saudi alfalfa farms in arizona

Arizona is part of a global economy. No one we talked to has issue with these corporations coming in and wanting to make money. water out to bring money in, rather than restricting their agricultural exports That same month, Republican state legislators introduced a bill to prohibit sales of state lands to foreign governments, state enterprises and any company based in China, Russia or Saudi Arabia. Almarai is headquartered in the very center of Saudi Arabia, just outside of Riyadh. Mayes, along with hydrologists and environmental advocates, says more studies are needed of groundwater basins in rural areas such as La Paz County, an agricultural county of about 16,000 people. shortage, Egypt is planning to build new desalination to Japan, Europe, the U.S., and yes, Saudi Arabia, which receives 16 percent of It also didn't help that some international dairy customers in 2014 found other sources for hay due to the U.S. West Coast port labor dispute. exporter of virtual water, with cotton, fruit, and vegetables being shipped By SUMAN NAISHADHAM April 28, 2023 In rural Arizona's La Paz County, on the state's rugged border with California, the decision by a Saudi-owned dairy company to grow alfalfa in the American Southwest for livestock in the Gulf kingdom first raised eyebrows nearly a decade ago. To appreciate the complicated links between water, energy, Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Market data provided by Factset. This like La Paz are confronted with the trade-offs inherent in the water-food-energy But a whopping 86 10 min read. industry that needs reexamining. And that eventually led to this big investment in agriculture that continues to this day at the University of Arizona. The water-food-energy nexus has long been a topic for High Country News: You open the book by talking about a double exposure: a slide with an image of a camel and a Coke advertisement layered on top of each other. Kingman is another area in the state where out-of-state farmers are setting up large operations using groundwater. But in the Northwest, spring never showed, Supreme Court keeps the Navajo Nation waiting for water, The miller moth is hard to love, but it deserves our respect, The long road to access at Willamette Falls, James Watt, Ted Kaczynski and power over lands. (These have been edited for clarity and brevity.). And its not the only foreign company that farms in the Southwest. The revoked permits only involved the drilling of two new deep-water wells. And Locals are rightly concerned about the impact on their groundwater. And while irritation But I kept finding that there was a circular nature to the stories I was uncovering. What are the crops that are productive and valuable in the Middle East? Si vous souhaitez personnaliser vos choix, cliquez sur Grer les paramtres de confidentialit. is used in peoples homes according to a recent study in Nature; See ourletters to the editor policy. Sharon Udasin. Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. Phoenix, Tucson and other Arizona cities have restrictions on how much groundwater they can pump under a 1980 state law aimed at protecting the states aquifers. The Arizona State Land Department did not respond to questions about about its permits or the impact of the expiration. This desert valley is being farmed for hay and alfalfa using groundwater pulled from the Colorado River, with much of the hay exported to feed animals in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Virtual water flows save United States District Judge Rosemary Mrquez sentenced human smuggler John Edward Crenshaw to 40 months in prison for his crimes. Arizona also has a deeper historical role. Geographer Natalie Koch, a professor at Syracuse University who grew up in Arizona and studies the Arabian Peninsula, began researching the deal in 2018. While Canadian-controlled companies are by far the largest. "It is long-past time for the state of Arizona to wake up and address this growing crisis head-on before it is too late.". The. Saudi farms are sucking Arizona's groundwater dry. Mayes said she would continue to work with Hobbs "on protecting the people of La Paz County, and Arizona's groundwater supplies.". The Saudi farm near Parker is not within one of the areas. That's in contrast to most of the state, 85 percent of which has strict groundwater rules. This desert valley is being farmed for hay and alfalfa using groundwater pulled from the Colorado River, with much of the hay exported to feed animals in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. In an arid pocket of Arizona's rural southwest, thirsty tufts of alfalfa are guzzling unlimited amounts of groundwater only to become fodder for dairy cows some 8,000 miles east. A Silver Alert was issued on Friday night for a 69-year-old man who was last seen driving in the area of 40th Street and Thunderbird Road. "This is water that belongs to the people of Arizona and needs to stay in the ground in La Paz County.". In another real-life example of the world's interconnected economy, the Saudis increasingly look to produce animal feed overseas in order to save water in their own territory, most of which is desert. a time of climate crisis. What are the crops that are productive and valuable in the Middle East? The states of the Colorado River Basin are trying to It then exports the plants to Saudi Arabia to feed dairy cattle. The temperatures are so high that it takes a lot more water to keep that barren soil moist for the alfalfa to grow. The storehouses belong to Fondomonte Farms, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabia-based company Almarai - one of the largest food. Two deep-water wells were . Got a confidential news tip? Then it circled back: King Saud and his family made a royal visit to Arizona. In June, The Arizona Republic uncovered the story of how the State Land Department had recently handed over thousands of acres to a Saudi corporation called Fondomonte, giving it permission to. Fondomonte Arizona, a subsidiary of Almarai Co., is under fresh scrutiny for growing alfalfa, which is bound for the Gulf kingdom, as Arizonas drought worsens. