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The Cost of California's Drought

In California the worst drought in four decades is hitting farmers hard - 80% of California is officially in extreme drought.

Business Daily travels to California where the worst drought in four decades is hitting farmers hard.

Justin Rowlatt visits Ron Cardella's farm and winery where he is having to pump groundwater and make tough choices about which crops to save.

Peter Vallis of the San Joaquin Valley Winegrowers Association tells us the long-term toll drought is taking on the Californian wine industry, plus why a small amount of drought may improve wine quality in the short term.

We hear about the tension between farmers and environmentalists over California's water priorities - and travel to California's huge river delta where Campbell Ingram of the Delta Conservancy tells us why global warming is changing the way the state gets its water.

Plus we talk to one of the men in charge of managing California's water supply - Paul Helliker, Deputy Director of California's Department of Water Resources.

Photo: an unplanted field in Lodi California. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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18 minutes

Last on

Wed 13 Aug 2014 07:32GMT

Broadcast

  • Wed 13 Aug 2014 07:32GMT

Podcast