While Californians have had to endure much hardship amid its statewide drought, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said Wednesday he believes there may be a silver lining coming from it as the agency rolls out a $150 million investment.
"This is going to spur innovation, it's going to spur creativity, it's going to spur opportunity [and], as challenging as these times are, I think we will get out of this," Vilsack said on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street."
California's drought has led to hundreds of millions in agricultural losses and has led to a state-mandated 25 percent reduction in water use.
Vilsack added he believes this investment will help with the state's water efficiency use. "This resource is also going to provide help to communities to basically do a better job of digging wells and making more efficient use of the water they have, and it's going to help the ranchers, as well," Vilsack added.
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"One thing we have learned from the California situation is that the irrigation systems in this state need to improve," he said. "The key here is to make sure those growers are using water in the most effective way."