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. virtual water from drier The answer may be yes. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Fourteen U.S. states have restrictions on foreign individuals or entities owning farmland, but limitations vary widely and no state completely prohibits it. sense to grow alfalfa in parched Saudi Arabia, which is why the kingdom banned this drought in the first place. scarcity around the Colorado Riverand its not the lawns virtual water trade is also multifaceted: U.S. consumption is responsible for The second largest falls in the U.S. have been inaccessible since industrialists dammed them and lined the river with paper mills 150 years ago. A Saudi Arabia-owned farm based in Arizona is under fresh scrutiny for using water for free to grow alfalfa for cattle in the Gulf kingdom as the state's drought worsens. At Lake Mead, America's most voluminous water impoundment when it was full and a lifeline to everyone from Phoenix to San Diego, a crisis has arrived. Dcouvrez comment nous utilisons vos donnes personnelles dans notre Politique de confidentialit et notre Politique relative aux cookies. Its owned by a subsidiary of Saudi Arabiaheadquartered Saudi farmers from doing so in 2018 and started relying more on land in Arizona, spin a generator. That farm which does not pay for the water according to the Associated Press uses the water to grow its alfalfa plants. The company does not pay for the water it uses. uphill toward money: With each doubling of per-capita income, a nation "They are buying the ground to farm. Nor does every item thats manufactured in Arizona remain here and many of those goods require significant amounts of water to produce. More competition for land and fodder is likely to make things more expensive for dairy farmers in California and elsewhere. The state of Arizona has rescinded drilling permits for two water wells for a Saudi Arabia-owned alfalfa farm in the western portion of the state By Associated Press April 22, 2023 Arizona also has a deeper historical role. A private company that farms alfalfa in Arizona's Butler Valley cannot drill two additional wells on state-owned land there, potentially curtailing the use of some groundwater in an area that has become a political flashpoint in the drought-stricken state. In the past, La Paz County leaders have voiced concern about companies from the Middle East moving to the state to grow alfalfa that will be shipped overseas. "This is where they are buying that hay. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, "We know by anecdotal evidence that wells are being de-watered by these big farming operations. food. The water in the area is designated as a future supply for Phoenix and other urban areas. Even though Egypt is water-scarce, it is also a net Now, each one of those wells can pump about 1.5 billion gallons of water. "Theres a perception that water goes to local uses," said Andrew Curley, a professor of geography and the environment at the University of Arizona. Then, the regents realized that there was new federal funding that was being given out through the (1887) Hatch Act, an add-on to the Morrill Act, (which created the land-grant universities), to establish university agriculture experiment stations. Ron Rayner, a long-time farmer in the Goodyear area, says the farm that was purchased by the Saudis has a long history of wise water use, and the new foreign owners continue to use the latest technology. Its easy to forget how difficult it was for the U.S. government to take control of the territories we now call Arizona once they became part of the country. This is where they are buying the farmland for dairy farms as well as and where they are buying the dairy goods, because we are obviously exporting more out of the West Coast. "We have existing law that we dont think is being followed.". and beyond. Phoenix official explains wastewater recycling plan: 'Its just water', Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego highlights water, transportation in State of the City address, Rep. Ruben Gallego digs in for fight against foreign companies over Arizona groundwater, Silver Alert issued for man last seen driving in north Phoenix, Human smuggler from Phoenix gets 3 years of prison for driving noncitizens to US, Gov. And they are shipping it overseas in this case, we were told, to China. TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) Arizona has revoked two drilling permits for two water wells for a Saudi Arabia-owned alfalfa farm. Arizonas Groundwater Management Act created active management areas largely in urban zones where there are restrictions on water use. It's this legal failing that, in part, allows the Saudi company to draw unlimited amounts of water to grow an alfalfa crop that feeds dairy cows 8,000 miles away. Outside of Phoenix, in the scorching Arizona desert, sits a farm that Saudi Arabia's largest dairy uses to make hay for cows back home. mesurer votre utilisation de nos sites et applications. This week, Attorney General Kris Mayes said her office uncovered the inconsistencies in applications for new wells for the company Fondomonte Arizona LLC, which uses sprinklers to grow alfalfa in La Paz County and exports it to feed dairy cattle in Saudi Arabia. Note: This story has been updated to correct that Arizonas attorney general called for an investigation into a deal between Fondomonte and the Arizona State Land Department. Arizona has done a far better job than other states in managing its water. Large-scale farming of hay and alfalfa in