In the Central Valley, agriculture isn’t just an industry—it’s a way of life. In Fresno County, 20% of jobs are directly or indirectly tied to ag. For four generations, my family has farmed and owned over 600 acres near Cantua Creek, growing food, building community, and contributing to the economy of a county that generated more than $8.6 billion in agricultural output last year.
But today, our future—and the future of farming across the Central Valley—is in question.
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), signed into law in 2014, aims to protect California’s most precious resource: water. I understand and support the intent behind SGMA; conserving groundwater is essential to the long-term survival of agriculture in this state. But the reality is stark: as SGMA is implemented, vast swaths of productive farmland—nearly a million acres statewide—are being fallowed, with no clear economic alternative for the land or the people who rely on it.
That’s where Assembly Bill 1156 comes in. This legislation doesn’t undo SGMA or challenge its goals. Instead, it offers something we desperately need: options.
AB 1156 would allow landowners to lease fallowed land for clean energy development through updated solar use easements. It provides a stable, dependable source of income to support families, workers, and communities—while still honoring the land. This isn’t about permanently paving over farmland for tract homes, because these leases are temporary and the land can return to agricultural use after the energy projects end.
This bill is deeply personal to me. Like many in this region, my family’s land faces mounting uncertainty. Water shortages, rising input costs, shifting trade policies, labor challenges, and a volatile climate are putting enormous pressure on both farmers and the broader ag economy. Meanwhile, small towns across the Valley—places like Cantua Creek— close to our land, are being hollowed out, losing population, jobs, and basic services.
AB 1156 is a rare win-win. It gives us a new way to keep our land productive—by farming the sun. Our region is uniquely suited for solar: we have abundant sunlight, proximity to transmission infrastructure, and reasonably priced land. We’re not waiting for suburban sprawl to reach us—we want to keep working the land, just in a new way that produces clean, affordable energy we all need.
The economic upside is significant. In the San Joaquin Valley alone, this policy could create 22,000 sustained jobs and generate over $34 billion in labor income and $7 billion in tax revenue by 2045. That’s real investment in the Valley—funding that can improve schools, hospitals, emergency services, and infrastructure in some of California’s most underserved communities.
Just imagine what even a small share of that increased tax base could do for a town like Cantua Creek. Do you know of a better economic development plan for places like that? Probably not.
This is a generational opportunity. California’s agricultural communities are proud, resilient, and deeply connected to the land. AB 1156 honors that legacy while offering a forward-looking solution that benefits everyone: landowners, farmworkers, solar installers, local governments, and future generations who deserve a stable grid and a thriving Valley economy.
We’re not asking for handouts—we’re asking for the tools to adapt and endure. AB 1156 gives us those tools. For the sake of our communities—our people, our economy, and our future—I urge state leaders to pass this bill.
