The amount of unplanted farmland in California is increasing making the food supply crisis even worse. The drought is causing farmers to refrain from planting crops that they cannot afford to water.
United States Department of Agriculture data shows there are more than 531,000 acres of unplanted land in the state, an increase of about 36% from a year ago. While some of the land is fallow — left unplanted to rejuvenate the soil — natural disasters such as drought are responsible for most of the unplanted acreage, according to NBC Bay Area.
In terms of the consumer bottom line, a recent United States Department of Agriculture report is projecting a lower supply and higher prices in the U.S. for grains like wheat and corn due to drought conditions. The drought has had an alarming impact on California agriculture, and that impact carries over to the consumer and the U.S. economy. According to California Farm Water Coalition, the drought will cause more than $3 billion in negative economic impact this year.