Four years ago, Dudley sold several thousand acre-feet of its annual State Water Project contract to. Its a $500 million project, of which Semitropic is hoping to get $250 million from Proposition 1 funding. And in 2017, the levees had to be raised another two feet at a cost of $14 million to residents, according to the letter. Site development by. Resnick also has lands just south of the Kings/Kern county line in Lost Hills and many of Vidovichs detractors believe thats where a lot of that Angiola groundwater is going. Though he insists this flood water isnt being used and is, in fact, a nuisance, locals consider it an attempted theft of the Kings River. Comments from the Boswell camp got downright personal, calling out Vidovich by name and all but accusing him of hiding groundwater usage by moving it through pipes outside the area. All right reserved. s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); She also found that Tulare Lake Canal Company did not have the right under its easement to block the pipeline with heavy equipment and ordered the tractors off the canal banks. A large water pipeline being built near Lemoore in Kings County is raising eyebrows as much for its possible uses as for the name associated with its construction John Vidovich. His pumping and movement of groundwater out of its home district has also landed him in a dubious spotlight, according to media reports. Sunridge Partners (UK), LLP acts as the investment advisor for the Sunridge funds that invest in agribusinesses globally. The project was made possible by a grant from the Water Foundation with additional support from INN and the Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ). (Source: Sandridge Partners cross-complaint) This fight between Boswell and Sandridge is just the latest between the two farming giants, which own more than 230,000 acres in Kings County between them. However, during testimony in the states Kings River proceeding, Boswell employee Mark Unruh said the company irrigates nearly year-round, from late October through the summer. (Vidovich said he. Theres a mythology out there that Angiola is stealing water, he said. By comparison, its closest neighbors, Kern, Fresno and Tulare sit at 8,000, 6,000 and 4,800 square miles, respectively. His operation is extensive and very smart.. Related Story: Groundwater Plan Could Give Corcoran More of a Sinking Feeling. Levees were built in 1983 to protect Corcoran from Kings River floodwater. But the appellate court still found Vidovich liable and he could still have to pay out a major amount. Legendary Valley Thoroughbred Elected to Racing Hall of Fame, Collision Ends Smyly Perfect Game Bid, Cubs Top Dodgers 13-0, Analysis All the rest of that stuff its just jealousy and innuendo, jealousy and innuendo, jealousy and innuendo.. Kings County approved 1,238 new agricultural well permits between the start of the last drought in 2012 and 2021, according to county records. Often an equal amount of water splits south, wreaking havoc on farmland in the old Tulare Lake bottom, about 60 miles northwest of Bakersfield. This case was filed in Kern County Superior Courts, Kern County Metropolitan Division located in Kern, California. The boundaries of that service area, however, have yet to be determined. Its not good in the long term, he said. Based in Los Altos, California, De Anza Properties is a collaborative, nationwide firm owned and operated by its Principals. 2023 www.visaliatimesdelta.com. Though he did sell a chunk of water rights to southern California in 2009, Vidovich scoffed at the idea that hes currently selling water to the southland. Wyrick writes that it is believed Sandridge uses a canal/pipeline system to move groundwater from the Tule and Westside subbasins south and west for use in the Southwest Kings GSA as well as lands in the Kern Subbasin. Number one, the settlement agreement between Angiola and Lower Tule/Pixley irrigation districts wont allow Angiola or Sandridge to move the water out of Kings County. Farming runs deep in the blood of growers like Jeff and Karen Gilcrease. At this point, he said, he uses about 30 percent of his land for farming and 70 percent for water. The citys political clout, money and history of reaching north to quench its thirst make it an obvious water bogeyman to growers in the San Joaquin Valley. In 2016, the levees had to be built up another four feet. Longtime friend and associate Ted Page defended Vidovichs operations. Once a river is at flood stage, that usually means all other rights have been filled and the overflow is free game. But hes also moved his State Water Project supplies south to lands he owns in Kern County. In aprevious story about the Tulare Lake Subbasin groundwater plan, SJV Water noted that it included only vague outlines for how it planned to manage the areas overdraft and most pumping reduction plans wouldnt kick in until 2035, five years before SGMAs deadline. We partner with private, mostly family owned companies that have: Exceptional management teams with a shared passion to grow and develop their businesses, Operate in interesting niches within the food and agriculture value chain that are growing rapidly, Aligned goals and strict adherence to environmentally, ethically and socially responsible principles, Ability for Sunridge Partners to add value beyond capital, Our customary transaction size is between US$ 15-50 million in equity over the lifetime of an investment. After all, Vidovich, water and pipelines have a history in Kings County. Nor for the man who runs it, John Vidovich, nor for his current pipeline project that will move water from various places in Kings County to various other undisclosed locations. 