var gcse = document.createElement('script'); Over the years, the farm has truly been a family operation with Karen keeping the books and their children helping to bring in the harvests. We amalgamate our water to use on our most productive land. Over the past 12 years, hes moved about 137,000 acre feet of his state water from Kings County south to nut orchards he owns on the west side of Kern, according to state and other water district records. According to legal briefs filed by Tulare Lake, all the floodwater that can be put to beneficial use has been, and theres no leftover water available for Semitropic. A trial date has been set for December 2022. In this intensively farmed, perennially dry county, water is leaving at a concerning rate. Exporting large amounts of water from one farm region to another and aggressively pumping groundwater both negatively affect other landowners. . But farmers Jack Mitchell and Milt Pace are upfront about their distaste for Vidovich and especially Hurley. There is some uncertainty by El Rico GSA with regard to this request because of the hidden nature of Sandridges operations. And, you know, at some point in time that water is in risk of going to an urban area. By comparison, its closest neighbors, Kern, Fresno and Tulare sit at 8,000, 6,000 and 4,800 square miles, respectively. HANFORD, Calif. (AP) A Kings County jury has awarded $128.6 million to developers of a proposed solar-powered city who claimed the land sellers broke a contract when they sold the parcels and water rights to someone else. However, Vidovich has been somewhat of a welcome presence to some in Kings County. When asked about the pipeline Wyrick mentions in his June 2020 letter, Vidovich says only floodwater from the Kings River may have been shipped out of the county. declaration by Angiola General Manager Mark Grewal. He demanded Sandridge provide more data to the other groundwater sustainability agencies. Ben also has experience working in the investment banking division of Credit Suisses general industrials team. John Vidovich Active Sunnyvale, CA President for De Anza Building & Maintenance Construction, Inc. (408)738-4444 Overview 46 Companies 8 Connections 7 Locations Contribute Follow John Vidovich Overview John Thomas Vidovich has been associated with forty-six companies, according to public records. And the consequences of this could be far reaching. river water? It might be legal, but its not moral, Karen said of water leaving Kings. Legendary Valley Thoroughbred Elected to Racing Hall of Fame, Collision Ends Smyly Perfect Game Bid, Cubs Top Dodgers 13-0, Analysis In terms of special enforcement to shut things down, thats not what SGMA provides to the department, she said. Applicants must be a UK resident aged . They have the original 1881 homestead certificate signed by a secretary in the James Garfield administration for 80 acres southeast of Lemoore, where they still live and farm. Buttonwillow, California Search Background Check Sandridge Partners, L.P. Business Data 19087 Milan Rd, Buttonwillow, California, 93206 (408) 738-4444 AllBiz Business Profile Background Search FAQ's about John Vidovich Where does John Vidovich work? Something Vidovich declared is Really, really not cool, in an area that has already sunk more than 11 feet in the past 14 years because of groundwater extractions. Carol has been working with the Sunridge team since 2014. Its a $500 million project, of which Semitropic is hoping to get $250 million from Proposition 1 funding. The GSAs are supposed to set pumping limits to stop overdraft. Sandridge was one of the earlier homes of the great English general, John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, and his infamous wife, Sarah, a favourite of Queen Anne. Theres nothing hidden about how Sandridge moves water, he said. Attorneys for the Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by the giant J.G. Its principals and employees are rarely quoted in the media. Latest allegation in Boswell-Vidovich ditch bank battle: Environmental laws were willfully ignored . Legally? The data show thats already happening. We further understand that Mr. Vidovich has caused both surface and pumped groundwater to be physically moved via pipeline and canals from and to lands controlled by him, thereby crossing boundaries of counties, GSAs, water districts, subbasins, defined places of use, and perhaps areas that are otherwise regulated.. We pioneer innovative approaches to solve many of the headwinds facing modern agriculture and always put environmental, social and governance considerations at the heart of our investments and operations. But in terms of equity, yes, there is a problem.. 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. 