As wildfires continue wreaking havoc in Los Angeles, California, killing at least 24 people and destroying more than 12,000 structures, people are looking into water usage in the state, targeting agricultural companies, primarily the largest citrus producer in the U.S.

Stewart and Lynda Resnick's The Wonderful Company owns 175,000 acres of farmland in the state, which, according to Forbes, uses around 150 billion gallons of water annually.

While firefighters in Los Angeles struggle to get water from street hydrants, the company's stake in the Kern Water Bank, which can store around 78 billion gallons of water in the San Joaquin Valley, has led critics to say that the Resnicks profit from a resource intended for public use.  

Wonderful owns a 57% stake in the Kern Water Bank, which sources indicate derives from their engagement with key stakeholders in California's water management.

The couple's ties to Californian politicians have raised questions about their power over the state's water resources. They are known for significantly contributing to campaigns, including $26,950 to Hillary Clinton and $11,000 to Joe Biden. According to the International Business Times, they have supported Republican candidates, such as John McCain, with $20,750, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, with $27,190.

In a statement released on January 12, The Wonderful Company responded to the accusations, stating, "There is zero truth that any individual or company, much less ours, owns or controls most of the water in California."

However, the company confirmed it owns a 57% stake in the Kern Water Bank, and says that this is not part of the state's water resources. The release indicates that the Kern Water Bank conserves water that would be lost to the sea because the state lacks the infrastructure to capture or store it.

Critics have also noted that the company sells part of these water resources back to local governments, to which the company responded by indicating that it has been nearly two decades since Wonderful sold any water to the state. 

"At the time, it was as part of a state-sponsored program that many other public and private entities participated in," it says. 

Additionally, the company says the water bank is owned by multiple entities that serve hundreds of family farmers and ranchers who need the water to grow food and raise livestock.

"We use less than 1% of the state’s water and do so as part of a community of farmers and ranchers who together produce a quarter of our nation’s food," Wonderful said. 

The company's business empire includes Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice, Wonderful Pistachios, Fiji Water, Halos mandarins, Wonderful Almonds, Wonderful Citrus, and Teleflora, the flower-delivery service.

In its statement, The Wonderful Company indicates that the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has more water stored in its system than ever.

"The right questions to ask are not about any one sector or company, but about what the government could have done differently and to acknowledge the challenges of climate change rather than wasting time with hateful rhetoric and bizarre claims from extreme conspiracy theorists," it says. 

FreshFruitPortal.com reached out to members of The Wonderful Company, who said they do not have any additional comments. 

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