U.S. Agriculture Wilts During California Drought

California is in some ways an artificial agricultural heartland. While wet winters and dry summers allow for a mild climate with an extended growing season, much of the agricultural production would not be possible without the aid of irrigation. Because of its significance in the United States' total agricultural production, the short-term impact of the drought could be a contributing factor to rising food and other commodity prices. In the long term, more frequent droughts and increasing demand for the region's limited groundwater resources could hinder growth in the agricultural sector.