California farmers getting paid not to plant crops

(KYMA, KECY) - In California, as part of a $2.9 billion plan aimed at letting more water flow through the state’s major rivers, the state would pay farmers not to plant thousands of acres of land.

The agreement signed Tuesday between state and federal officials and some of California’s biggest water agencies, would result in about 35,000 acres of rice fields left unused or about 6% of the state’s normal crop each year.

The money will come from the state and federal governments and the water agencies themselves which for the first time have agreed to tax themselves to help pay farmers, who often have more senior water rights, not to plant some crops.