Agriculture

Business Council to host San Benito County Water Forum

April 21 water forum to feature national, state, regional and local experts to inform farmers, businesses, leaders, staff and community on the state of local water
Congressman Jimmy Panetta
Congressman Jimmy Panetta

Want to know the latest information on local drought conditions, agricultural water allocations, the health of our regional groundwater basins and more?

The San Benito County Business Council is hosting the 2017 San Benito County Water Information Forum on April 21 to update farmers, businesses, local officials, staff and our community on the status of agricultural water allocations, the drought, local flooding, federal, state, regional and local water agencies, implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), water-related issues, local supplies, projects, policy, quality, use, conservation and more.

We have assembled a panel of experts for the event to provide briefings and be on hand to answer questions including; Congress Member Jimmy Panetta, State Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority Water Policy Administrator Ara Azhderian, San Benito County Water District General Manager Jeff Cattaneo, Sunnyslope County Water District General Manager Don Ridenhour, Aromas Water District General Manager Vicki Morris, Todd Groundwater President Dr. Iris Priestaf, Veolia Hollister Domestic Water Recycling Facility Project Manager Jim Heitzman, Grower-Shipper Association Vice President Abby Taylor-Silva, California Farm Bureau District 8 Director, San Benito County Farm Bureau Past President and farmer Richard Bianchi, Water Resources Association of San Benito County Water Conservation Program Manager Shawn Novack, Hollister City Manager Bill Avera and San Juan Bautista City Manager Roger Grimsley.

Many thanks to event sponsors including the San Benito County Farm Bureau, Veolia Water North America, Central Ag Supply, Pacific Scientific, Graniterock, Gavilan College, Sierra Pacific Associates, TriCal, Inc., The Garden Mart and Todd Groundwater.

The event will be hosted from 7:30-11 a.m. on Friday, April 21 at San Juan Oaks Golf Club located at 3825 Union Rd.in Hollister and includes a light breakfast. Admission is $35 and discounted to $25 for Business Council members. Sponsorships are available for $500. Registration closes Wednesday, April 12 and may be completed online at SBCBusinessCouncil.com. Check out the Business Council Facebook Page or contact Business Council Executive Director Kristina Chavez Wyatt for further information at (831) 524-0408 or [email protected].

The Business Council hosted its first Water Forum in September 2015. See BenitoLink’s coverage of that event including CMAP video coverage here. This event has been coordinated in response to requests from local government, water agency, agricultural, community, land use and business leaders to share facts and resources, identify issues and opportunities and collaboratively form solutions.  

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San Benito County Business Council

Established in 2002, the Business Council is a 501 C 6 non-profit organization comprised of more than 45 businesses, municipal, non-profit and community agencies, representing more than 2,500 employees in San Benito County and throughout the Monterey Bay region. The top 4 priority goals for 2021 identified by our member survey participants are as follows:

1. Retention, expansion, job creation and growth of existing businesses
2. EDC Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Implementation - New business attraction
3. Measure G Implementation, roads, transportation, decaying infrastructure
4. Building relations with elected officials and staff