That would be the San Joaquin Valley in California, one of the most prolific agricultural areas in the country — or at least it was, until environmentalists turned off the water. Did they need it for people in response to the drought? No, because the water that would normally flow to the SJV is getting directed out to sea instead. Environmentalists have chosen to bankrupt an entire ecosystem of farms in favor of protecting the Delta smelt, a three-inch fish that neither feeds people nor eliminates pests from the water system.

Sean Hannity covered the story last night, live from the formerly green San Joaquin Valley:

Comedian Paul Rodriguez says, “We could feed the world with this valley,” and while that’s a bit of an exaggeration, it certainly helps feed the nation. “The only thing growing here is despair,” Rodriguez says. “We grew more food with less water, and for our reward, you cut the water off,” Rodriguez tells Barack Obama, the candidate Rodriguez supported in the election. “What’s up with that?”

Hannity also spoke with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is equally displeased:

This is yet another example of radical environmentalists inflicting unnecessary damage to farming and property rights. We should worry about the next target of their radical action after San Joaquin Valley and its impact on property rights, but we also have more mundane reasons for paying attention to the farmers in SJV. The lack of produce from this formerly successful agricultural area will hike prices across the nation — and could make us more dependent on agricultural imports:

Be sure to take the time to watch all of the clips. It’s well worth the time.