Jeff has been involved in the groundwater sustainability planning in his area and is concerned about the out-of-county water transfers hes heard about. We welcome you to contact us to discuss how we might partner to create mutually beneficial opportunities in the agribusiness sector. Though Vidovich describes them as simply having known each other at school, others in Tulare and Kings water circles say Hurley is Vidovichs right-hand man some say henchman. None of that has been discussed yet, he stressed. Under his leadership, Buena Vista has installed a pipeline system to reduce reliance on canals, which lose a lot of water to seepage and the district has become extremely active in buying up land for water banking. (See sidebar online.). Exactly what groundwater would be moved? Local Secretary - John Vidovich, Sandridge Partners Director - G. Patrick O'Dowd, representing Irvine Ranch Water District Director - Bernard Puget, Wonderful Orchards Management General Manager - Mark A. Gilkey Assistant Manager-Engineer - Dale K. Melville, PE, Provost & Pritchard Consulting Group Independent farmers are selling out, said Kings County farmer Robert Smith, who grows walnuts, almonds, corn and cotton on about 1,000 acres. Doug Verboon, a Kings County farmer and member of the county board of supervisors, sounds weary when he talks about Kings Countys water. Local Education Sandridge owns the property that the canal cuts through, he said. The city sued. Founded in 1966, with legacies dating back more than 100 years; our highly trained staff provides value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, and financing services to clients across the . What we do not agree with is the assessment that the (plan) is managing subsidence effectively. It is also tasked with reviewing groundwater plans under the states Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), passed in 2014. Ben works across all aspects of the firm from business development to portfolio company operations. He asks DWR to demand a full accounting of how much water Sandridge moves, where it comes from and where it ends up. If those seem like minute details for the head of a major development company to trouble with, hes even more hands-on with Sandridge Partners LP, the family business he formed for farming acquisitions. It shows something about the thought process that we dont usually get to see, she said, wondering if the letter is a kind of smoking gun that exposes the true intent of the pipeline as a public project thats being hidden.. You may have never heard of John Vidovich, but his impact on the day-to-day life of the average southern San Joaquin Valley farmer is difficult to be understated. But the appellate court still found Vidovich liable and he could still have to pay out a major amount. A single walnut requires nearly five gallons of water to produce. The association contends that those lands arent in the rivers service area.. There is some uncertainty by El Rico GSA with regard to this request because of the hidden nature of Sandridges operations. Smith, Walker and others fear that if large amounts of water continue to move out of Kings with little to no oversight from the state most smaller farmers will be driven out of a part of California they have called home for generations. It will likely never be forgotten that Vidovich sold the rights to 14,000 acre feet of State Water Project water for $79 million in 2009 to the San Bernardino-based Mojave Water District. In a letter to the state last summer, Boswells vice president attorney Jeof Wyrick who chairs the El Rico Groundwater Sustainability Agency, accused Vidovich of moving groundwater out of the area via pipeline where it cannot be tracked. It specifically set aside $2.7 billion for water storage projects. Designed with by Trinity Mobile Apps, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), From bulldozers to helicopters, Boswell-Vidovich battles continue, Jan. 17 letter to Tulare Lake Canal Company, Too little or too much, theres always controversy brewing over Kern River water, Kern River water heads north through flood channel but wont hit Tulare Lake yet, Kaweah River water managers prepare for more high water as the valley heats up, Vibration in Isabella Dam power plant causes temporary halt of Kern River outflows. Hugues was also divisional CFO in Turkey. According to legal briefs filed by Tulare Lake, all the floodwater that can be put to beneficial use has been, and theres no leftover water available for Semitropic. Now the land is covered with huge almond and pistachio orchards, permanent crops which account for more than 66,000 acres of Kings total 782,731 harvested acres, according to county crop reports. No, no, Im not selling water to LA, he said. Home | DMCA | SJV Content Use | Contact, Copyright 2022 SJV Water. We lose entrepreneurs. I did sell water out of Kings County to an urban user and people didnt like it, Vidovich said. environmental, ethical and socially responsible principles and work with you to achieve the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders during the whole lifetime of our ownership, Promoting food and agribusiness products and systems that contribute to improved health and well-being, We have also made a commitment to meaningfully contribute to and find solutions in our investments to the SDGs. Attorneys for the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the giant J.G. It would involve a public permitting process and be very difficult, not to mention expensive, both men said. What Will Become of Fallowed Valley Farmland? For his part, Vidovich said the issue isnt about water transfers, its about over-pumping. However, Vidovich has been somewhat of a welcome presence to some in Kings County. 