The golden mussel, an invasive species from East and Southeast Asia, is spreading rapidly in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta since its discovery in October 2024. This tiny invader threatens California’s $50 billion agricultural industry by clogging irrigation systems, which could disrupt water deliveries, reduce farm production, and raise food prices. Efforts are underway to monitor and control its spread to protect our food supply.

This week, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced an increase in the Central Valley Project (CVP) water allocation for south-of-Delta agricultural contractors, raising it from 50% to 55% for the 2025 water year. While this modest increase offers some relief to farmers, farm workers, and rural communities in the San Joaquin Valley, it underscores the ongoing challenges of California’s unreliable water supply system. Insufficient water allocations have far-reaching consequences, not only for agriculture but also for the nation’s food supply.

California’s agricultural landscape is transforming due to water supply challenges and the push for renewable energy. With projections of 500,000 to 1 million acres fallowed in the San Joaquin Valley by 2040, driven by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and decades of environmental water policies curtailing water supplies, farmers face tough choices: grow crops, convert land to solar, or try to do both.