Punjabi growers seek dialogue, answers from state water regulators

Central Valley growers fed up with reduced water allocations and pumping penalties are seeking answers from state Water Resources Control Board officials at a workshop Thursday in Visalia. The Punjabi American Growers Group, formed in 2020, is sponsoring the event, where the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and its implications for farming operations are on the agenda. All farmers are invited to attend. “We are answering questions on behalf of our members, but this really needs to be done by the state,” said Jasbir Sidhu, co-founder of the Punjabi American Growers Group. “Since SGMA passed, the outreach has not been done and a lot of people have questions and concerns.