1. The article has a great deal of statistics scattered throughout. Choose one of these stats and share what it is and what page number you found it on within the article.

2. Next, using the stat you identified, explain how it supports one of the main ideas presented in the article.

3. Finally, please respond to a classmate's post. You can choose to take your post in any direction as long as it is related to the topic at hand and you follow netiquette rules and remain professional in your communication with others.

4. Also, be careful what you say. Remember, this is an agricultural class, and it is irresponsible to make untrue statements that are not properly fact-checked. Do not use discussion posts as a forum to promote untruths about this industry.

If the point of a compass was centered on Fresno, California, and a 100-mile Why is protecting the 100 radius was drawn, the circle formed would reach across the most vital and Mile Circle so important? We believe there is no other productive growing region in the world. Although this 100 Mile Circle covers region in the world, other less than 1% of the total land mass of the U.S., it produces nearly one-half of For three primary reasons: than perhaps those rich in its fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts - more than 250 different crops rich in the 1 Agriculture is the only U.S. oil reserves, with the same vitamins and nutrients essential to human survival. sector that has posted a trade strategic and economic value to Yet, this incredible resource is in serious jeopardy, though not from drought or climate change as one might expect. On the contrary, the region's farmers are some of the most innovative in the surplus for well over 50 years. (2) the U.S. as the 100 Mile Circle. world, continuing to improve the way they grow food, from creating new heat-tolerant varieties Bill Harrison, Managing Partner, 2 to incorporating precision irrigation and moisture sensing technology. No, the biggest threat to As diets evolve and the global Harrison Co. the 100 Mile Circle is indifference which has led to insufficient infrastructure spending, onerous population continues to expand, regulations and an overall lack of understanding the critical role food production plays in our our position as the world's nation's security and global economic position. largest food exporter will play However, there are Californians who believe While the COVID-19 induced quarantines brought much needed attention to the importance of an increasingly significant role large-scale agriculture is detrimental to the a safe and reliable food supply, the pandemic also revealed how easily the supply chain can be in the global economy. state for environmental reasons, preferring broken and the urgent need to address these issues before the next disruptive event. to outsource food production to other 3 Maintaining food independence countries. This position is not only harmful to the economic vitality of the 100 Mile Circle, Preserving is more than just providing but it also places the long-term security of the a healthy, transparent food country's food supply at risk. Our Food Security supply. It is also a matter of national security. In fact, keeping the U.S. food supply safe is The purpose of The 100 Mile Circle is home to a Mediterranean climate and the world's largest supply of Class so critical to the country's national security 1 soil - a type of soil capable of growing nearly any crop. This small region, perfected by nature, and well-being that it is governed by the this report is twofold: easily surpasses all other U.S. locations in food production per square mile. Sixty percent of the Department of Homeland Security. country's fruits and nuts, and more than 30% of its vegetables, are grown in the 100 Mile Circle. FIRST to highlight the critical role this forgotten region plays in the country's Although most of the region's produce is consumed domestically, the 100 Mile Circle exports 2 Daigle, Brian, "U.5. Trade by Industry Sector and food supply. more than $14 billion in agricultural products every year. Selected Trading Partners, " United States International Trade Commission, accessed April 15, 2020. SECOND to challenge U.S. legislators to implement the changes necessary to Its soil and climate are so ideal for growing fruits and vegetables that if the preserve America's food independence. region was designated as a country, it would be the 11th largest producer of non-cereal grain crops in the world. () "FAO Value of Agricultural Production, "Knoema (Numbers are for crop production without livestock or animal products. Cereal grains include corn, rice, soybeans and wheat ]. accessed May 5, 2020. H Harrison Co. Research Report The 100 Mile Circle 103 04 The 100 Mile CircleImpact of Legislative Indifference Despite the state's dominance as a global leader in ag production, 95% of Californians live in urban areas, including many who have relocated from outside the state. Most are unaware of how critical the 100 Mile Circle is to the food-supply chain. It seems that the only Apple many Californians care