Amidst the unprecedented drought situation in the Western United States, the Biden administration has come up with a unique solution to save water. The administration has decided to provide financial assistance to farmers in the region who will conserve water.
On Thursday, the Department of Agriculture declared that it would allocate a sum of $400 million to compensate farmers in 11 states for minimizing their water usage while maintaining their commodity production.
According to the department, this measure is projected to save as much as 50,000 acre-feet of water, which is equivalent to approximately 16 billion gallons.
In a written statement, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack acknowledged the struggle of agricultural producers in rural communities across the West who are facing the brunt of prolonged drought conditions. These producers are the backbone of their respective communities and their difficulties are a matter of concern.
He expressed the desire to enhance the resources accessible to support farmers in their farming endeavors, while simultaneously promoting the voluntary preservation of water and broadening the market for commodities that promote water conservation.
The department has announced that it will provide a sum of $15 million to 18 water districts. These districts will subsequently enter into subagreements with farmers to promote the use of water-saving technologies and farming practices, as well as cultivate water-saving commodities.
The program has already selected the water districts in various states across the United States, including Idaho, Utah, Oregon, California, Washington, New Mexico, Wyoming, Texas, Montana, Colorado, and Nevada.
In recent years, the West has been plagued by water shortages that have been attributed to both a historic drought and the over-allocation of water from the Colorado River. The situation has been made worse by the production of water-intensive crops such as alfalfa (hay) and the effects of climate change.