The Californian of southern Riverside County covered the concerns of farmers over water cutbacks. Reporter Jeff Rowe said farmers are turning to science and ingenuity to try to save county agriculture - and help keep food prices down.
The story highlighted one farmer who plans to use water absorbing polymers on a watermelon farm and another farmer who is working to secure grants to build a plant to extract salts from water discharged from sewage-treatment plants.
For the story, Rowe spoke to UC Riverside Cooperative Extension vegetable crops specialist Milt McGiffen about the possibility of farmers throwing in the towel if water allocations are cut too severely.
"Any time water rates are raised, some farmers go out of business," McGiffen was quoted. "Our ability to grow food has diminished. The less we grow, the more expensive it is (for consumers)."