3 ms·

> Not quite, the problem is water isn’t being used efficiently. Agriculture wastes a great deal of water to evaporation because it’s cheaper not because it’s re

> Not quite, the problem is water isn’t being used efficiently. Agriculture wastes a great deal of water to evaporation because it’s cheaper not because it’s required. The water evaporates because of the sun. Have you solved the growing crops without a sun problem? Everyone wants to make one of the most efficient crops (alfalfa) the enemy. But alfalfa growers are not subsidized by the government at all. Do you know which crop is? Corn. Corn wastes many times more water per acre than alfalfa, but is rarely mentioned in such HN threads. Gotta keep that "clean" ethanol flowing.

Retric 3y ago
I am not specifically talking about crop choice here. Center pivot irrigation requires very little infrastructure for a farmer, but spraying a light mist is a great way to evaporate water before it even reaches any plants. Similarly, water pooling on the surface evaporates faster than water sitting just an inch below the soil. Alpha doesn’t directly care about this difference, but one is far cheaper than the other if and only if you price that water at close to 0$. Of course if farmers needed to price in water then things like crop choice would change, but that’s simply the market reacting to price signals. Aka the vary basis of our economy.
mrguyorama 3y ago
> Corn wastes many times more water per acre than alfalfa, but is rarely mentioned in such HN threads. Because nobody gives a fuck about wasting water in Kansas, because most of the places where significant amount of crops are grown don't have water problems like california The issue at stake is wasting water in california and your attempted pivot to pretend this has anything to do with "crop water efficiency" outside of that context is nonsense.
- kolanos 3y ago
  California produces 11 million tons of corn a year [0] and only 7 million tons of alfalfa [1]. [0]: http://www.seecalifornia.com/farms/california-corn.html http://www.seecalifornia.com/farms/california-corn.html [1]: https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/FertilizerResearch/docs/Alfalfa_Production_CA.pdf https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/FertilizerResearch/docs/Alfalfa_Pr...
  - Retric 3y ago
    There’s several kinds of corn, but if we’re comparing silage it’s 26 tons / acre vs 7 tons / acre for alfalfa. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=CALIFORNIA https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverv... Corn yields are normally measured in terms of grain, but it’s worth remembering the rest of the plant still has value when considering efficiency. But, the reality is completely eliminating California’s water problems is easy on a legal and technical level but not a political one. There is little incentive to let water flow into the ocean so CA is always going to sit right on the edge of a significant issue.

Retric 3y ago

I am not specifically talking about crop choice here. Center pivot irrigation requires very little infrastructure for a farmer, but spraying a light mist is a great way to evaporate water before it even reaches any plants. Similarly, water pooling on the surface evaporates faster than water sitting just an inch below the soil. Alpha doesn’t directly care about this difference, but one is far cheaper than the other if and only if you price that water at close to 0$. Of course if farmers needed to price in water then things like crop choice would change, but that’s simply the market reacting to price signals. Aka the vary basis of our economy.

mrguyorama 3y ago

> Corn wastes many times more water per acre than alfalfa, but is rarely mentioned in such HN threads. Because nobody gives a fuck about wasting water in Kansas, because most of the places where significant amount of crops are grown don't have water problems like california The issue at stake is wasting water in california and your attempted pivot to pretend this has anything to do with "crop water efficiency" outside of that context is nonsense.

kolanos 3y ago
California produces 11 million tons of corn a year [0] and only 7 million tons of alfalfa [1]. [0]: http://www.seecalifornia.com/farms/california-corn.html http://www.seecalifornia.com/farms/california-corn.html [1]: https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/FertilizerResearch/docs/Alfalfa_Production_CA.pdf https://apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/FertilizerResearch/docs/Alfalfa_Pr...
- Retric 3y ago
  There’s several kinds of corn, but if we’re comparing silage it’s 26 tons / acre vs 7 tons / acre for alfalfa. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=CALIFORNIA https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverv... Corn yields are normally measured in terms of grain, but it’s worth remembering the rest of the plant still has value when considering efficiency. But, the reality is completely eliminating California’s water problems is easy on a legal and technical level but not a political one. There is little incentive to let water flow into the ocean so CA is always going to sit right on the edge of a significant issue.