about is the one growing in Silicon Valley. The result is a state legislature overwhelmingly influenced by an urban majority that benefits from easy access to an abundance of fresh foods, and yet is detached from, and largely unaware of, the labor and resources required to grow the fruits, vegetables Water Infrastructure However, regulations that are unnecessary, and proteins that stock our grocery shelves. impractical and, in many cases, overreaching Until the COVID-19 pandemic, most Californians - and The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act can be so disruptive that the ultimate outcome most Americans - probably never imagined shuttered (SGMA), passed in 2014, places the burden on is a food supply that is less safe and less transparent. restaurants and depleted supermarkets. Even now, local farmers and other stakeholders to develop it is highly unlikely that consumers fully appreciate plans to reverse the effects that periodic Unlike other business owners who have the sacrifices made by farmers and essential workers drought coupled with continued growth has had fled California in recent years due to over- who continued to grow and harvest their crops while on California's underground water basins. regulation, farmers do not have the option of the rest of the country sheltered in place. Although farmers are implementing solutions moving their farmland to a more business- to reduce demand through more efficient friendly state. Climate and soil conditions are water use, research data clearly shows that exclusive to California's natural environment What has become abundantly clear is that a political, without also increasing supply, water balance and simply cannot be replaced or replicated will never be achieved. When excess water is in other states. However, large producers of economic and societal infrastructure that lacks the available, California is missing the opportunity specialty crops are increasingly setting their necessary perspective into farmers' livelihood has led to capture and store it simply because the sights beyond California and toward Central to a failure to completely understand the contributions water infrastructure system is broken. and South America. they make and the importance of addressing the In those regions, land, labor, water and challenges they face every day. Regulatory Overreach regulatory costs are all far less expensive and less restrictive. Such an exodus would result in Americans enjoy an abundant, diverse and overall the U.S. regressing from being the world's most affordable food supply, and regulations have no abundant food basket to a country dependent To ensure a resilient food supply, California must doubt made it one of the world's safest.() on imports to feed its population. solve two of the biggest threats to the 100 Mile Circle: The state's water problems and complying with a mounting list of regulatory requirements. 3 "Fast Facts About Agriculture and Food, " American Farm Bureau Federation, accessed April 22, 2020. H Harrison Co. Research Report The 100 Mile Circle 05 06 The 100 Mile CircleTime to Act America's Food Basket At a time of unprecedented change, one Fortunately, 100 Mile Circle farmers remain From carrots, cauliflower, peppers and onions to avocados, almonds, walnuts and milk, California certainty holds firm and true - our nation's incredibly productive despite ongoing far surpasses every other state in producing the food that keeps Americans fed and healthy. most valuable natural resource must be challenges. Years of experience overcoming While fields in lowa, Kansas and other Midwestern states primarily produce corn and soybeans, preserved. all types of adversity, from weather and pests most of which is either highly processed or used to feed livestock, the lion's share of ready-to-eat, to volatile political climates, have conditioned nutritionally rich food grown in the U.S. comes from California. With the global population growing and demand for nutrient-rich, high-calorie diets generations of farmers to continually adapt to changing and often uncertain circumstances. More Food Per Square Mile accelerating, the world will need to double the amount of food it produces by 2050, while As a result, farming operations in the 100 Mile The 100 Mile Circle is the hub around which California's agricultural industry revolves, spanning using less of everything - land, water and Circle continue to generate positive returns for a region from Modesto in the north to Bakersfield in the south and Salinas to the west. The area chemicals. Accomplishing a task this daunting innovative growers, and for the time being, the requires near-constant innovation as well as region's fertile cropland remains among the within the 100 Mile Circle, approximately one-third of which includes national parks and forests, represents less than 1% of the total landmass in the U. S. Yet, it produces 60% of the country's fruits capital to implement new ideas. It will also call most valuable and sought-after in the world. and nuts and over 30% of its vegetables. The region stands as a striking