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. News, Business The project was made possible by a grant from the Water Foundation with additional support from INN and the Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ). But out in the Buena Vista Water Storage District where Vidovich chairs the board, his original detractors all love him, Page said. First of all, the myriad laws and rules that govern water wouldnt allow that to happen, they say. He Toppled Vince McMahon. Boswell and Vidovich also find themselves on opposite sides of whether the Kings River is being fully utilized by all of its rights holders. That could trigger intervention by the State Water Resources Control Board, SGMAs enforcement arm. Boswell has declined to answer questions about its water transfers as well as the amount of groundwater it pumps. The only water Green Valley got was some surplus state water and natural groundwater, Pace said. The case is being heard in Kern County by Judge David Lampe. Boswell Company, and Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich, filed a blizzard of court actions alleging the other was trespassing and seeking injunctions to . It was kind of a crutch in case I flunked, he said. SJV Water is a nonprofit, independent online news publication covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. Farming runs deep in the blood of growers like Jeff and Karen Gilcrease. Meanwhile, Smith hopes his young children will one day take his place on the tractor. Water, Latest 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). Nor for the man who runs it, John Vidovich, nor for his current pipeline project that will move water from various places in Kings County to various other undisclosed locations. That water would then be moved south through the aqueduct and banked in Semitropic. Lukas holds an MA in Natural Sciences, an MPhil in Management, and a PhD in Plant Sciences from the University of Cambridge. Vidovich says he uses that Angiola groundwater to farm in Dudley Ridge, so the groundwater isnt leaving its home basin. The titans behind the comments are J.G. The giant JG Boswell Company has little love for Sandridge Partners. He was semi-retired living in Clovis when another Kings County farmer, Pat McCarthy not Vidovich called him to do some work for Angiola. So, capturing that south fork floodwater would benefit both Kings and Kern county farmers, according to Semitropics Gianquinto. But a pipeline, which Vidovich is allowed to build under the Semitropic agreement, could span that distance. In addition to inshell and raw natural almonds, a state of the art processing facility provides manufacturing and roasting to your specifications. A large water pipeline being built near Lemoore in Kings County is raising eyebrows as much for its possible uses as for the name associated with its construction John Vidovich. The title Baron Sandridge was given to Churchill by James II in 1685, and was his first English peerage title (his earlier title, Baron Eyemouth, had been created in 1682 by James . Once a river is at flood stage, that usually means all other rights have been filled and the overflow is free game. In 2016, the levees had to be built up another four feet. Were preparing for SGMA. Sports, Crime But the purpose of the 48-inch Sandridge pipeline has been the subject of intense curiosity since last November when farmers first noticed excavators gouging a giant trench into the earth from north of Lemoore meandering 12 miles south to Stratford and, presumably, ending in the Blakeley Canal. She also found that Tulare Lake Canal Company did not have the right under its easement to block the pipeline with heavy equipment and ordered the tractors off the canal banks. And Vidovich has said if he had to do it over, he wouldnt make that sale. 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. True, Angiolas canal stops about 23 miles southeast of the project. Your email address will not be published. Sunridge Partners (UK), LLP (FRN: 821518) is an Appointed Representative of Kroll Securities Limited, (FRN: 466588) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Pace gave a nod to Vidovich on that count. Both letters, andone submitted by the Angiola Water District, also controlled by Vidovich, stop short of asking DWR to find the plan inadequate. LEARN MORE ▸ What We Sell. var cx = '013080029684751512081:kj7d0adj7da'; Mavens Notebook is an excellent daily accounting of California water happenings statewide. He ran, unsuccessfully for city council in his hometown of Los Altos Hills in 2006. Numbers havent been set in stone just yet, but its looking like the Kings/Tulare farming areas will settle somewhere near allowing 1.5 acre feet of water to be pumped per acre. It is an administrator, delivering supplies on direction of its landowners, such as Sandridge, said Sandridge attorney Marshall Whitney. There is some uncertainty by El Rico GSA with regard to this request because of the hidden nature of Sandridges operations, Wyrick wrote in the June 2020 letter. As for making a major water grab in the Central Valley, Page said Vidovich has nothing on the Wonderful or JG Boswell companies, both of which have far larger land holdings than Vidovich. But he fears family ownership is already being priced out of farming and predicts the business will be consolidated into fewer and fewer hands. In one battle, the Kings River Water Association, where Boswell is a major rights holder, is suing Tulare Lake Reclamation District 761 and Sandridge Partners, run by Vidovich, for shipping its Kings River water to lands it owns in western Kings County. 