Ag Policy Blog

A recent New York Times editorial, http://tinyurl.com/…, concluded that millions of dollars in farm subsidies used to purchase state-of-the-art irrigation equipment designed to use water more efficiently, have actually led to more water consumption and dramatically falling water tables in states from Wyoming to the Texas.

"The Environmental Quality Incentives Program, first authorized in the 1996 farm bill, was supposed to help farmers buy more efficient irrigation equipment -- sprinklers and pipelines -- to save water," said the June 7 editorial in the Times.

"But the new irrigation systems have not helped conserve water supplies, studies show. And researchers believe that the new equipment may be speeding up the depletion of groundwater supplies, which are crucial to agriculture and as a source of drinking water."

The editorial raised the ire several ag groups in the West that have faced water challenges for decades, and frankly, could face even more dire consequences if not for new irrigation technologies.

A number of those groups responded the Times piece in an editorial sent to the publication this week, http://tinyurl.com/…, saying U.S. farmers and ranchers should be commended for the work they do. Those groups signing the editorial include the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association, Association of California Water Agencies, California Agricultural Irrigation Association, California Farm Bureau Federation, Family Farm Alliance, Irrigation Association, Montana Stockgrowers Association, Public Lands Council and the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association.

"The demand for food, feed, fuel and fiber supported by our nation’s farmers and ranchers is at an all-time high, due to a growing global population, government mandates, and other pressures. At the same time, according to American Farmland Trust, we are losing an acre of farmland every minute.

"It is clear that productivity gains associated with irrigation are not a luxury, they are a necessity. Farmers and ranchers need to meet these demands with fewer resources and increased environmental regulatory responsibilities, within an ever-changing and uncertain climate. Many irrigators voluntarily engage in conservation practices that not only conserve water, but also meet these demands with improved efficiency. These hard-working farmers and ranchers should be commended, not condemned, for their actions."

The groups offered information contrary to what the Times editorial cited in making a case that subsidies for irrigation equipment have led to depleted water resources.

A 2009 U.S. Geological Survey report found that, "even though the amount of irrigated acres throughout the United States has increased over time, irrigation application rates decreased steadily from 1950 to 2005.

"This report rolled out by the Obama Administration suggests that this success is directly attributed to the increased use of more efficient irrigation systems by irrigators," the letter said.

"In addition to the USGS study, the USDA's Economic Research Service states that the U.S. water application rate in irrigated agriculture declined by 20% between 1969 and 2003, a continuing trend that farmers and ranchers take pride in."

Dan Keppen, executive director of the Family Farm Alliance, said in a statement that, "Even when much of the economy is faltering right now, irrigated agriculture remains one of the largest economic engines in the Western U.S. Voluntary water conservation measures are part of that success and something we are very proud of."

According to a 2012 report commissioned by the Alliance and others for the 17 Western states, the total household income effects derived from irrigated agriculture that includes direct irrigated crop production, agricultural services and the food processing and packaging sectors, is estimated to be about $128 billion annually.

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