example of how a relatively for a widespread commitment to preserving small area can make an extraordinary economic difference. the earth's natural resources, and advocating for and protecting those who tend to them every day. At a time of unprecedented AG REVENUE PER SQUARE MILE change, one certainty holds (5 thousand) firm and true - our nation's 100 Mile Circle $1,116 Napa County $960 most valuable natural Delaware $719 resource must be preserved. Towa $490 California $320 Illinois $300 Indiana $293 Nebraska $275 The perfect combination Maryland $229 of climate, water and soil North Carolina $227 Ohio $218 in the 100 Mile Circle is Minnesota $215 so uniquely adaptable Wisconsin $200 to farming high-quality Kansas $195 fruits and vegetables that Harrison Co. Research & Insight Center it produces more food per square mile than any other lowa, the country's second-largest ag-producing state, state in the nation - more generates less than $500,000 in farm revenue per square than $1.1 million in farm mile. Even Northern California's Napa County, acclaimed sales per square mile. for its world-renowned wineries, produces less agricultural revenue per square mile - approximately $960,000. H Harrison Co. Research Report The 100 Mile Circle 07 08 The 100 Mile CircleWhy is this position as the Also, as incomes rise in China, so does the GLOBAL ARABLE LAND demand for healthier and more diverse diets. (Hectores per copito) leading food-exporter role These new demands are further testing the limits of China's agriculture infrastructure, 1.2 North America significant? and driving more imports of 100 Mile Circle 1.0 Africa products, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, Latin America 1 Agriculture products provide dairy and high-quality protein. European Union 0.6 the U.S. with trade leverage. World More Food Demand & 0.4 South Asia 2 Feeding a growing population 0.2 East Asia Less Arable Land will be the most important 0.0 global challenge in the 1 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 coming years. Harrison Co. The world's population is expect- Research & Insight Center 3 A safe and reliable food supply ed to climb by 2 billion over the is a matter of national security. next 30 years. The need to feed a growing population, combined Keeping U.S. Food Fortunately for most Americans, empty grocery-store shelves were a stark but Trade Leverage with stronger consumer demand Supply Safe temporary reminder of the critical importance of maintaining a safe and secure food supply. Despite political and virus-driven for healthier food options, will disruptions to trade, one certainty require double the amount of As the largest food exporter, the U.S. is positioned In fact, keeping the U.S. food supply secure to lead the world in creating a solution for the is so critical to the country's well-being and remains: the primary products crops grown by 2050. (7) global food-shortage challenge, which has become national security that it is governed by the Department of Homeland Security: China needs to purchase from the a close-to-home reality for people everywhere since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. are food and feed. "America's agriculture and food system is an Economic development and the changing COVID-19 panic-buying amplified the extensive, open, interconnected, diverse and China is ranked as the world's largest dietary preferences that follow, especially in complex structure providing potential targets importance of maintaining a robust agricultural producer. However, considering developing regions, are powering global shifts in for terrorist attacks. We should provide the the size of its population, its food supply could food demand. food supply, and the perils of relying best protection possible against a successful become dangerously limited, or exhausted in Compounding the challenge is the dramatic on other countries to meet demand. attack on the United States agriculture and some regions, without U.S. imports. Although food system, which could have catastrophic reduction of arable land. More than one-half China and the U.S. are generally the same As economies shut down around the world, health and economic effects." of the global arable land per capita has been geographic size, the percentage of arable land- consumers were not alone in hoarding lost to urban encroachment, soil erosion and food and other staples. Several countries - Homeland Security Presidential Directive land capable of producing crops - is significantly land degradation over the last 50 years. The smaller in China. immediately began to shut down exports of The Homeland Security Presidential Directive opposing demands to produce more food on food and preserved their own supplies. For 9 recognizes that a major disruption in the China claims approximately 7% of the world's less arable land make feeding the world the example, Russia, the world's largest wheat U.S. food supply would have devastating social arable land, though it needs to feed more than single most important global challenge in the exporter, started limiting grain shipments