California Farm Bureau News Briefs: Walnuts, water

September 10, 2025

Walnuts

The 2025 California walnut crop is forecasted at 710,000 tons, up 18% from 2024’s production of 603,000 tons, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s objective measurement report released last week.

The forecast is based on 365,000 bearing acres, down 1% from 2024’s estimate of 370,000 bearing acres.

Robert Verloop, executive director and CEO of the California Walnut Board and Commission, said the estimate is in line with what the industry was projecting.

“Combined with virtually being sold out of the 2024 crop, the industry is well positioned to start shipping new harvest California walnuts immediately, providing seller and buyer confidence and stable markets,” he said.

Harvest begins in this month with early varieties and may extend into early November.

Verloop characterized the crop as “exceptional” in quality due to “ideal spring and summer conditions and replenished soil moisture.”

“I think international markets will be very pleased,” he added.

Water

California State Water Resources Control Board staff released last week its review of Kern County Subbasin’s latest groundwater sustainability plans, recommending the return of the subbasin to the jurisdiction of the California Department of Water Resources under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

The state water board will consider the staff recommendation during its Sept. 17 hearing on whether to designate the Kern County Subbasin as probationary. The board postponed the decision in February to provide the subbasin more time to finalize progress in its groundwater sustainability plans.

The staff review found that the subbasin’s 20 groundwater sustainability agencies addressed substantial deficiencies in the latest versions of their sustainability plans to achieve groundwater sustainability goals by 2040.

The staff recommendation is contingent on the finalization of mitigation programs for drinking water wells, including state small water system wells, impacted by groundwater pumping.

Under SGMA, agencies in critically overdrafted groundwater basins, such as the Kern County Subbasin, must submit plans demonstrating how the basin’s groundwater supplies will be managed sustainably.

The Sept. 17 water board hearing will begin at 9 a.m. at the Joe Serna Jr.-CalEPA Building, Coastal Hearing Room, 1001 I St., Sacramento.

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