California Farming at a Crossroads: Roger Isom on Water, Labor, and the Future of Agriculture
Leadership in Agriculture
Roger Isom serves as President and CEO of both the Western Tree Nut Association and the California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association. With decades of experience, Isom has been at the forefront of addressing critical issues facing California farmers. From water and labor to regulations and global trade, he provides a candid view of the challenges shaping the future of farming in the Golden State.
Weather, Yields, and Crop Quality
According to Isom, 2025 has delivered some of the mildest summer conditions in years, creating optimism for high-quality tree nuts and cotton. While farmers are cautious about celebrating too early, signs point to strong yields across many commodities.
The Heavy Hand of Regulation
Isom highlighted how California’s regulatory environment has made farming increasingly difficult. High labor, fuel, and electricity costs put growers at a competitive disadvantage compared to other states and countries. Many regulations, especially in air quality and energy, have pushed margins razor-thin, leaving producers struggling to survive.
He noted that even lawmakers are beginning to feel pressure as everyday Californians face skyrocketing utility bills, gas prices, and housing costs. What once were abstract policy debates are now impacting urban voters directly.
Automation and the Disappearance of Jobs
California’s high labor costs and agricultural overtime laws have accelerated automation. In the tree nut industry alone, more than 10,000 hand-sorting jobs have disappeared in just three years, replaced by machines. Isom explained that farmers have little choice: workers’ compensation, health insurance, and wage mandates make manual labor unsustainable.
Immigration Reform and Farm Labor
Labor remains one of the most pressing issues in California agriculture. Isom expressed optimism that bipartisan immigration legislation may finally gain traction after decades of gridlock. He emphasized the need to prioritize longtime farmworkers who have paid taxes, raised families, and become part of rural communities.
“These are some of the hardest-working people you’ll ever find,” Isom said. “We need to know who’s here, but we also need to keep the people who are providing honest work.”
The Freight Crisis and Global Trade
Freight and transportation costs are another major concern. California agriculture relies on trucks to move products from the field to processing plants and then to ports for export. With 100% of California cotton and 70% of tree nuts exported, freight is essential.
Electric truck mandates pose new challenges. Current technology cannot meet the demands of hauling over mountain passes, and heavy batteries reduce payload capacity. Hydrogen trucks, while promising, are prohibitively expensive. These costs ultimately fall back on growers, who cannot raise prices in competitive global markets.
Trade tensions and tariffs add further uncertainty. India and China remain vital markets for California almonds and walnuts. Any disruption in trade agreements threatens the economic stability of growers.
Water: The Defining Issue for California Agriculture
Water access continues to dominate conversations. Isom sits on the San Joaquin Valley Water Blueprint, which seeks infrastructure funding for storage, conveyance, and groundwater recharge. He criticized restrictions imposed by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and environmental rulings that redirected massive amounts of water away from farms.
In Fresno County, once the nation’s leading cotton-producing region, water cutbacks reduced the number of cotton gins from 26 in 2005 to just six by 2009. An estimated 10,000 jobs were lost in cotton alone.
Despite restrictions, fish populations such as Delta smelt and salmon have not recovered, raising questions about the effectiveness of these policies. Isom argued that solutions like raising Shasta Dam, expanding San Luis Reservoir, and building new storage projects could restore balance while protecting species and preventing saltwater intrusion.
The Decline of Rural Communities
Towns like Mendota, Firebaugh, Huron, and Five Points once thrived on farm jobs. Today, many resemble shadows of their former selves. The ripple effect of water cutbacks and regulations has devastated small businesses, farmworkers, and entire communities.
Educating Policymakers and the Public
One of Isom’s priorities is educating legislators who often have no firsthand knowledge of farming. He recounted a 2011 tour where lawmakers from urban districts were shocked to learn that farmworkers were not housed in shacks but lived in local communities.
Similarly, many legislators who voted for minimum wage increases later realized how it drove automation and eliminated jobs. Isom stressed the importance of bringing policymakers to farms, gins, and packing houses to see the impacts of their decisions.
Global Food Security and California’s Role
Isom warned about the dangers of relying on imports from countries with weaker food safety standards. Residues of banned pesticides such as DDT are still found on imported produce. California farmers, by contrast, operate under some of the strictest environmental and worker safety regulations in the world.
“Farmers here are the best stewards of the land,” Isom emphasized. “We live here too. This is our livelihood and our backyard.”
Looking Ahead: Hope and Uncertainty
Despite the challenges, Isom remains cautiously optimistic. He believes bipartisan immigration reform, smarter water policies, and fair trade agreements could strengthen California agriculture. Yet, he acknowledged the troubling trend of multigenerational farmers leaving the state for less regulated environments like Texas.
A Legacy of Leadership
On a personal note, Isom shared that his son has entered the agricultural industry, working in commodity fumigation with a focus on tree nuts. The next generation remains committed to farming, even as uncertainty clouds the path forward.
Conclusion
Roger Isom’s perspective underscores the crossroads California agriculture faces in 2025. From water shortages and regulatory battles to freight, trade, and labor, the stakes have never been higher. Yet one fact remains clear: no region in the world produces food with the same quality, safety, and efficiency as California. Protecting this legacy is vital—not just for farmers, but for the future of food security worldwide