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What is indisputable is that over the past 20-plus years, Vidovich has quietly amassed more than 100,000 acres in the Central Valley, gaining footholds on numerous water boards, which has given him control over vast amounts of groundwater the valleys lifeblood. Powell Warns That Long Downturn Would Mean Severe Damage, Poll: Americans Are the Unhappiest They've Been in 50 Years, Valley Hospitals Overwhelmed and Over Capacity As COVID-19 Cases Surge. For the portions that can be tracked through state and other water district records, the water is mostly flowing south to Kern County, much of it from Kings Countys two largest and most powerful farming operations J.G. And he served two terms on the Santa Clara County Planning Commission, appointed once in 1990 and he again in 2010, igniting controversy among activists concerned about sprawl. SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. As the processing and sales branch of the organization, SunnyGem almonds are sorted, processed and sold to the wholesale ingredient industry. Because the urban places would pay a hell of a lot of money for it. If the plans are rejected and local groundwater agencies refuse to make corrections, the state can refer the issue to the Water Resources Control Board, which could set pumping limits and issue fines but only after a lengthy process. Site development by. No way, according to Vidovich and his longtime associates. One of Angiolas main well fields is actually inside the Pixley Irrigation District boundaries where water managers were concerned by the amount of water leaving their district. People complain all the time about whats happening with our water, but no one wants to do anything, he said. Exactly how much is moving and who is benefitting from it are more murky questions, as water especially river and groundwater in California is notoriously hard to track. Either way, Judge Chrissakis ordered the pipeline halted until she decides whether it should come under CEQA review at a March 23 hearing. This case was filed in Kern County Superior Courts, Kern County Metropolitan Division located in Kern, California. News, Business When contacted in December by SJV Water about this new pipeline, Vidovich wouldnt say what type of water it would carry (groundwater? We are driven by agribusiness experts, with hands-on sector specific investment, operations, and business development expertise. He certainly looks the part in his well-worn jeans and checkered shirts. Those plans were posted online and the public comment period recently closed. Attorneys for Sandridge and Angiola argued the pipeline isnt an Angiola project as it lies outside the districts boundaries. About 90% of its farms are considered family owned, according to the 2017 US Department of Agriculture farm census. Before we go much further, you should probably know a little more about Vidovich. At Sunridge Partners, Hugues has also been CFO of a portfolio business. Why work with Sunridge Partners. There, a company he controls, Sandridge Partners, grows . Previously, Bilyana spent five years working for the Controllers division at Goldman Sachs in the Investment Accounting and Corporate Accounting teams. Get inside access to SJV Water by becoming a member. Vidovich freely admits that most of his land is for water rights. The truth, as always, probably lies somewhere in between. California produces 99% of all domestic walnuts. The canal company sued but couldnt immediately stop the project. Transportation, Education ECG tells public to buy enough power ahead of Christmas break, African countries urged to review double taxation agreements. The State Water Project rarely delivers full allocations and, in fact, only delivered 5% of contracted water during this past drought year. And the consequences of this could be far reaching. Yes, critics agree, but Boswell uses that water to irrigate in the district. Most recently, Muriel started and successfully built her own hospitality business. Angiola was rehabbing old wells, drilling new ones and installed a large pipeline. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for credit broking and consumer hire activity (FRN 724309). The little guy is gone, said Walker, the walnut farmer. As for making a major water grab in the Central Valley, Page said Vidovich has nothing on the Wonderful or JG Boswell companies, both of which have far larger land holdings than Vidovich. It was a permanent water loss for Kings County and put Vidovich under a lingering cloud of suspicion among area farmers and water managers. He was semi-retired living in Clovis when another Kings County farmer, Pat McCarthy not Vidovich called him to do some work for Angiola. Kings County Can Prosecute Woman in Fetus Death Case Over Becerra Objection, Proposed Agreement Could Boost Funds To Fix Friant-Kern Canal. John Vidovich, ultimately, followed in his fathers footsteps after obtaining a law degree from Santa Clara University School of Law. Every move Vidovich has made, through Hurley and other public water districts, has been about gaining control of water, they say. Enforcement could involve pumping limits, fines, and large pumping fees per acre-foot. A 2020 groundwater sustainability report shows that over the previous five years, agriculture in Kings County relied on an average of about 319,000 acre feet from local rivers and streams, 475,000 acre feet from groundwater and just 37,000 acre feet of state water. Sandridge Partners, controlled by Vidovich, is building a 10-mile-long route on its properties to ship water from its wells in the north to its thirsty fields in the south. The case status is Disposed - Dismissed. The Fresno Bee reported the verdict against McCarthy Family Farms and San Francisco Bay Area developer John Vidovich and