and economic consequences. As a result, the 1.4 billion people, equivalent to 20% of the coming years. during the first stages of the pandemic in early directive established a national policy in 2004 world's population. Conversely, the U.S. boasts March with the proclamation that "given the to defend the food and agriculture system more than twice as much arable land, and has 7 Foley, Jonathan, "A Five-Step Plan to Feed the World," current situation, the issue of food security is against terrorist attacks, major disasters and only 4% of the global population to feed. National Geographic Magazine, accessed May 4, 2020. coming to the foreground." other emergency situations. H Harrison Co. Research Report The 100 Mile Circle 11 12 The 100 Mile CircleGreatest Excessive Regulation Impact of Challenges from Within How is it possible that the 100 Mile Regulation Imbalance Circle is often maligned, targeted politically and regulated to the point All Americans, whether from urban, suburban or rural communities and where growing food in the region has A recent Cal Poly study across all demographics, rely on and benefit from the U.S. food supply. become increasingly challenging? found that the agriculture However, the 100 Mile Circle - the lifeblood of the country's food supply - is California farmers face a near onslaught of envi- industry in California is facing serious and long-term challenges, chief among which are achieving an ronmental and economic stresses, ranging from more strictly regulated accessible water supply and a balanced regulatory environment. ongoing drought and climate change to labor than in any other state. shortages and uncertain trade policies. It is against Water Allocation this backdrop that they are also facing mounting The lack of new infrastructure regulatory pressure, and in some cases are specif- is primarily driven by environ- ically targeted by some state lawmakers. For example, California's registration process How is it possible that California, a for pesticides is more stringent than the state so heavily dependent on snow- mental groups that object to For example, in 2015, California enacted AB federal standard followed in the other 49 1513, a statute concerning piece-rate compen- states. Phasing out beneficial crop-protection pack to provide water to farmers building new dams and diverting sation. The law created a "safe harbor" that tools without viable alternatives " is escalating and urbanites alike, has not built a water from natural waterways. provided employers with a grace period to pay the problem. new reservoir since the 1970s? These politically powerful back-wages. However, three large ag companies, organizations believe protecting Delano Farms, Gerawan Farming and Fowler The study also reveals that the regulatory burden for California farmers has far surpassed production-cost increases. For Water supply is arguably the most contentious wildlife habitats is more important Packing, were excluded from this provision. Instance, production costs for commercial and complicated issue facing California, with than protecting a high-quality, Amid litigation, the state of California acknowl recent droughts exposing serious shortfalls in the sustainable food supply. edged that the carve-out provision was an un- lettuce growers in the 100 Mile Circle's Salinas precedented targeting of specific companies, Valley have increased by 24.8% from 2006 to state's aging water-supply system. ") violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 2017. However, regulatory-compliance costs Between 1935 and 1960, state and federal agen- Fourteenth Amendment and was only included have skyrocketed by an astronomical 795% cies constructed a series of dams, reservoirs, Environmental groups, and certain politicians to appease the United Farm Workers (UFW). during the same period. (To) canals and pipelines designed to collect and move who cater to them, fail to recognize that farming water from areas with higher rainfall in Northern not only provides revenue and much-needed California to a growing population in Los Angeles jobs to California's rural communities, but is also as well as the fertile farms in the 100 Mile Circle. an essential contributor to California's ecosys- "We can conceive of no other reason why the California tem. For example, fruit and nut trees capture and The last reservoir built in California was the New Legislature would choose to carve out these three employers store a significant amount of carbon both above Melones Dam, completed in 1976. The population and below the soil's surface, and row crops, es other than to respond to the demands of a political constituent." of California at that time was approximately 20 pecially rice and alfalfa fields, provide nesting and - Ninth Circuit Judge Ronald Gould million. Since then, the population has doubled foraging habitats for several species of birds. to over 40 million. Rather than investing in new water-storage systems to help mitigate occasional droughts and better meet California's increasing water demands, the state allows billions of gallons 8 To learn more