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California Drought Continues To Concern Ranchers And Farmers

California Drought Continues To Concern Ranchers And Farmers
California Drought Continues To Concern Ranchers And Farmers

Paula Getzelman and her husband run Tre Gatti Vineyards in Monterey County. She said the recent rain brings a deep sigh of relief.

"We were extremely nervous in 2014. The harvest was a real nail biter," Getzelman said.

Production at Tre Gatti was down 20 percent. Getzelman said she feels luckier than some of her neighbors who were down 30 percent.

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Dave Kranz of the California Farm Bureau said the impact of reduced water supplies has rippled throughout the state.

"In terms of what crops were planted, what crops were not planted, what decisions farmers and ranchers made. And that will continue to affect agriculture in California for the next year at least and probably longer depending on how long this drought continues."

Kranz said it's been tough for producers to meet the global demand for California's crops and commodities.

A UC Davis study earlier this year projected that the drought would cost the state's agriculture industry more than two billion dollars and about 17,000 jobs.

Getzelman of Tre Gatti Vineyards is worried about next year if the rain doesn't continue.

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"Everyone thinks okay, we've had some rain so everything is well again. But it isn't. We have to recharge the groundwater. We have to recharge the soil."