In a feature for High Country News, Sarah Trent writes about what happened to small farms in California after massive flooding in the winter of 2022-23 when a series of atmospheric rivers drenched the state. She takes us into the lives of two Hispanic families who run small farms that were hit hard by the disaster. Although the U.S. government nominally has programs that help farmers after weather-related losses, they are not set up to serve small farmers, especially those who don’t speak English well and who — like most small farmers — grow a wide variety of non-commodity crops. While telling us the stories of these family’s hardships and resilience, Trent details the ways that the supposed safety net is failing the people who operate these vital components of our food system and rural economies. Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture
