MPC’s Geoff Vanden Heuvel Highlights Urgent Water Challenges at 2025 Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Anaheim

Yesterday, at the 2025 Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Anaheim, Geoff Vanden Heuvel – Vice Chair of the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley and Director of Regulatory and Economic Affairs for the Milk Producers Council – delivered a compelling presentation on the future of California’s agricultural water supply. His talk, “Water Stewardship for Resilient Agriculture,” underscored both the historic roots and current fragility of the state’s water system, while calling for unified, commonsense solutions to protect the nation’s food supply. The annual Summit, with nearly 1,000 attendees, brought together farmers, suppliers, processors, brands, academia, conservation organizations, and the public sector to discuss a vision for a sustainable and resilient U.S. food system. 

A State Built on Water Infrastructure

Vanden Heuvel began by contrasting modern California with its early reputation. Quoting 19th-century author Hinton Helper – who once declared California “the poorest state in the Union” and “incapable of sustaining a dense population” – Vanden Heuvel reminded the audience that the state only flourished because it built an expansive water delivery system capable of supporting farming and population growth.

“California developed because a water supply system was developed,” he emphasized.

That system, he warned, is now “broken.” Decades of declining surface water reliability, regulatory constraints, and chronic overdrafting have left groundwater severely depleted and have placed unprecedented pressure on farmers.

The Epicenter of America’s Food Supply

Vanden Heuvel highlighted the outsized role the San Joaquin Valley plays in feeding the nation. Within a 100-mile circle centered on Fresno, farmers produce:

• 60% of the country’s fruits and nuts,

• Over 30% of its vegetables,

• More milk than the entire state of Wisconsin,

• More peaches than Georgia, and

• More fresh oranges than Florida.

This concentration, he noted, makes the region’s water resilience a matter of national food security.

The Water Blueprint: A Collaborative Path Forward

Vanden Heuvel outlined the mission of the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley, a broad coalition of community groups, agricultural representatives, local governments, businesses, and water agencies. The Blueprint is dedicated to advancing “common sense water solutions” through regional collaboration, improved management, and strategic infrastructure investments.

The goal isn’t merely regulatory compliance, he stressed – it’s long-term sustainability for communities, farms, and ecosystems alike.

Reality Check: Agriculture’s Footprint Will Shrink

Among the presentation’s more sobering points was Vanden Heuvel’s acknowledgment that some reduction of agricultural acreage is inevitable. With groundwater pumping limits under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and unreliable surface supplies, not all current farmland can remain irrigated.

However, he argued that smart planning, innovative water management, and targeted investments could minimize the loss and protect the nation’s food supply.

“Preservation of our food supply depends on actions we collectively take over the next few years,” Vanden Heuvel said.

With a quote from Winston Churchill, Vanden Heuvel also offered hope that California leaders will eventually figure out the tough road ahead related to water availability: “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing, once all other possibilities have been exhausted.”

A Call for Urgent, Collective Action

Vanden Heuvel concluded by emphasizing that water stewardship is not solely an agricultural issue – it is a statewide and national priority. With millions of acres and countless communities depending on a reliable water system, he urged policymakers, water managers, and agricultural leaders to work quickly and collaboratively.

The message resonated strongly with Summit attendees: California’s agricultural future – and America’s – hinges on the choices made now.