Solving State’s Water Shortage
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As evidenced in “Cut Water to Farmers, State Urged” (Part A, March 11), it appears that Rep. George Miller (D-Martinez) has allowed his anti-rice-grower fundamentalism to cloud another story.
His comment that “(California rice growers) got Congress to turn around on an embargo of (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein just before he invaded Kuwait, for crying out loud” demonstrates a staggering lack of knowledge on this subject.
For the benefit of your readers and Miller’s staff, no California rice was sold to Iraq, then or now. It is southern U.S. rice growers who make rice sales to Iraq, not California rice growers.
Miller also suggests that farmers who sell water rights to the State Water Bank would be making windfall profits. What’s not mentioned is the fact that in doing so, growers would in essence be selling their future for one year’s worth of water.
JOHN R. ROBERTS, Executive Director
California Rice Promotion Board
Sacramento
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