Incentivize Sustainable Farming

Conventional farming has a water problem. The enormous amount of water used for agriculture is exacerbating water shortages at a time when the American West is perpetually at risk of severe drought. Despite efforts to conserve water in urban areas, agricultural activities—especially those involving livestock—consume a disproportionate share of water resources. The imbalance is mostly due to historical water rights laws that favor longstanding agricultural uses, including the cultivation of water-intensive crops used for animal feed, like alfalfa. The Colorado River is a prime example: almost all water resources are legally allocated to agriculture.

The allocation of water rights is mostly based on outdated and inequitable laws that prioritize the most senior water rights holders. Senior water rights holders are disincentivized to use less water because they can’t be compensated for passing on their water rights—it’s essentially a “use it or lose it” system. Worse, free access to groundwater in many states has allowed extensive over-extraction, leading to the depletion of vital aquifers. And since so much of American-grown feed crops are exported overseas, the U.S. isn’t even reaping all the benefits of these water-intensive crops.

It might seem odd that farmers would use so much water just because they can, but it’s quite easy to reach or exceed a sustainable “water budget” in conventional agriculture. Old-school farming uses imprecise irrigation and moisture measurement, so farmers often misjudge how much water they need. Additionally, when crops aren’t native to the region or well-suited to the local environment, their soil becomes less fertile and less healthy, and the crops get thirstier.

Fortunately, there are lots of ways federal policy could encourage, incentivize, or mandate more efficient water use in farming, before or during efforts to reform state water rights laws. Here are some examples of sustainable practices that new federal laws could help promote:

• 💦 Efficient irrigation, such as drip irrigation and sprinkler systems, allows for precise water delivery directly to the plant roots, ensuring that crops only receive the exact amount of water they need.

• 🌻 Managing soil health, as with cover cropping and reduced tillage, enhances the soil’s ability to retain moisture, reducing the amount of irrigation needed.

• 🔄 Crop selection and rotation can reduce the need for supplemental irrigation by better-aligning crops with the natural environment and promoting soil fertility.

• 🐝 Increasing biodiversity reduces a farm’s water footprint because diverse crops create moisture-retaining microclimates.

• 🔍 Data collection and monitoring, as with soil moisture sensors and weather forecasting tech, helps farmers make more informed decisions about how to optimize irrigation schedules.

There’s a big piece of legislation called the Farm Bill that gets reauthorized by Congress every five years. Turns out we’re overdue for a Farm Bill, which means right now, our members of Congress have an opportunity to help solve this problem by including requirements and incentives for the solutions outlined above. We know that as few as 10 personalized constituent emails to an elected official is enough to put a topic like this on their radar. Our personalized emails can truly influence the contents of legislation. Jump back up to the top if you’re ready to message them!

To learn more about water conservation and sustainable agriculture priorities for the Farm Bill, check out American Rivers.