The Kings County Farm Bureau Board of Directors has voted to support the Mid-Kings River Groundwater Sustainability Agency’s proposed Proposition 218 assessment.
The Mid-Kings River GSA is seeking landowner approval for an assessment of up to $26.84 per assessable acre for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. The assessment is structured as a not-to-exceed amount, with the GSA Board setting the actual assessment each year based on its adopted budget. The proposal would provide up to $2.5 million annually for GSA operations and implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
“Without adequate funding for GSAs, the Tulare Lake Subbasin will never be released from probation by the SWRCB,” said Dusty Ference, Executive Director of Kings County Farm Bureau.
The Tulare Lake Subbasin was placed on probation by the State Water Resources Control Board in April 2024. Since then, the Mid-Kings River GSA and the other GSAs within the subbasin have been working to address the State Board’s concerns.
According to the Mid-Kings River GSA, assessment revenue would fund SGMA compliance and administration, Groundwater Sustainability Plan updates and implementation, groundwater monitoring, monitoring equipment, dry well mitigation administration, and public outreach.
KCFB recognizes that the proposed assessment represents an additional cost to landowners. The Board considered that cost in taking its position and determined that adequate local funding is necessary for the GSA to carry out its responsibilities under SGMA.
Ballots must be received by the Mid-Kings River GSA no later than the conclusion of its public hearing, which begins at 1:00 p.m. on September 29, 2026, at the Kings County Government Center in Hanford. Ballots are weighted according to the potential financial obligation of each affected property.
Kings County Farm Bureau’s position is in support of the proposed assessment.