Press Release: Kings Couty Farm Bureau Responds to Appellate Ruling in Groundwater Oversight Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 29, 2025

HANFORD, CA — The Kings County Farm Bureau (KCFB) today responded to a ruling by the Fifth District Court of Appeal, which sided with the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) on three procedural issues but left the majority of KCFB’s lawsuit intact and heading to trial. KCFB strongly disagrees with the appellate court’s reasoning and decisions.

While the appellate court set aside specific administrative and fee-related claims, KCFB’s central legal challenges remain fully active in Kings County Superior Court. These include allegations that the State Board exceeded its authority under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), failed to recognize compliant local agencies under the law’s “good actor” provision, and did not provide adequate notice to landowners before imposing sweeping new groundwater requirements.

“We remain optimistic,” said Dusty Ference, Executive Director of Kings County Farm Bureau. “The appellate court left standing our central arguments, including that the State overstepped its SGMA authority and imposed requirements without following proper process. We look forward to having those claims fully heard in the trial court.”

The Court of Appeal’s decision does not resolve whether the SWRCB’s probationary designation of the Tulare Lake Subbasin was legally justified, a question that will now be addressed in the ongoing proceedings before the Superior Court.

KCFB also confirmed that its Board of Directors is actively reviewing possible next steps beyond the trial court, including legal and legislative strategies to ensure groundwater management remains fair, local, and accountable.

Kings County Farm Bureau is a non-profit advocacy organization representing approximately 400 members in the agricultural community. For more information, visit www.kcfb.org