California storms flood strawberry farms, others in valley

A potential casualty of the powerful rainstorms that drenched coastal California and flooded rivers is hundreds of acres of strawberries. Industry experts estimate about a fifth of strawberry farms in the Watsonville and Salinas areas have been flooded since a levee ruptured last week and another river overflowed. For years, California’s farmers have been plagued by drought and battles over water. So far this winter, the nation’s most populous state has been battered by atmospheric rivers and powerful storms. Farmers say it's too soon to know the extent of the damage but strawberries slated for sale in the summer are likely affected.