Related Story: Clash Between Water Titans Heats up Over Kings County Pipeline. The Kings River Water Association, where Boswell is a major rights holder, is suing Tulare Lake Reclamation District 761, controlled by Vidovich, for shipping its Kings River water to the Dudley Ridge Water District in western Kings County. Heres how the chase played out, People keep dying. Two Madera patients died in the last month, one en route to Fresno, Special delivery: Deputies help Fresno County man needing medicine but trapped at snowed-in home. Boswell has steadfastly declined to answer questions from SJV Water about the pumping and water storage. In 2009, Vidovich sold the annual rights to 14,000 acrefeet of water belonging to property sitting in the Dudley Ridge Water District, located in Kings County, for an eye-popping $73 million. The punitive damage portion, about $73 million, was overturned on appeal and the case has been sent back to Kings County. Though he also acknowledged that during the drought he sold some to fellow Dudley Ridge landowner Stewart Resnick, who owns the massive Wonderful Company. A native of Sunnyvale, Vidovich was the son of a Bay Area real estate scion. Home | DMCA | SJV Content Use | Contact, Copyright 2022 SJV Water. None of that has been discussed yet, Carlson stressed. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Several canals feed groundwater into a shallow basin in Kings County in this late April photo. Vidovich is the owner of Sandridge Partners, LP a farmland investment firm that has undertaken more than 100,000 acres of Valley farmland. (The project has been revived on a smaller scale in a different location.). They went to law school together and joined the same program in the Navy reserves. Though his father passed 13 years ago, the son a graduate of Santa Clara School of Law and inactive lawyer continues to manage the real estate firm with holdings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Salt Lake City, and San Diegos North County. Sanchez Brothers Farming Inc of Hanford; Sandridge Partners of Sunnyvale; Santa Barbara Orchards Llc of . This isnt the Owens Valley and William Mulholland doesnt work for the City of Los Angeles. There, a company he controls, Sandridge Partners, grows crops on the nearly 125,000 acres he owns in Kings County. Hazardous Waste Projects; Stacks of pipe were staged even further south. At this point, he said, he uses about 30 percent of his land for farming and 70 percent for water. Fresno attorney Scott Reddie, who is representing Vidovich and Sandridge Partners, said he would not comment until the opinion becomes final. 5th District Court of Appeal in Fresno has overturned. "It has farmland throughout the Stratford Area and the Central Valley. The Kings is as erratic a river as the Kern so floodwaters are unpredictable. A map showing how some Tulare and Kings county farmers fear John Vidovich will use a Semitropic project to take groundwater out of their basin. NASA scientists used satellite imagery to determine land subsidence in California. But the appellate court still found Vidovich liable and he could still have to pay out a major amount. A judge found this past March that the initiative was flawed because Vidovich used his own project description instead of the neutral description by the Cupertino city attorney. About 25,000 acre feet of groundwater. They are suing Angiola for what they say was Hurleys illegal takeover of the tiny Atwell Island Water District. Exactly what groundwater would be moved? Aside from the pipeline lawsuit, Sandridge has sued Boswell for allegedly overfilling the storage basin the company is pumping groundwater into and it is suing Boswell for allegedly buzzing cattle on its lands with a large helicopter in retaliation for the Sandridge pipeline, according to that lawsuit. Get a D&B Hoovers Free Trial. You can reach Alex at alex.tavlian@sjvsun.com. Low 39F. Sandridge Partners Annotate this Case. lexington county mobile home regulations. Lois Henry is the CEO and editor of SJV Water, a nonprofit, independent online news publication dedicated to covering water issues in the San Joaquin Valley. You may find additional information on the Cleanup Sites and Hazardous Waste Permitted Facilities in the EnviroStor database. In part, the Southwest Kings GSA addendum states: To the extent allowable by law, the GSAs will work with local and state regulatory agencies to prevent the inefficient storage of groundwater in shallow basins.. And while Vidovich grows crops on thousands of the acres he holds and processes his own almonds at a plant in Wasco, his vast holdings in farmland have granted him entree onto a bevy of water district boards, controlling the regions economic lifeline. The appellate opinion said the $73.4 million compensatory damages award is not supported by the record. Mitchell agreed, giving Vidovich credit for seeing where groundwater laws were headed before anyone else. The Court of Appeal held . He sold rights to more than 14,000 acre feet a year to the Mojave Water Agency in San Bernardino County for a headline-grabbing $73 million. Angiola also doesnt own any water. SANDRIDGE PARTNERS | 14 followers on LinkedIn. That water would then be moved south through the aqueduct and banked in Semitropic. We have also made a commitment to meaningfully contribute to and find solutions in our investments to the SDGs. But its just a cover for taking water out, Pace said. Has the San Joaquin Valley reached its Chinatown moment? And whats the end game of moving that water? John Vidovich answers a question from a farmer at the June 21 meeting of the Buena Vista Water Storage District. From our farming company, growing partners, and all of our employees we pay attention to every detail of our almonds, from the orchards to the finished product. You have permission to edit this article. . He recalled bidding on a construction project while studying for the bar exam. Muriel joined in 2022 and provides executive assistant support to the partners. Every move Vidovich has made, through Hurley and other public water