Urban Expansion Threatens Farmland: Teresa Platt Reflects on California’s Agricultural Decline
10/22/2025 Shows ↗ (Jump To Original Content)
She reflects on the major shifts in Southern California’s landscape, where booming urban development has swallowed once-thriving avocado farms and prime agricultural land. Teresa draws parallels between what she’s witnessing in San Diego and what’s happening across Europe, particularly in Amsterdam, where farmland is disappearing under concrete. She explains how French farmers have a stronger voice in protecting farmland and influencing land use decisions, something she wishes were more common in America. As land values soar and water restrictions tighten, U.S. producers in urban areas are often forced to sell out—leaving behind the fertile fields that once fed millions.
