Group promotes water for agricultural use

Erik Wilson, a Pest Control Operator in the Central Valley, was a city boy who grew up in Madera, California. His father, a Deacon at a local church, had many members who were farmers. As a young boy, Wilson would frequently visit the members’ farms, where he would play with the other church children. He loved the lifestyle of working and living on a farm and knew from that point on that he wanted to be a part of the agricultural industry.

After meeting his wife, Wilson’s father-in-law approached him about potentially farming on a piece of vacant land. His father-in-law told him he would have to start out just like anyone else, as a field laborer, which he did for 10 years. On the side, he would grow crops on any land he could find. Many farmers in the area grew grain in the summer and left their land vacant in the winter. The farmers would allow Wilson to grow crops, like melons, during the winter months, which helped rejuvenate the soil. Over time, Wilson eventually transitioned into the pesticide industry.

When the California drought began to become a major issue a few years back, Wilson and his friend, Steve Malanca, a long-time John Deer employee, founded the Facebook group “My Job Depends on Ag.” The goal of the group was to show what those in the agricultural industry do and create awareness for city goers.

“Agriculture is woven in everyone’s lives, whether they know it or not,” Wilson said.

Many who live outside of the Central Valley only see the statistics. They see that farmers make up only two percent of the population but use 80 percent of the state’s water. They get frustrated knowing those stats, Wilson said.

“We wanted to show the human faces behind the stats, to show the faces of corporate farms. We wanted to be open and transparent about what we do and how we do it,” Wilson explains. “We can educate the public about what we do and rally our troops and get them excited about agriculture again. We’ve been so beaten down lately because of the media.”

According to Wilson, members of the agricultural industry have faced harsh scrutiny because of media reports who place the majority of the California drought on farmers. This group is a place for members to share their personal stories, experiences and explanations, something Wilson believes the media has been biased about.

To help spread the word about the movement, Wilson and Malanca created and fronted the money for decals. Supporters can purchase the “My Job Depends on Ag” decal to show their support, something Wilson believes is important during the California drought.

Farmers from across the nation have taken to the group to show their support for their colleagues.

“We’re connecting with farmers in Arizona, Montana, Oregon, all the way to Minnesota and other parts of the country. Eventually, we’re going to have to create pages for every state,” Wilson said.

“I love the information, the exchange of ideas and the networking opportunity this group has created,” Amy Lynn Alkire, a group member, said. “I have already learned so much, and this is from someone who went to college to learn about agriculture.”

In the future, Wilson and Malanca hope to help drive political discussions, especially on the California drought and its impact on the agricultural industry.