Just in from Mark Schapiro

Greetings friends, colleagues and people interested in climate change,

A series of stories I've been developing over the past couple of months are coming out this week on how climate change is taking its toll on one of California's largest industries--growing food. From the vast fields of fruits and nuts in the Central Valley to the waterways of the Sacramento delta, California farmers are being hit by a trifecta of converging forces linked to climate change: volatile weather, diminishing water, increasing salt in the fields. Yields are predicted to decline at current rates of warming. Crop insurance payouts are rising significantly due to climate change related factors.

As many of you know, this story is based on a chapter of my book-in-progress, which is being written as we speak.

On television: watch our documentary HEAT & HARVEST on Friday, September 28, on KQED, a coproduction between the Center for Investigative Reporting and KQED. (With special thanks also to Serene Fang, master producer of the tv doc). And if you miss it on Friday, its airing again on Monday at 7:30.

And in print: a series for CIR/California Watch is appearing this week in a string of state newspapers, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Fresno Bee, Modesto Bee and others. And of course, if you miss the stories in their conventional form, they will all be housed on the web, including the print stories in their entirety, at: 
http://cironline.org/heatandharvest

And if you're inclined toward the morning radio, I will be appearing with Craig Miller, KQED's climate correspondent, on KQED's talk show FORUM, at 9 am on September 28th.

Pardon the mass email.

Hope you enjoy, and/or find it illuminating.

yours, Mark