districts, has been about gaining control of water, they say. In addition to inshell and raw natural almonds, a state of the art processing facility provides manufacturing and roasting to your specifications. Both locations are operated by a management team that has combined over 200 years of experience in sales, farming, processing, and customer service. Along with paying a quarter-million for recharging the aquifer, with the terms including a restriction on pumping of up to 36,000 acre-feet annually, or 130,000 acre-feet within a five-year consecutive period and a separate restriction that the district, nor its members, move water outside of Tulare and Kings counties. California had passed a law intended to stop the rising of new towns in the middle of nowhere. The fight between the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the J.G. "And . Under SGMA, groundwater agencies filed plans with DWR explaining how they would replenish aquifers bringing them into balance by 2040. Vidovich is president of the board. We are at the forefront of investing in and operating food and agricultural companies in a way that is truly sustainable, or ideally even regenerative. Later, Page would run for and win a seat on the Kern County Water Agency board. Water. Number two, Angiola is trying to maintain the local aquifer by retiring land to limit pumping. Vidovich, he said, is just the new water baron on the block, thats all. And I want to keep farming.. The district has already paid him $40 million for an easement, or right of way, on that land and signed an agreement with him for how the project would operate. For farmers who rely on water from the Kings River, the answer winds up as some shade of yes.. Negligent encroachment on agricultural land precluded recognition of equitable easement (661) 764-5730. He paid em three times what anyone else wouldve for their land and now theyre all gettin water because of his policies, Page said. Theyve (Vidovich and Hurley) been way out front on SGMA, Mitchell said. Angiola has become a critical element of Vidovichs water moves, transferring water across the Valley for additional sales, so much so that it put him and the district in hot water. Compare pay for popular roles and read about the team's work-life balance. farming of the 09 parcel, and now he manages the day-to-day farming operations. John Vidovich talks to a farmer after the Buena Vista Water Storage District meeting June 21. While the letter was improvident, attorney Whitney said, it certainly wasnt any kind of peak behind the curtain. He maintained that it wasnt an official indemnification by Angiola. Our farming company, Sandridge Partners, farms thousands of acres of almonds each year in the central region of California providing an ever-increasing supply of almonds. believe Sunridge can have the greatest impact are: Previously, Michael was an investment professional at RJI Capital, a boutique private equity and. All rights reserved. Calif. officials OK 40% of Valley groundwater plans, Fresno Police arrest suspect tied to seven bombings, now writing exclusively for her own service, SJVWater. Boswell Company, Hansen Ranches, the Vander Eyk Dairies and many others. Sandridge pumped water and exported it to an almond farm in Dudley Water District south of Kettleman City, Vink said. This is privately owned water being moved on private land, Whitney said, warning that requiring an irrigation pipeline to undergo CEQA review could impact irrigation projects on a wide scale throughout the San Joaquin Valley. margaret keane synchrony net worth. News, Around Town 2022 by Sunridge Partners (UK) LLP. Long and Sandridge were fired by the department Jan. 30. Water that he will take, critics fear, and eventually sell to Southern California cities. We partner with private, mostly family owned companies that have: Exceptional management teams with a shared passion to grow and develop their businesses, Operate in interesting niches within the food and agriculture value chain that are growing rapidly, Aligned goals and strict adherence to environmentally, ethically and socially responsible principles, Ability for Sunridge Partners to add value beyond capital, Our customary transaction size is between US$ 15-50 million in equity over the lifetime of an investment. Her work appears on Sundays and Wednesdays; the views expressed are her own. 11 Jun 2022. sandridge partners farming. True, Angiolas canal stops about 23 miles southeast of the project. The Judges overseeing this case are Lampe, David R. and Schuett, Stephen D.. All right reserved. Those figures dont include recent land purchases hes made in the Kern Delta Water District and Fresno Irrigation District both areas Sandridge is targeting for even more land purchases because of its solid rights to the Kern and San Joaquin rivers. The red depicts land that has sunk 20 to 24 inches. Sandridge has said in court filings it intends to include a smaller sleeve within its larger pipeline to potentially take sewage water from Stratford PUD. Our team includes leading industry operators and executives as well as a seasoned board of advisors from across the food and agriculture industry. NAICS Code show 111992, Peanut Farming; Employees 33; Contacts show; General Partner John Vidovich; Reviews (0) Write a Review. Sandridge Partners. Because the urban places would pay a hell of a lot of money for it. Philipp began his career at Goldman Sachs, where he advised public and private companies in European real estate, lodging and gaming sectors on strategic and financial matters. Page had been a longtime board member of the Semitropic Water District and Vidovich wanted that kind of expertise. Contact Californian columnist Lois Henry at 661-395-7373 or lhenry@bakersfield.com. Additionally, the record supports the jurys findings of oppression, fraud or malice by Vidovich and Sandridge in interfering with the Liberty Ranch option to sell agreements between McCarthy and Kings County Ventures and GROW Land and Water, the court said. Positive Cases Among Kern Residents: 310,095, Recovered and