Dairy Farms’ Expansion Plan Worries California Families Who Once Had a ‘Little Piece of Heaven’

PLANADA, Calif.—David Rodriguez learned to swim in the canals near his childhood home in the 1960s, back when orchards of figs, peaches and almonds encircled his neighborhood. Before the area around the small community of Planada exploded with dairy farms, he trusted the water that came out of his…

First covered Jul 5, 2026 · 2:00 AM PT · 1 article · no longer in the live window

Coverage

83d Inside Climate News Dairy Farms’ Expansion Plan Worries California Families Who Once Had a ‘Little Piece of Heaven’ — PLANADA, Calif.—David Rodriguez learned to swim in the canals near his childhood home in the 1960s, back when orchards of figs, peaches and almonds encircled…

Primary sources

cdfa.ca.gov CDFA - Statistics

dho.stanford.edu Digesters (dho.stanford.edu)

epa.gov Cafo Status Report 2024 (epa.gov)

More coverage from around the web

mercedcountytimes.com Water at center of dispute over Planada dairy expansion — Merced County Times

inthesetimes.com Big Dairy is Milking California Dry - In These Times

waterboards.ca.gov Dairy Program | California Northcoast Regional Water Quality Control Board

thebullvine.com California town downwind of dairy fights proposed expansion. ‘Can’t stand the smell’ | The Bullvine

dairycares.com California Dairies Protect Water Quality

Discussion

Bluesky: @dangearino.bsky.social Dan Gearino · 83d ago · 2 ♥ new for @insideclimatenews.org, I spent several days in Planada, #California, where people are known to shut themselves indoors during the summer and use bottled water or Brita filters out of their concern over dairy operations’ contamination of air and water…

Appeared in: 2026-07-05 (#11) · 2026-07-06 (#17)

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