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The comment letter from the Southwest Kings GSA, which Vidovich said he wrote the draft for, notes that subsidence from over pumping has been a large and ongoing problem in the Tulare Lake subbasin and the plan submitted to the state simply doesnt do enough to stem that downward trajectory. Vidovich dismissed the Boswell letter as "throwing rocks" to distract from the larger issue over-pumping. Now, in the grip of yet another devastating drought, Kings County farmers like Walker want to know: Where is the water going? The plaintiffs, Kings County Ventures and Green. 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. But comments made during a hearing Monday on Sandridges restraining order pulled back the curtain on the real concern. 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. Philipp Saumweber is an experienced principal investor and operator in the agriculture sector, which he has worked in for over a decade and has deployed capital across the agricultural value chain in Europe, North America and Australasia. Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth acknowledged she had met with representatives of groundwater agencies regarding allegations that Boswell is aggressively pumping its Kings County lands, because its selling off its state water. We havent sat down and put dye in the water to watch where it actually goes. He specialised in product and growth strategy projects within the consumer and food space. Im actually not supposed to talk about it.. Some farmers cant afford to do either, making the difficult decision to get out of agriculture all together. And I want to keep farming.. Yes, critics agree, but Boswell uses that water to irrigate in the district. It now retains about 132,000 acres in Kings as well as 3,700 acres in Tulare County and 23,000 acres in Kern County, according to ParcelQuest, a property information database. No, he said. The elder Vidovich built a regional real estate powerhouse, which the younger Vidovich grew into a statewide empire. News 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. So, if i cant make money on that water farming, I will sell it eventually to an urban area and thats a right I have. SunnyGem is the one-stop-shop for your almond needs, packing and shipping California varieties worldwide. Though he doesnt seek out media attention, when asked about water under his control, he rarely refuses to talk. (Vidovich said he didn't think Sandridge had hit 100,000 acres, total, yet.) DWR staffers now have two years to decide if the plans come up to snuff or not. This case was filed in Kern County Superior Courts, Kern County Metropolitan Division located in Kern, California. Theres so many canals and ways it can move; its hard to track, he said. When you have a bowl and only three straws, it takes longer to empty, Walker said. It just doesnt look very good for us right now, Smith said. Work with nature; dont fight it, Avila said repeatedly. 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. Now, hes involved in a project that could set him up as a water marketer on an extreme scale. Boswell Company and Sandridge Partners. As water drops, growers engage in a well-digging arms race. Michael was a business development director for one of Sunridge Partners' portfolio companies. Posted on August 6, 2018 Bakersfield Californian. state water?) Vidovich isnt the only pumper in that area, his supporters note. 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. Stephen Vidovich died in 2007, at the age of 81, driving a tractor near one of his remaining vineyards. If they pass a law saying I cant sell it, then I cant sell it. SGMA refers to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act passed in 2014 that mandates water basins be in balance by 2040. Our goal is to supply the highest quality almonds, at competitive prices, to customers worldwide. The most recent Boswell-Vidovich beef joins at least two other ongoing legal battles over water. He said he bought his first parcel here in 1994 when he invested in a foreclosed property in Kings County. There, a company he controls, Sandridge Partners, grows . Enforcement could involve pumping limits, fines, and large pumping fees per acre-foot. Boswell repeatedly declined requests for interviews on this story. His operation is extensive and very smart.. Avila says corporations are gobbling up the land to plant more permanent crops and draining the countys water in the process. In addition to inshell and raw . Both entities are large growers in Kern County as well. The Boswell comments are ina letter sent from the El Rico GSA, while Vidovichs concerns are outlined ina letter from the Southwest Kings GSA. His investment firm, Sandridge Partners, has amassed more than 100,000 acres of . Welcome to Kings County, where water wars still rage both in and outside the courthouse and often have deeper currents than what appears