The February 11 edition of the AgNet News Hour delivered one of the most wide-ranging and policy-heavy conversations of World Ag Expo week as hosts Nick Papagni and Josh McGill wrapped up their two-part interview with John Duarte, President of Duarte Nursery. Broadcasting during day two of the World Ag Expo in Tulare, the show focused squarely on California’s water future, immigration reform, and why abundance, not scarcity, should guide state policy.
Duarte wasted no time challenging the idea that California lacks water. Instead, he argued the state suffers from failed management, not natural shortage. He outlined three near-term solutions that could dramatically improve water reliability without waiting decades for new dams. First, Duarte highlighted advanced weather forecasting technology developed in Northern California that can predict reservoir inflows with roughly 85 percent accuracy. Making that data publicly available, he said, would allow water managers to safely hold more stormwater instead of dumping it to the ocean out of fear.
Second, Duarte called for aggressive dredging of Delta channels and San Joaquin River tributaries. By increasing flow capacity, the state could reduce flood risk while allowing reservoirs to retain more water upstream. He pointed to recent flooding threats in communities like Corcoran as proof that current infrastructure is inadequate and outdated.
The third solution Duarte emphasized was extending the Folsom South Canal. Originally designed to move water down the east side of the San Joaquin Valley, the canal was never completed. Duarte said a roughly 50-mile extension could move millions of acre-feet of water south of the Delta each year at a cost far lower than most proposed storage projects. “These are practical fixes,” he said. “They shouldn’t be controversial.”
The discussion also returned to the Potter Valley Project, where Duarte warned that removing dams due to FERC relicensing challenges could devastate entire communities. He explained that hydroelectric facilities are being pushed out not because they fail environmentally, but because the regulatory process has become financially impossible. Without those dams, he said, there is no backup plan for water delivery, agriculture, or public health in those regions.
Immigration and labor rounded out the conversation. Duarte argued that agriculture needs a permanent, rational solution, one that secures the border, removes criminals, and provides legal work status for long-time laborers who support the food system. He said working families, especially in the Central Valley, are increasingly voting based on quality of life issues like clean water, air, and economic stability rather than party labels.
Looking ahead, Duarte said nursery demand is improving as growers adopt higher-yield systems in almonds and pistachios. While water remains uncertain, he believes common-sense policy could restore confidence. “California can be great again,” he said, “but only if we stop governing for scarcity.”
Papagni and McGill closed the episode by calling the interview a reminder that solutions exist — if leaders are willing to listen to the people farming the land.
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