about California's water systems, go to of freshwater to flow into the Pacific Ocean. California Farm Water Coalition H Harrison Co. Research Report The 100 Mile Circle 13 14 The 100 Mile CircleA study performed by the University of California Riverside, School of Public Policy found that future compliance with new regulations is estimated to increase production costs by $203 million, or $701 A Look Back, per acre per year for citrus growers. Since 2000, the state has lost 26% of its citrus orchards as increased regulations, and their accompanying costs and reporting requirements, make growing A Look Ahead oranges more complex and expensive. What has followed is a greater reliance on oranges imported from other countries, increasing fourfold from 58,000 tons to more than 240,000 tons during the same period. (10 CALIFORNIA ORANGE ACREAGE AND IMPORTS (1,000 bearing acres; 1,000 short tons) 241.5 198 The 100 Mile Circle is arguably the country's greatest natural 147 resource. Whether it continues as a dominant force in the U.S. food 58.2 supply depends, at least in part, on the ability to effect change in 12 103 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 71 12 13 14 15 16 17 a state that has so far dismissed California Citrus Acres Oranges Imported Hardship is nothing new to farmers in the 100 or ignored the region. Mile Circle. They have long endured booms Harrison Co. Research & Insight Center and busts, droughts and floods, hailstorms and endless heatwaves, pest infestation, and If 100 Mile Circle farmers continue to political indifference. However, the hardships they have endured and overcome have bred a Tipping Point for Food Complying with labor and tax laws, be overburdened with unnecessary, environmental mandates, business- tenacity found in no other industry. Supply System impractical and costly regulations, the licensing and insurance requirements, most likely outcome will be fewer food The 100 Mile Circle was built by immigrants As food requirements grow, 100 Mile Circle and safety regulations is intended to from around the world who were drawn to farmers will need to produce more with provide consumers with a safe and products grown in the U.S. and more the possibility that with their own hands and less. Consolidation will continue as crop- sustainable food supply. However, dependence on imports from other a few acres of dirt, they could create a better production demands will require significant disproportionate cost increases life. Basque, Japanese, Armenian, Mexican, capital, innovative leadership and continued thrust upon California's agriculture countries. These imports are not only less regulated and less sustainable, Italian, Indian and Hmong are only a few of technology advancement. Also required are industry have the potential to deliver the ethnic groups that have contributed to reasonable regulations that support farmers, the opposite effect by undermining but vulnerable to border closures and this richly diverse and growing region. increased water-storage capacity, investment the country's position as the world other disruptions. eader in food production. 100 Mile Circle farmers have demonstrated in rural communities and solutions for a resourcefulness and fortitude that has immigration issues. allowed them to not only persevere but Above all, a thriving 100 Mile Circle calls also continually improve, generation after for private industry, public sector agencies, Jacobsen, Ryan, Fresno County Farm Bureau, accessed May 2, 2020. generation. From creating new varieties academia and the people of California to 10 Hamilton, Lynn and McCullough, Michael, "A Decade of Change: A Case Study of Regulatory Compliance Costs in the suited to a hotter, drier future to launching recognize its critical role in providing a quality Produce Industry, " Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, accessed April 20, 2020. robotics in the field, innovative farmers are ood supply, boosting California's economy 11 "V.5. Orange Imports and Domestic Exports from 1999 to 2017," Statista, (Although Florida and California are both taking steps to ensure that the 100 Mile Circle and securing the country's role as the world's known for oranges, 90% of fresh oranges grown in U.S. come from California. Florida primarily grows citrus for processing into juice.). accessed May 8, 2020. remains productive for years to come. premier food basket. H Harrison Co. Research Report The 100 Mile Circle 15 16 The 100 Mile CircleAbout Harrison Co. Harrison Co. MERGERS . ACQUISITIONS . CAPITAL We are an unapologetic advocate for family-owned businesses. We combine intense focus in the consumer industry with a consultative, data-driven approach, to provide private business owners with the advantage they need to make the best possible strategic, M&A, and financing decisions Contact Us Nancy Ervin Bill Harrison Shaun Kalnasy Partner Managing Partner Partner 1 559 903 5358 +1 917 596 5533 +1 404 502 2946 nervin@harrisonco.com wharrison@harrisonco.com skalnasy@harrisonco.com nancy d Eanin Will PULL Harrison Co. Research Report The 100 Mile Circle 17