in legal papers. He owns the land next to the aqueduct where the reservoir would be built and is the one who brought the floodwater project idea to Semitropic a few years ago. Vidovich dismissed the Boswell letter as throwing rocks to distract from the larger issue over-pumping. Often an equal amount of water splits south, wreaking havoc on farmland in the old Tulare Lake bottom, about 60 miles northwest of Bakersfield. He made friends everywhere he went, John Vidovich told the Mercury News in 2007. For all its influence and power, Boswell is notoriously tight-lipped. Not a chance. Its unclear if Boswell is selling surface water on a regular basis, but according to invoices obtained by SJV Water, the company did sell 49,000 acre feet of its Kings River water out of the county for $47.5 million in 2015 and 2016 and another 35,000 acre feet of river water for an undisclosed amount in 2019. Sunridge Partners provides patient capital, deep industry expertise and a hands-on approach to achieving outsized returns for all stakeholders. The entire San Joaquin Valley, including Kings County, is critically over drafted. Vidovich and a co-defendant were found guilty in 2014 of conspiracy to breach a land sale contract and ordered to pay nearly $130 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Understanding water, water rights and the often complex structures of water districts has become a Vidovich hallmark. Yeah, hes got a lot of money and hes been buying up land, makes some people nervous, Page said. As far as Walker knows, no agency, city or county board is trying to figure out whats really happening. They went to law school together and joined the same program in the Navy reserves. But hes also moved his State Water Project supplies south to lands he owns in Kern County. And thats the biggest issue. Water that he will take, critics fear, and eventually sell to Southern California cities. Hes so involved, in fact, he even chairs the monthly meetings for Buena Vista Water Storage District where Sandridge owns thousands of acres. He recalls that when he was growing up, the region was dotted with small dairies, orchards, rotating crops of corn, cotton and alfalfa, and open grazing land with sloughs that could absorb water in flood years. Either way, Judge Chrissakis ordered the pipeline halted until she decides whether it should come under CEQA review at a March 23 hearing. The canal company sued but couldnt immediately stop the project. Nor the end of the clash of Kings Countys most powerful water titans. Regardless of Thursdays ruling, onlookers can expect it wont be the end of this issue. The Tulare Lake Canal Company, controlled by JG Boswell Company, moved the equipment onto the canal banks in late January to block trenching for a pipeline by Sandridge Partners, controlled by John Vidovich. Judge Chrissakis found the potential involvement of two public entities, the Stratford Public Utilities District and Angiola Water District, could take the line out of the private realm and require a study of potential environmental impacts. transferred or sold large chunks of its surface water, Too little or too much, theres always controversy brewing over Kern River water, Kern River water heads north through flood channel but wont hit Tulare Lake yet, Kaweah River water managers prepare for more high water as the valley heats up, Vibration in Isabella Dam power plant causes temporary halt of Kern River outflows. It wanted an operating agreement and hefty insurance coverage. While he was just starting out, he also enlisted in the Navy and served in the reserves for six or eight years, he cant recall the exact term. Im all for moving water around, he said. About 25,000 acre feet of groundwater. He often points out that water districts, which oversee water allocations and maintain infrastructure, are public entities, and the public has a right to information, as he told SJV Water in an interview for this story. He started buying consistently in Kern, Kings and Tulare counties throughout the early and mid-2000s and continues to add properties sometimes at a blistering pace. Ben holds a BComm in Economics and Finance with first class honours (Deans list) from the University of Melbourne and a BCompSc in Computer Science with first class honours from Monash University. The website iswww.sjvwater.org. His nephew spun the company into a $2.5 billion international farming and development powerhouse. When pressed, though, they acknowledged it could be done. SANDRIDGE PARTNERS | 16 followers on LinkedIn. Many Kings County farmers, who have watched water leaving their region, wonder if its being sold to Los Angeles. He does enough farming in the area to make it look like hes a farmer. It is also tasked with reviewing groundwater plans under the states Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), passed in 2014. I understand the fear, but its not based on reason.. Whether the water is leaving Kings County for cash payments or to grow crops that will eventually be sold for profit, its all the same thing, said economist David Zetland, who lectures on the