[mullingitover]

California isn't big on dietary staple agricultural goods. The five biggest ag businesses are dairy, grapes, almonds, cattle, pistachios, and strawberries, none of which we really need to grow here. They're luxury foods generally. There's not that much that's grown here that couldn't be grown elsewhere.

[njarboe]

The California central valley is probably the best climate on Earth for growing almonds and that is why about 70% of the world almond production happens there. If we don't really need to grow them here, then one does not really need almonds at all. But what singular food item does the world really need?

[bsder]

> The California central valley is probably the best climate on Earth for growing almonds

Except for that whole pesky "lack of rain" thing--which was part of "climate" last I checked.

That would seem to indicate that California's Central Valley really isn't the best climate for growing almonds.

[rufus_foreman]

I don't think the issue is that people are growing almonds in California or even that growing almonds in California takes a large amount of water. The issue as I understand it is that water rights in California (and everywhere else) are a mess and that there are no incentives that would allow water rights that are being used for relatively unproductive uses to be transferred to people using them for more productive uses.

[npsimons]

> about 70% of the world almond production happens there

80% actually[0], and that only uses 8% of agricultural water in California. Given that dairy consumes 15% and only produces 1.4% of world yield (plus it can easily be done elsewhere), perhaps we should focus on that first.

[0] - https://www.truthordrought.com/almond-milk-myths

[georgeecollins]

Rice

[refurb]

Exactly. We could all eat drought resistant oats for each meal with a shot of essential vitamins and minerals. Very efficient and green!

[dqv]

There's no need to bring the argument to this level of absurdity. The parent made a valid point about those food items being luxuries. Less fun is not the same thing as no fun.

[nitwit005]

Truly, how would we survive if wine and almonds were a bit more expensive. An unlivable horror.