Post on 22-Feb-2016
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WATER ~ 'TAIN'T YOURS, 'TAIN'T MINEJimmy Carlisle
Stakeholder Groups
Thermoelectric83 %
8,274 MGD
Live-stock<1 %
28 MGD
Aquacul-ture1 %
75 MGD
Irrigation2 %161
MGD
Public supply8 %
801 MGD
Residential<1 %
39 MGD
Commercial/Industrial
6 %550 MGD
Mining<1 %
28 MGD
2005 Alabama Water Withdrawals
Total withdrawals - 9,942 mgd
(almost 10 bgd)
1950195
2195
4195
6195
8196
0196
2196
4196
6196
8197
0197
2197
4197
6197
8198
0198
2198
4198
6198
8199
0199
2199
4199
6199
8200
0200
2200
4200
6200
8201
0201
20
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
Planted Corn Acreage - Alabama
In the East the Loss of Agriculture Devastated Rural Economies
Landowners faced with the competition of Western subsidized irrigated agriculture and deep water holding soils in mid-west resorted to accepting government set asides (CRP) or timber farming.
Land is now in timber or low intensity pasture.
When a farmer is farming he is turning over $500-$750 per acre per year which is part of the local economy
With timber production or CRP he is only turning over $50-100 per acre per year.
Rural towns dependent on farming business died out.
Economic Loss of Crop AcresAlabama (1950 – Present)
Corn 2,338,000 acresCotton 945,000 acresPeanut 215,000 acres
If we had retained the acres we had in 1950 to the present, even under rain fed yields, it would amount to a direct gain of $2.2 billion per year to the economy
Front PageSaturday, July 22, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Montgomery Advertiser Drought Articles
Friday, August 17, 2012
Montgomery Advertiser Drought Articles
Friday, August 17, 2012
Irrigated Farmland Acres in the South Arkansas 4.46 million Florida 1.55 million Georgia 1.02 million Mississippi 1.37 million Louisiana 954,353 Alabama112,819
Source: 2007 Census of Agriculture
Barriers to Expanding Irrigation
Lack of access to water
Lack of capital
Rented land
Age of farmers
Irrigation Investments
Alabama Universities Irrigation Initiative
Agricultural Water Enhancement Program
Alabama Irrigation Tax Credit Alabama Irrigation Summit
Best Management Practices Offered under the National Water Quality Initiative
Cover crops – keep soil in place
Peanuts growing in high residue Planting into high residue
Farmers are strong supporters of conservation programs, particularly those focused on assisting farmers in improving their environmental stewardship in a cooperative, collaborative manner, which not only rewards the bottom line, it provides numerous public benefit such as improved water quality, wildlife habitat and air quality.
Alabama Farmers FederationOrganizational Chart
Farmers Federation MemberI
County Board of DirectorsI
Farmers Federation Voting Delegates
IFarmers Federation Board of
DirectorsI
Executive Office
Alabama Farmers FederationPolicy Development Process
Members submit recommendations to the county Recommendations are approved or rejected at
the county annual meeting If approved the county recommendation is
submitted to our State Policy Development Committee
Members consist of the 20 member State Board of Directors, 67 County Presidents, and 17 State Commodity Committee Chairmen
Policy approved or rejected by our 500 member voting delegate body at our annual meeting
Alabama Farmers FederationWater Resource Planning
Committee Purpose:
Committed to comprehensive management of Alabama’s water resources, staying abreast of Alabama water issues and pursuing solutions to see that agriculture is in the best possible position for the future.
15 member committee representing all types of agriculture water uses.
Statewide Water Management Plan
Effort builds a consensus that there is a need for water policy
Assurance that water use policy will be in the best interest of the impacted stakeholders and the state
Input from all stakeholders Educate our members and the
general public
Statewide Water Management Plan
Need for accurate sound, scientific and unbiased research of ground and surface water
Adequate funding to collect data Encourage voluntary water-use data
reporting Increasing on-farm water storage
capacity
Statewide Water Management Plan
Any water management plan should include a comprehensive and long-range plan for irrigation needs.
Protecting farmers’ flexibility for changing agricultural production
Ensuring that water is available for agriculture in times of stress
Protecting Property Rights
Protects rights of landowners regarding groundwater
Oppose governmental action that would adversely affect agricultural production
Riparian Rights vs Non Riparian Rights