politics and economics of water at Leiden University College in the Netherlands. For the portions that can be tracked through state and other water district records, the water is mostly flowing south to Kern County, much of it from Kings Countys two largest and most powerful farming operations J.G. Because, while he does farm thousands of acres of pistachios, almonds and grapes, many believe the only harvest Vidovich is truly interested in is water. Ben works across all aspects of the firm from business development to portfolio company operations. Now the land is covered with huge almond and pistachio orchards, permanent crops which account for more than 66,000 acres of Kings total 782,731 harvested acres, according to county crop reports. We are one of the largest vertically integrated almond suppliers in the world. Looking back, he said he wouldnt make that sale today. The case is being heard in Kern County where now retired Judge David Lampe made a partial ruling last June that river owners are allowed to move their water. To do that, the state requires each area to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) to account for whats going in and coming out of the aquifer. People just dont want to face the music.. Even if I were to move water and sell it, it would be to farming operations.. Construction on a controversial water pipeline in Kings County has, once again, halted. 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. (Vidovich said he. 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. This is all being driven by the JG Boswell Company out of animus, not out of practicality, Whitney told the judge. And one Kern County water district could be the linchpin to it all. Earlier this week, a Kings County Superior Court Judge ordered a preliminary injunction on the pipeline owned by Sandridge Partners and Santa Clara County's John Vidovich, as first reported by SJV Water. Whos Responsible for Farm Towns Multibillion Dollar Sinking? Our quality commitment does not stop there. Vidovich says his quote was clipped and sewn back together to make it sound bad. Crime Avila, along with his wife and children, grows nearly 100 varieties of fruit trees on multiple small plots of land and sells the produce at dozens of farmers markets from Beverly Hills to San Luis Obispo. Sandridge filed for a restraining order. The SDGs where we believe Sunridge can have the greatest impact are: We are a proud signatory to the Principles for Responsible Investment, the leading global proponent for incorporating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles in investment activities. Copyright 2023 SunnyGem. SANDRIDGE PARTNERS, L.P. Company Number 201005600010 Status Active Incorporation Date 4 February 2010 (about 13 years ago) Company Type Limited Partnership - CA Jurisdiction California (US) Registered Address 920 WEST FREMONT AVE SUNNYVALE CA 94087 United States Directors / Officers JOHN VIDOVICH, LLC, general partner Inactive Directors / Officers Not one acre foot, he insisted. Based in Los Altos, California, De Anza Properties is a collaborative, nationwide firm owned and operated by its Principals. The city sued. At the time, I was heavy with state water but the state water had low allocations and I had no other water source over there (Dudley Ridge land in western Kings County).. But a portion of the Sandridge pipeline has been laid on land owned by Stratford PUD, Chrissakis noted. My business approach right now is to acquire as much water as I can to be diversified in water. Site development by. With water from the delta becoming more unreliable, he said, farmers have to hoard land for the groundwater. We partner with exceptional agriculture and food companies to guide them through rapid yet sustainable growth, to become clear industry leaders. The truth, as always, probably lies somewhere in between. Carol provides administrative support to the Team and ensures that the office runs smoothly. People complain all the time about whats happening with our water, but no one wants to do anything, he said. Whether those pipes end on Vidovich lands or Resnicks is hard to know. On 06/28/2019 SANCHEZ filed a Labor - Wrongful Termination lawsuit against VIDOVICH. Home | DMCA | SJV Content Use | Contact, Copyright 2022 SJV Water. We welcome you to contact us to discuss how we might partner to create mutually beneficial opportunities in the agribusiness sector. EDMUND JOHN VIDOVICH Lake Havasu City, Arizona Trinitas Partners LLC Investment Management . A new groundwater ordinance approved Nov. 29 by the Kings County Board of Supervisors could put the county in the middle of a water war being waged by its two largest farming entities, the J.G. The Blakeley runs southwest next to Highway 41 down to Kettleman City, conveniently near to the California Aqueduct. But when the Kings does flood, as its doing now, millions of acre feet rush north to join up with the San Joaquin River and empty into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Vidovich made an offer on the land and Page took it.
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