Riverside County Sheriff and California governor candidate Chad Bianco returned to the AgNet News Hour for part two of his conversation about California agriculture, water policy, regulations, energy, immigration, and the future of the state.
The interview opened with discussion surrounding California’s latest water allocation announcement, which increased allocations to Westlands Water District growers from 20% to 25%. Hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill criticized the state’s inability to store water despite multiple wet years and full northern reservoirs.
“We don’t know how to store it when we do have it,” McGill said during the broadcast.
Bianco said California’s problems are driven by government mandates and policies that force ideas onto residents and businesses instead of allowing innovation and practical solutions.
“There is no way on earth that wind and solar provide us the electricity that we need,” Bianco said. “It just can’t happen. So why are we forcing it to happen?”
Bianco argued California should focus on reliable energy, domestic oil production, water storage, and reducing regulations that hurt farmers and businesses.
“We have way more water than we need in California,” he said. “It’s just purposely wasted and sent out to the ocean every single year.”
The conversation also focused heavily on agriculture. Bianco said California farmers are being crushed by regulation, rising costs, and water shortages despite producing food for the nation and much of the world.
“There is help on the horizon,” Bianco told listeners. “This is somebody that’s been working hand in hand with our ag community for 33 years.”
Bianco said he wants California to once again become a national leader in agriculture by removing barriers and supporting local food production.
“California school systems will be supplied with California food and ag,” he said. “Ag, meat, poultry — everything will be California grown, California made.”
Energy policy was another major topic. Bianco said California has the ability to reduce fuel costs significantly by utilizing its own oil resources instead of relying on imports.
“We will stop buying from other countries,” he said. “California can be oil independent.”
The interview also touched on sanctuary state policies, immigration, public safety, homelessness, and the relationship between California and the federal government. Bianco emphasized the importance of cooperation with Washington and said California cannot succeed while isolating itself politically.
“We have to have someone willing to work with anyone and everyone,” he said.
Bianco also addressed criticism related to protests and unrest during the BLM demonstrations several years ago, explaining that a widely circulated video showing him kneeling was part of a public prayer before law enforcement later dispersed rioters.
“The truth never changes,” Bianco said. “That was simply prayer.”
The broadcast concluded with Bianco encouraging Californians to vote and become more involved in shaping the state’s future.
“California is already great,” he said. “We’re just not doing what we should be doing.”
The program also featured an almond industry update with Almond Board of California spokesperson Bryce Spycher, who discussed the USDA’s 2.7 billion-pound subjective almond estimate for the upcoming season and described the market as stable and balanced heading into harvest.
Listen to previous AgNet News Hour episodes…