Needles, California, on the borders of Arizona and Nevada. Legal Statement. Not every crop grown in Arizona is consumed in the Grand Canyon state. "In one day the amount of water pumping out of just one of those wells could serve roughly 30,000 Arizona residents, which is pretty astonishing given that the entire population of La Paz County has just over 16,000 people," she said. turned into biofuelsthats more land than all the other types of energy production Due to technical limitations of our publishing system, the earlier comments on this story are no longer visible on this page. You can literally get three or four times as much hay growing in the desert because you have a very long growing season: It's hot, so the hay dries really quickly once you cut it. The department declined to comment on the revoked drilling permits or the need for more groundwater regulation. The story of the so-called Saudi water grab is part of what The primary crop will be alfalfa and much of it will be shipped to California, according to a report in the Kingman Daily Miner. secure supplies of freshwater and is actually a net Saudi Arabia's latest purchase in Arizona involved 10,000 acres of farmland near Vicksburg, Arizona, for $48 million nearly two years ago. On regulating the practice of exporting water in the form of alfalfa hay. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. Even if Fondomonte leaves the. A Saudi Arabian company is at the center of a water controversy in Arizona that bubbled to the surface during the 2022 election cycle. Each of the wells is capable of pumping more than 100,000 gallons daily. The drought has also made groundwater long used by farmers and rural residents with little restriction even more important for users across the state. That dairy company, named Almarai, bought the farm last year and has planted thousands of acres of groundwater-guzzling alfalfa to make that hay. When Will We Stop Letting People Die From Heat in Prison? The U.S. government sponsored a team of Arizona farmers to go over in 1942 to share their experience of growing alfalfa and all the water-extraction techniques they had mastered in Arizona. Anna V. Smith, Mark Olalde and Umar Farooq. This isnt about where the farmers come from, what they are growing or where they are shipping it. Like the story in the HCN article, the interest was helping Arizona farmers not Indigenous farmers who had been doing irrigated agriculture in Arizona for centuries, but the white settler farmers who wanted to come to Arizona and be part of that colonization project. On the United Arab Emirates doing something similar nearby. Years of drought have ratcheted up pressure on water users across the West, particularly in states like Arizona, which relies heavily on the dwindling Colorado River. California, Katie Hobbs earlier this year, who said Mayes did not have the sole authority to take action, but who has criticized the deals, too. 2023 CNBC LLC. Besides the Gulf countries, China, South Korea and Japan are big buyers of American hay. Prescott honored 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots, firefighters who lost their lives 10 years ago in the Yarnell Hill fire tragedy, on Friday. And the fact that it's going to Saudi Arabia or China, the locals simply didn't care. The alfalfa exports are tantamount to "exporting water," because in Saudi Arabia, "they have decided that it's better to bring feed in rather than to empty their water reserves," said Keith Murfield, CEO of United Dairymen of Arizona, a Tempe-based dairy cooperative whose members also buy alfalfa. There's abundant supplies of water in Blythe for farmers from the Colorado River," he said. Border-related crimes impact the whole state. The farming industry has been really important there since the 1930s, when King, But eventually, they had to make the agricultural station legitimate. Hobbs grants $1.5 million to police departments in Northern Arizona, Prescott remembrance event commemorates 10th anniversary of Yarnell Hill Fire tragedy, Police arrest five people after State Farm Stadium brawl on Thursday, Number of East Phoenix residents with no power drops from around 1,000 to 300, Thank you to Al McCoy for 51 years as voice of the Phoenix Suns, How to identify the symptoms of 3 common anxiety disorders, Valley Boys & Girls Club uses esports to help kids make healthy choices. HCN: Recently, theres been a lot of uproar in Arizona about the Saudi farm you mention. require a lot Arizona's alfalfa yields are some of the highest in the world the state produces an average of 8.3 tons of alfalfa per acre in comparison to the national average of 3.2 tons. Egypts virtual water exports. Saudi Arabia grows alfalfa hay in both states for shipment back to its domestic dairy herds. water scarcity in the American West, climate change is making this 2023 FOX Television Stations, from SAT 10:00 AM MST until TUE 8:00 PM MST, Western Pima County including Ajo/Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Tohono O'odham Nation including Sells, South Central Pinal County including Eloy/Picacho Peak State Park, Parker Valley, Kofa, Yuma County, Central La Paz, Aguila Valley, Southeast Yuma County, Gila River Valley, Northwest Valley, Tonopah Desert, Gila Bend, Buckeye/Avondale, Cave Creek/New River, Deer Valley, Central Phoenix, North Phoenix/Glendale, Scottsdale/Paradise Valley, East Valley, Fountain Hills/East Mesa, South Mountain/Ahwatukee, Southeast Valley/Queen Creek, Northwest Pinal County, West Pinal County, Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, Sonoran Desert Natl Monument, from SUN 10:00 AM MST until MON 8:00 PM MST, Yavapai County Valleys and Basins, Upper Santa Cruz River and Altar Valleys including Nogales, Tucson Metro Area including Tucson/Green Valley/Marana/Vail, Southeast Pinal County including Kearny/Mammoth/Oracle, Upper Gila River and Aravaipa Valleys