On: The fight against drought in California has a new ...

[dehrmann]

> luxury foods like almonds and pistachios

"Luxury foods" oversells them a bit. The retail price per pound is close to ground beef.

[greedo → dehrmann]

That's because their retail price doesn't reflect the externalities. Cheap subsidized water makes them much cheaper than if the farmers had to pay a fair price.

[adw → dehrmann]

Ground beef - all meat, really - is a luxury food.

[s0rce → dehrmann]

Beef also uses a ton of water, probably more than almonds.

[zeraynor → dehrmann]

Sound like they would be more expensive if the farmers didn't have such advantageous water rights.

[colinmhayes → dehrmann]

Because the farmers don't have to pay for the water they use...

[gweinberg → dehrmann]

More like 3-4 x as much.