Presumed Recovered Residents: 305,002, Percentage of all cases that are unvaccinated:71, Percentage of all hospitalizations that are unvaccinated:83.13, Source: Kern County Public Health Services Department. His father, Stephen Vidovich, founded DeAnza Properties in 1966 and led the charge to convert the Santa Clara Valley from farmland and pave the way for Silicon Valley to become the hub of late-20th century and early-21st century American innovation. Thank you for reading! If their fears come true, the Los Angeles water grab in Owens Valley would pale in comparison. Five key principles guide us in a unified approach across the food and agribusiness investment landscape: Safeguarding and improving the livelihoods and social wellbeing of individuals producing food and processing agricultural products, Conserving, protecting and enhancing our natural ecosystems, Instilling transparent governance within natural and human systems, Fostering holistic innovation and sustainable growth for all stakeholders. I did sell water out of Kings County to an urban user and people didnt like it. Satellite images from NASA show the area around the well fields Angiola was pulling from is the epicenter for land subsidence in eastern Tulare County from overpumping. The battle between Tulare Lake Canal Company and Sandridge Partners . The appellate court opinion was made public Monday and becomes final in 30 days. Sunridge Partners (UK), LLP acts as the investment advisor for the Sunridge funds that invest in agribusinesses globally. The construction of the pipeline forced the irrigation districts hand, launching a lawsuit to halt Angiolas water exports at one point to the tune of 30,000 acre-feet annually. Sandridge Partners Lp received payments totaling $11,464,302 from 1995 through 2021. The investment was based purely on consumer insights nationally and globally. If those seem like minute details for the head of a major development company to trouble with, hes even more hands-on with Sandridge Partners LP, the family business he formed for farming acquisitions. Its a $500 million project, of which Semitropic is hoping to get $250 million from Proposition 1 funding. Special Report: Small Farmers Struggle as Ag Titans Boswell, Vidovich Wheel Jan. 17 letter to Tulare Lake Canal Company, Clash Between Water Titans Heats up Over Kings County Pipeline. Two days after the Tulare Lake Canal Company sued Sandridge Partners, the farming and water giant owned by John Vidovich, to halt trenching work on a water pipeline set to cut . Boswell-Vidovich water war blows up over groundwater. Current estimates show that the unit has a sales volume of $3,026,000 and staff of approximately 17 people. PG&E Says Customers Will Be Getting a Rebate. Boswell Farming Company and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, have been scuffling over water in court, on ditch banks and even in the air with accusations on both sides of various types of water skulduggery. strategic advisory firm. He ran, unsuccessfully for city council in his hometown of Los Altos Hills in 2006. He came on board full-time in 2011, give or take, he said. At issue? F073106. Local LOIS HENRY: Is John Vidovich planning to sell off the valley's lifeblood? . The Mojave Water Agency, a San Bernardino-based water provider. One of Angiolas main well fields is actually inside the Pixley Irrigation District boundaries where water managers were concerned by the amount of water leaving their district. In a profile written by Lois Henry, then of The Bakersfield Californian now writing exclusively for her own service SJVWater, Vidovich readily acknowledge the acrimony the sale caused. Mainly clear. Package options range from 25lb cartons to 2,200lb super sacks. Sandridge, recognized for our ability to adapt to retailer and consumer demands calling for fresher food products, invests in two High Pressure Processing (HPP) lines, the first goes into production in 2010 and the second in 2013. Where Will Money to Finish Valley Leg of Bullet Train Come From? Two year ago, in another South Valley water case involving Sandridge, a Tulare County judge told Sandridge to stop pumping groundwater that was being piped 25 miles to an almond orchard in Kings County. sandridge partners farming. Low 39F. Stephen Vidovich retired but kept a watchful eye on the company, getting daily reports and giving advice, John Vidovich told the San Jose Mercury News after his fathers death. At Sunridge Partners, Hugues has also been CFO of a portfolio business. The project would consist of a small reservoir, more like short-term storage cells, along the California Aqueduct just north of Kettleman City where floodwater off the south fork of the Kings River would be captured. When pressed, though, they acknowledged it could be done. We help agribusiness owners, operators, and entrepreneurs grow their businesses into industry leaders with the help of our capital and strong industry focussed expertise, globally, Our unique focus on food and agriculture, allows us to better understand particular agribusiness needs faster and have in-depth sector and sub-sector expertise bringing solutions to your business, Our stewardship and value creation track-record is unparalleled and our investing, operations and business development skills add value beyond just capital, We are driven by the highest environmental, ethical and socially responsible principles and work with you to achieve the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders during the whole lifetime of our ownership, As we are family backed, we pride ourselves on providing patient and long-term capital, We can provide owners and operations with the following solutions, We have flexible mandate to create custom solutions for owners and operators wishing to either fully transition a business yet also have the ability to form mutually beneficial partnerships for ownership and growth, Growth capital (organic and acquisitions), Financing for management buy-outs/buy-ins, Real estate and agriculture tourism development (full in-house design & construction teams).