtailed are all holding water rights from after 1950s, which coincides with big ag's explosive addiction to industrial fertilizer and fed farm subsidies. We only get 10 inches of average annual precipitation. To put that into perspective, Arizona averages 12. If you have irrigators pumping more than what naturally recharges into the aquifer from that 10" of precipitation, then your system is over appropriated and will continue to decline until a change is made, and the law says "First in time, first in line." If that means shutting off newer irrigators to reach sustainable recharge, then so be it. Broadly speaking they're a handful of hypocritical "good ol' boys" who wave around Gadsden flags while getting rich off the government's teat. Who has the money to buy up thousands of acres of previously unfarmed land, procure ground water rights, hire full time lawyers to wheel and deal the state to get said water on said land, and then put it all under pivot under 80% Fed funded equip projects? Probably not many "small" farmers.
https://idwr.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/legal/swc-delivery-call/2024-SWC-Delivery-Call/20240607-FAQ-on-the-Directors-curtailment-order-for-general-public-Version-2.1.pdf