Almonds are one of California's thirstiest crops. They're also one of the most lucrative for California farmers, who ship them to eager consumers all over the world. Farmers have converted thousands of acres to grow more of the nuts, adding a significant new permanent water demand when the state can least afford it.
In this piece for NationalGeographic.Com, I examine the rush to grow more almonds and the strain it has created during the worst drought in California's recorded history.
In this piece for NationalGeographic.Com, I examine the rush to grow more almonds and the strain it has created during the worst drought in California's recorded history.
Lucrative But Thirsty Almonds Come Under Fire Amid Drought
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| Workers sort almonds at a Modesto processing plant. Photo by Yang Lei, Xinhua News Agency. |