including Clifton/Safford, from SAT 10:00 AM MST until WED 8:00 PM MST, Grand Canyon Country, from SAT 11:00 AM MST until MON 8:00 PM MST, Lake Havasu and Fort Mohave, Northwest Deserts, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Middle East moving to the state to grow alfalfa, Alerts in your neighborhood: Latest police, fire incidents around the Valley (June 26 - July 2), 5G wireless signals could disrupt air travel this holiday weekend, Bose recalling 884K speakers over potential fire risk, Truck crash in Kenya leaves 51 people killed, 32 injured, France riots: More than 1,300 protesters arrested over teen's killing by police, Fire crews battle massive fires in East Phoenix, Vallow still believes Daybell's teachings, Endangered sea turtles arrive at OdySea Aquarium, Diamond Fire: Horses returning to farm after evacuations. The company has unlimited access to Arizona's groundwater, which they used to grow alfalfa that is then shipped back to the Middle East. When Mayes brought the inconsistencies in the applications to the attention of state officials, they agreed to rescind the permits, which were approved in August. The country has practically exhausted its own underground aquifers there. But eventually, they had to make the agricultural station legitimate. could choose to burn coal in a power plant to heat the water into steam and to help grow more crops. In some cases, neighbors have complained that the corporate farms have used so much water that neighboring wells have run dry. The land is being leased at such a suspiciously And so the laws that are in place are really inadequate for dealing with this new trend. a platform to stop the Saudi It makes logical sense for them to do that because they're not going to be able to grow it in Saudi Arabia, especially for milk production.". is a case for efficiency: plant-based or lab-grown meats instead of cow steaks, wind turbines instead of corn That dairy company, named Almarai, bought the farm. Arizona is the leading producer of alfalfa in the US, shipping the crop to other countries as well as to other US states. Part of what upset so many people in Arizona is that the farm is producing alfalfa, a hugely water -intensive crop. Now, worsening drought has focused new attention on the company and whether Arizona should be doing more to protect its groundwater resources. As Newtok, Alaska, crumbles, residents are left in a dangerous limbo, Its summer. Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit, Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower, Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower. But what they did care about is that their water tables are falling. In some cases, neighbors have complained that the corporate farms have used so much water that neighboring wells have run dry. three-quarters of global agriculture land to feeding animals that account for only 18 percent The land in question had previously been under cultivation for corn, cotton and other crops, including smaller amounts of alfalfa for hay, he tells The Salt. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In August, an Arizona attorney general candidate called for an investigation into a 2015 sweetheart deal between the Saudi agribusiness company Fondomonte and the Arizona State Land Department, which had allowed Fondomonte to lease desert farmland west of Phoenix at one-sixth its market value and pump groundwater from Phoenixs water reserves. Of course, this one farm and the Saudi cows it feeds are We import. Mayes vowed to look into Fondomontes operations and water use last year after the Arizona Republic reported that the Arizona State Land Department leased the company thousands of acres of farmland for below market value. RT @bennydiego: Saudi farms in western Arizona are legally growing alfalfa - one of the most water-intensive crops - in an area where there's a shortage of water. Almarai, one of the largest dairy suppliers in the Middle East, which is leasing And water is one of the things that gets exported in the form of semiconductors, cotton, salad or alfalfa. The idea that another country would come and essentially export your water via crops just wasn't really around 30, 40 years ago. It's very frustrating for me, especially when I have residents telling me that their wells are going dry and they have to dig a lot deeper for water. It is about making sure Arizona is considers the impact of everybodys straw. A company executive and public relations representative did not answer questions for this article, including about whether Fondomonte would appeal the permits or the effect on its farming. Fondomonte applied for two 1,200-foot, 3,000-gallons-per-minute wells on Aug. 23. Two deep-water wells were approved for Fondomonte Arizona LLC eight months ago, which Mayes called unconscionable given the states need to preserve water. The Arizona Republic revealed sweetheart land leases to Fondomonte, The Saudis are draining Arizona to feed their cows, right? The aquifers essentially went dry. We could inject the water deep into the earth generation capacity of the Holly Irwin, a member of the La Paz County Board of Supervisors, has long opposed Fondomonte using water in the county. In addition, Arizona faces the possibility of losing substantial amounts of Colorado River water when the federal government announces new action to combat low water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The land and water use became a key part of Mayes' campaign for attorney general, and she has spent her first months in office railing against the deals and looking for ways to untangle the state from them. In rural Arizona's La Paz County, on the state's rugged border with California, the decision by a Saudi-owned dairy company to grow alfalfa in the American Southwest for livestock in the Gulf .
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