“Do you see some almonds in the distance over there? This is in 3 to 4 feet of water. I found pistachios that have been submerged in 2 to 3 feet of water since Friday.” Brandon Dykstra said, pointing to his fields.
Farmers in California are attempting to protect their crops and livestock from the severe weather that has flooded much of the state.
Dairy farmers are now concerned about getting milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream to market.
“Right now, where we are is essentially a levee protecting our facility, where all of our animals are housed.” Johnny Dykstra pointed to the rising water on the other side of the levee that keeps his herd dry.
California is the country’s leading producer of dairy products.
For weeks, farmland used for grazing has been submerged.
More than 60% of the feed for the cows has been destroyed. Many farmers are already dealing with falling milk prices and high feed costs.
Snow in northern California is delaying work at some milk processing plants, according to the USDA’s weekly dairy market report.
Flooding is interfering with delivery.
“If we see too much of a financial burden, where dairy families have to, you know, close down their operations, you know, in that sense, you could see more, more milk going away.” Johnny Dykstra stated.
