The Sonoma County Farm Bureau will bring together experts and top-level policymakers regarding the continuing drought and water access challenges at its 2022 Water Summit on May 10-11. The featured speakers over the inaugural two-day event are Karen Ross, California Secretary of Food and Agriculture, Wade Crowfoot, California Secretary of Natural Resources, and Congressman Jared Huffman, Second Congressional District of California. The respective expertise of the speakers regarding the interests of agriculture and natural resources will provide a unique and in-depth look at policy and current goals common to both water management and water conservation.
Secretary Ross has initiated programs that provide significant opportunities for farmers and ranchers to engage in sustainable environmental stewardship practices through water conservation. “Water is essential to agriculture, and agriculture plays a huge part in statewide conservation efforts. Farmers and ranchers continue to conserve water and to find new technologies that increase water use efficiencies,” said Secretary Ross, “Collaboration to achieve conservation is the only way to successfully find solutions to the water security challenges we’re facing.”
Secretary Crowfoot is committed to creating policy that enables regional water resilience so that communities are better able to withstand drought and flood, and able to secure the water supplies needed by human and natural systems to thrive.
Over two days, attendees will hear from multiple speakers and explore unique and complex water-related issues facing agricultural producers and the environment. Representative Huffman will discuss regional drought-related issues and the Potter Valley Project. A full list of topics can be found at www.sonomafb.org. Farmers, ranchers, growers, ag processors, conservationists, environmentalists, tribal representatives, elected officials, rural landowners, public agency staff, educators, and other stakeholders are encouraged to attend.
Single-day and two-day ticket options are available for purchase and include lunch and refreshments. Tickets for the 2022 Water Summit can be purchased at www.sonomafb.org or by calling the Sonoma County Farm Bureau office at (707) 544-5575.
