The Farm Service Agency of the USDA has determined that unplanted crop acres in California will increase by 21 percent from 2021 to 532,000 acres in 2022.  This unplanted acreage is 7 percent of the projected state cropland.

California is the second largest producer of rice in the U.S. after Arkansas, with a crop value of $900 million annually.  Half of the crop, comprising medium-grain Japonica, is exported.  According to U.S. Crops Data, Colusa County lost 84 percent of its acreage and Glenn was down by 75 percent based on sharp reductions in allocation of water from the Central Valley Water Project. Fallowing land represent a loss in projected revenue of $500 million to farmers.  Since 2020, almonds and pistachios have replaced alfalfa, cotton and wheat in many areas but the shortage of water will probably adversely affect tree nuts, since there is little flexibility in responding to water shortage. 

Dairy and poultry farmers in the Central Valley will have to intensify systems for water conservation.  In many cases, subterranean water if available in adequate quantities requires extensive treatment and pH stabilization to be suitable for flocks and is non-potable for human consumption.