Strategic land repurposing in California would preserve landowners' revenue and create better-paying jobs in rural communities while decreasing pollution and overall water use, according to new study

Sample article from our Agriculture Industry

MERCED, California , December 6, 2022 (press release) –

Converting Cropland Would Create Jobs and Revenue for Landowners

As historic overuse of water resources and persistent drought forces more farmland retirement in California's Central Valley , a new study finds that strategic land repurposing would preserve landowners' revenue and create better-paying jobs in rural communities while decreasing pollution and overall water use.

In the region known as the nation's food basket, many low-income residents who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods also breathe dirty air and lack vital services such as sewage, health care and clean drinking water.

The study examines the benefits of creating one-mile buffer zones in and around 154 disadvantaged rural communities that could be used for solar energy and other clean industries, managed aquifer recharge projects, and parks and wildlife corridors to help restore degraded ecosystems.

Increasingly, farm owners are allowing fields to go fallow or retiring swaths of land due to a lack of water to sustain certain crops. The study estimates that failing to repurpose retired cropland would lead to potential losses in the Central Valley of up to $4.2 billion a year and 25,682 jobs.

"This is an opportunity for a positive change to achieve climate resilience and environmental justice for communities that have traditionally been underrepresented and underserved," said Jose Pablo Ortiz Partida , one of the study's authors and senior bilingual water and climate scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists .

Investing an average of $27 million per community annually on new sustainable projects for 10 years, according to the study, could generate up to $15.6 billion a year over 30 years for the entire Central Valley and 62,697 new jobs that pay significantly more than farm work.

Other benefits of this approach, the study says, include significant reductions in groundwater overdraft, nitrate leaching, greenhouse gas emissions, and the use of pesticides.

"Our study demonstrates that it can be financially beneficial for landowners and industry investors to engage in strategic cropland repurposing that creates socioeconomic opportunities and a cleaner environment for marginalized communities," said study author Angel Santiago Fernandez-Bou , a scientist at the University of California, Merced .

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.

See our dashboard in action - schedule an demo
Chelsey Quick
Chelsey Quick
- VP Client Success -

We offer built-to-order agriculture industry coverage for our clients. Contact us for a free consultation.

About Us

We deliver market news & information relevant to your business.

We monitor all your market drivers.

We aggregate, curate, filter and map your specific needs.

We deliver the right information to the right person at the right time.

Our Contacts

1990 S Bundy Dr. Suite #380,
Los Angeles, CA 90025

+1 (310) 553 0008

About Cookies On This Site

We collect data, including through use of cookies and similar technology ("cookies") that enchance the online experience. By clicking "I agree", you agree to our cookies, agree to bound by our Terms of Use, and acknowledge our Privacy Policy. For more information on our data practices and how to exercise your privacy rights, please see our Privacy Policy.