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 Vidovich says the animus against him goes back to his 2009 sale of State Water Project (SWP) contract rights tied to land he owned in the Dudley Ridge Water District in Kings County. Sunridge Partners actively seek investment opportunities that address the growing challenges in food and agriculture. The project was ordered to remain in stasis until the issue comes back to court. But that money enabled me to go into Angiola (a water district in Tulare County) and have other water sources.. Meanwhile, the complaint against Sandridge by Tulare Lake Canal Company is still pending. The only water Green Valley got was some surplus state water and natural groundwater, Pace said. Observers worry that Vidovich plans to pump Kings and Tulare counties dry, park that water in Kern County and then sell it to the highest bidder in dry years, leaving a once-thriving farm district barren. Most recently, Muriel started and successfully built her own hospitality business. Water is our blood, he said, and theyre stealing it.. Its an unusual letter and I was surprised to see it, Chrissakis added. Though the project is billed as flood control, the agreement also allows Vidovich to move groundwater. At face value, the Tulare Lake Canal Company is simply making sure a construction project doesnt harm its current or future operations. At issue? California LEARN MORE ▸ What We Sell. Every step would require environmental oversight, permitting and public hearings. Water, Latest We are one of the largest vertically integrated almond suppliers in the world. Related Story: Its Farmers vs. Exactly what groundwater would be moved? Work with nature; dont fight it, Avila said repeatedly. Previously, Ben spent three years working with Boston Consulting Group as a Senior Associate in London and Melbourne. Philipp began his career at Goldman Sachs, where he advised public and private companies in European real estate, lodging and gaming sectors on strategic and financial matters. Page said Vidovich is a tough businessman but thats all. There, a company he controls, Sandridge Partners, grows . Were preparing for SGMA. 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. 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. The Blakeley runs southwest next to Highway 41 down to Kettleman City, conveniently near to the California Aqueduct. 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, in the last five or 10 years, only corporate guys have been coming in. U.S. Theres so many canals and ways it can move; its hard to track, he said. The sprawling Semitropic Water Storage District in Kern County wants Kings River flood water that it says current rights holders are letting flow to the ocean in heavy precipitation years. By locking up the land, he said, Vidovich will be able to deny smaller farmers like him and Pace the water they need for their own operations. He made friends everywhere he went, John Vidovich told the Mercury News in 2007. And the company maintains positions on just about every ag and water related board and commission in Kings, giving it considerable political heft. His letter states that if all the groundwater being pumped out of the Tulare Lake subbasin isnt fully accounted for, that could harm other GSAs in the subbasin. Its unclear, though, if thats the litigation Wyrick is referring to as he did not return numerous phone calls and emails from SJV Water seeking comment. In 2017, he made news again for his part in a plan to take Kings River flood water out of the county an effort thats still ongoing. News Michael holds a BSE in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MSc with Distinction in Shipping, Trade, and Finance from Cass Business School. None of that has been discussed yet, he stressed. I did sell water out of Kings County to an urban user and people didnt like it, Vidovich said. But the letter continued to intrigue Chrissakis. Through Sandridge, Vidovich owns about 130,000 acres with 38,500 acres in Kern, 82,000 acres in Kings, 9,500 acres in Tulare and 300 acres in Fresno county, per ParcelQuest. Angiola also doesnt own any water. Lukas holds an MA in Natural Sciences, an MPhil in Management, and a PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Cambridge. At Sunridge Partners, Hugues has also been CFO of a portfolio business. What Will Become of Fallowed Valley Farmland? It is also tasked with reviewing groundwater plans under the states Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), passed in 2014. Boswell Farming Company and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich. So, if i cant make money on that water farming, I will sell it eventually to an urban area and thats a right I have. Our farming company, Sandridge Partners, farms thousands of acres of almonds each year in the central region of California providing an ever-increasing supply of almonds. We help agribusiness owners, operators, and entrepreneurs grow their businesses into industry leaders with the help of our capital and strong industry focussed expertise, globally, Our unique focus on food and agriculture, allows us to better understand particular agribusiness needs faster and have in-depth sector and sub-sector expertise bringing solutions to your business, Our stewardship and value creation track-record is unparalleled and our investing, operations and business development skills add value beyond just capital, We are driven by the highest 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, As we are family backed, we pride ourselves on providing patient and long-term capital, We can provide owners and operations with the following solutions, We have flexible mandate to create custom solutions for owners and operators wishing to either fully transition a business yet also have the ability to form mutually beneficial partnerships for ownership and growth, Growth capital (organic and acquisitions), Financing for management buy-outs/buy-ins, Real estate and agriculture tourism development (full in-house design & construction teams). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. His law license is inactive, according to the California State Bar Association website. Their concern is where Vidovich is taking the groundwater. gcse.async = true; 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. Sandridge has since installed coffer dams in the canal to dry a section in anticipation of cutting through the banks, but otherwise construction has stopped. declaration by Angiola General Manager Mark Grewal. John Lewis plc, 171 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 5NN. (Vidovich said he didnt think Sandridge had hit 100,000 acres, total, yet.). Those plans were posted online and the public comment period recently closed. We pioneer innovative approaches to solve many of the headwinds facing modern agriculture and always put environmental, social and governance considerations at the heart of our investments and operations.
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