USDA officials meet with IID leaders

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The USDA undersecretary Robert Bonnie privately met with IID leaders in El Centro.

During the meeting, Bonnie and the IID discussed the western water policy and irrigation assistance to Southeastern California farmers and ranchers.

The meeting also touched on a few underserved customers and why they are in need of assistance.

"We're always looking for ways to make sure that our programs reach everybody in agriculture," said Bonnie during the meeting. "That the door is open for everybody."

Since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022 the USDA estimates that the IRA will bring $20 billion over the next five years for agriculture conservation across the United States.

This includes a large portion going to California's agriculture.

Furthermore, Bonnie and the IID discussed how to properly invest funds needed to improve water quality not just for the imperial valley, but for the surrounding agricultural communities.