Sandridge Partners. In 2013, the Lower Tule River and Pixley irrigation districts sued Angiola Water District, whose largest landowner is Vidovich, for over pumping groundwater from a well field in Tulare County and moving it outside the county. Home | DMCA | SJV Content Use | Contact, Copyright 2022 SJV Water. But comments made during a hearing Monday on Sandridges restraining order pulled back the curtain on the real concern. Boswell has also been moving water out of Kings. Our team includes leading industry operators and executives as well as a seasoned board of advisors from across the food and agriculture industry. The judge made a partial ruling in June that long standing river agreements do allow river owners to move water within the service area. The district has already paid him $40 million for an easement, or right of way, on that land and signed an agreement with him for how the project would operate. John Vidovich General Partner Contact 2 Contact 3 Contact 4 See All Contacts Dynamic search and list-building capabilities Real-time trigger alerts Comprehensive company profiles Valuable research and technology reports Get a D&B Hoovers Free Trial Financial Data Over the years, the farm has truly been a family operation with Karen keeping the books and their children helping to bring in the harvests. At one point, he was moving nearly 30,000 acre feet a year, according to Angiolas records. Enter your email address to receive INSTANT ALERTS of new articles and to be added to SJV Waters WEEKLY NEWSLETTER. With water from the delta becoming more unreliable, he said, farmers have to hoard land for the groundwater. A strong, diverse farming sector is vital to the local economy and food security and it requires water. Longtime friend and associate Ted Page defended Vidovichs operations. gcse.src = 'https://cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=' + cx; The company is run from its Pasadena offices by James W. Boswell, chairman, CEO and great-nephew of the founder. But, in the last five or 10 years, only corporate guys have been coming in. That water would then be moved south through the aqueduct and banked in Semitropic. The corporations and the bigger guys are buying up land left and right for astronomical prices, Smith said. It got to a point where the only way we could get an approval was to go to the voters, he told the Silicon Valley Business Journal hours after filing the initiative paperwork in April 2016. Ghana Business News - The first place for your business news. Vidovich owns that land, and Semitropic has already paid him $40 million for an easement. For his part, Vidovich is ready for the water pinch. Vidovich says his quote was clipped and sewn back together to make it sound bad. Combined, the two companies control close to 90,000 acre feet of the total 140,600 acre feet of contracted state water. We are one of the largest vertically integrated almond suppliers in the world. Boswell repeatedly declined requests for interviews on this story. Boswell and Sandridge are the two biggest kids on the block when it comes to farming and water in Kings County. If their fears come true, the Los Angeles water grab in Owens Valley would pale in comparison. The comments dont come from Boswell and Vidovich themselves, of course, but from the groundwater sustainability agencies each farming operation essentially controls. And I want to keep farming.. Im all for moving water around, he said. You dont know the purpose of this pipeline, Tulare Lake Canal Company attorney Leonard Herr told the judge. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Validated processes that pasteurize the almonds are performed in-house. Boswell Farming Company and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich. True, Angiolas canal stops about 23 miles southeast of the project. He has let large swaths of his 100,000+ acres in Kings County go fallow in order to move groundwater to more productive land, typically fields he owns in the Dudley Ridge Water District, in western Kings County. Except when you plug John Vidovichs name into the equation. California Farming Country Buckles Under COVID-19. SANDRIDGE PARTNERS, L.P. Company Number 201005600010 Status Active Incorporation Date 4 February 2010 (about 13 years ago) Company Type Limited Partnership - CA Jurisdiction California (US) Registered Address 920 WEST FREMONT AVE SUNNYVALE CA 94087 United States Directors / Officers JOHN VIDOVICH, LLC, general partner Inactive Directors / Officers But its just a cover for taking water out, Pace said. California There is some uncertainty by El Rico GSA with regard to this request because of the hidden nature of Sandridges operations, Wyrick wrote in the June 2020 letter. (Vidovich said he didnt think Sandridge had hit 100,000 acres, total, yet.). Vidovich later made an offer for Page to come work for him as a consultant or, as Page says in his slow drawl, his firemancause I put out fires.. We have also made a commitment to meaningfully contribute to and find solutions in our investments to the SDGs. Those figures dont include recent land purchases hes made in the Kern Delta Water District and Fresno Irrigation District both areas Sandridge is targeting for even more land purchases because of its solid rights to the Kern and San Joaquin rivers. Today, the company is run by 66-year-old John Vidovich, a former military intelligence officer and Santa Clara Law School graduate. Page met Vidovich in 2005 when Page was farming 400 acres out near Wasco. World, Latest Latest I dont believe we should be sending water to LA, he said. Philipp was an investment professional at King Street Capital, a large hedge fund, where he led investments in real asset sectors throughout Europe.
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