Two people were arrested for a State Farm Stadium brawl after Thursday's soccer matches between Qatar and Honduras plus Mexico and Haiti. 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. NK: The Saudi company that owns the farm, Fondomonte, is a subsidiary of a bigger dairy and agribusiness company called Almarai. This Sonoran Desert field of green, cultivated by a Saudi Arabian dairy giant, has become a flashpoint among residents . HCN:Before these agricultural ex- changes, Arizona had other relationships to the Arabian Peninsula including camels. 30 Jun 2023 02:25:19 AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Saudi Arabia's largest dairy is growing alfalfa in Arizona, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. Over 51 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. The country has practically exhausted its own underground aquifers there. But the rub here is that you need lots of water. new housing construction because of the water shortage. 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. emissions are driving climate change, which is exacerbating But there are existential threats from drought and groundwater depletion that demand constant attention. exporter of virtual water because of its huge agricultural exports. In Arizona, renewed attention to Fondomontes water use is raising questions about the states lack of regulation around pumping groundwater in rural parts of the state. I think people are just waking up and recognizing that they are exporting huge amounts of their water overseas, even during a drought. 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. Water permits for Saudi Arabia-owned farm in Arizona revoked The two wells. 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. Katie Hobbs, also a Democrat, saying in her January state of the state address that she, too, would look into the practice. Arizona agriculture and boosterism had already been focusing on fruit production, so they did a survey of farmers around Arizona, and there was strong interest in date farming. It's an incredible amount of water they're going to be drawing up from that aquifer underground," Halverson says. a platform to stop the Saudi Blythe Mayor Joseph DeConinck said between 10 percent to 15 percent of the hay grown in his region is exported overseas, but insists the practice is not contributing to the state's drought. is actually embedded in other products, whether alfalfa, semiconductors (which Fondomonte, a Saudi company, exports the alfalfa to feed its cows in the Middle East. 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. So the idea was to import a bunch of camels that would carry the huge heavy loads that they needed to establish the military outposts in the Southwest. Sanderson Ford wants to share its thanks to Al McCoy for the impact he made in the Valley for more than a half-decade. Its about protecting our groundwater supplies. But the question is much bigger than one foreign-owned farm. They approached the state Department of Water Resources to talk about developinga new type of tool for managing groundwater, says DWR director Tom Buschatzke. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. In Arizona, Fresh Scrutiny of Saudi-Owned Farm's Water Use 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. On regulating the practice of exporting water in the form of alfalfa hay. HALF OF CA NO LONGER IN DROUGHT AFTER TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RAIN, SNOW HIT THE STATE LAST YEAR. 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 . Arizona also has a deeper historical role. Pass it along to the KTAR News team here. Pressures on groundwater remain even though farms in Arizona have become very efficient in water use, says Kathleen Ferris, director of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association and architect of the Groundwater Management Act. Well, not exactly. Mayes said last week in a letter to the Arizona Department of Water Resources that there were inconsistencies in the permit applications and urged the department to scrutinize any new applications from Fondomonte. Privately held Fondomonte California on Sunday announced that it bought 1,790 acres of farmland in Blythe, California an agricultural town along the Colorado River for nearly $32 million. In recent years, public attention and anger has grown over the way water in The water in the area is designated as a future supply for Phoenix and other urban areas. Saudi Arabia can't grow its own hay anymore because those crops drained its own ancient aquifer. Those included listing different landowners and conflicting information about whether the wells were new or replacements. Halverson, along with producer Ike Sriskandarajah, visited that farm for a story for Reveal, an investigative radio program and podcast from The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX. dvelopper et amliorer nos produits et services. The area of the Arizona desert where the Saudis bought land is a region with little or no regulation on groundwater use. to help grow more crops. Kingman is another area in the state where out-of-state farmers are setting up large operations using groundwater. Two years ago, Fondomont's parent company, Saudi food giant Almarai, purchased another 10,000 acres of farmland about 50 miles away in Vicksburg, Arizona, for around $48 million. AZFamily reports in just three minutes, both wells would pump the amount of water an average family of four uses in a month. The Saudi farm near Parker is not within one of the areas. alfalfa stays We had found them in this cactus-filled valley in the very remote part of Arizona, and as we're driving down the road, all of a sudden we see a sign for a company from United Arab Emirates, Al Dahra, and we realize that another company has come out here and essentially replicated the exact same thing. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Why our water-saving ways in metro Phoenix may not result in lower bills. To make up for the water But thats of little comfort on the local scale, when Americans from counties For too long, our state leaders have been asleep at the wheel while this crisis has only grown, Mayes said in a tweet. HCN: Recently, theres been a lot of uproar in Arizona about the Saudi farm you mention. Arizona is the leading producer of alfalfa in the US, shipping the crop to other countries as well as to other US states. That dairy company, named Almarai, bought the farm. That farm which does not pay for the water according to the. Even though nobody was personally familiar with them, they felt familiar in that religious sense, which helped in establishing state power which was also a Christianizing project. Why are Saudi farmers pumping Arizona groundwater? - High Country News We dont have laws prohibiting foreign investment. Arizona rescinds two water permits from Saudi Arabia-owned alfalfa farms Currently, Arizona doesnt measure how much groundwater users pump in such areas, which means there is little understanding of how much water an operation like Fondomonte or other farms uses. -Jeff Rosenfield joined KGUN 9 in July of 2022. that some of the water isnt even going to American cows but rather Saudi They will continue to come over here and buy properties where they can grow good-quality alfalfa hay and ship it back to the Middle East. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Export demand to Asia cooled last year as hay inventories abroad rose and the strong U.S. dollar made American ag crops more expensive overseas. But a whopping 86 water grab.. It farms tens of thousands of acres in Argentina, which has also faced severe drought conditions in recent years. The company grows alfalfa a water-intensive crop to ship back to Saudi Arabia to feed livestock. But not everyone likes the trend. We had gone out to the desert to look at Almarai. that cities like Las Vegas are ordering people to dig up and remove or the almond The idea that another country would come and essentially export your water via crops just wasn't really around 30, 40 years ago. Of course, this one farm and the Saudi cows it feeds are No one we talked to has issue with these corporations coming in and wanting to make money. PHOENIX (AP) 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 after authorities said they discovered inconsistencies in the company's well applications. Saudi company draws unlimited Arizona ground water for crop illegal to The first one came from Oman. 0:47. 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. Why did camels end up in Arizona? Saudi-owned Fondomonte can't drill 2 new wells in Arizona, state says million agricultural acres, and threatening the hydroelectric power 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. All rights reserved. PHOENIX (AP) - 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 after authorities said they discovered inconsistencies in the company's well applications. dairy cows. 2023 CNBC LLC. So the camel promoters and the first directors of the experiment station were thinking on the same terms: How do we promote this desert that we dont know anything about? In recent years, buyers in China have acquired as much as 20 percent of total U.S. hay exports. It turns out that hay yields in the desert are the best in the United States. The laws were put in place in the '70s, and kudos to Arizona they were really one of the first states to put in groundwater laws. the other side of the world. He has a background in writing, as well as photography and other visual mediums. NK: The idea to create the University of Arizona began in the 1860s, but (the territory) didnt have the money to start it. In Arizona, fresh scrutiny of Saudi-owned farm's water use Saudi Arabia grows alfalfa hay in both states for shipment back to its domestic dairy herds. The states groundwater, Hobbs said, "should be used to support Arizonans, not foreign business interests.". Why did that strike you as symbolic of the relationship between Arizona and the Arabian Peninsula? "Whether we ship almonds or wheat or corn or soybeans or alfalfa or milk, it's world demand for food products that comes from American farms.". map in Arizona, its not just the international water trade or the meat Those drill permits have been revoked. Alamarai did not respond to CNBC requests for an interview. Its owned by a subsidiary of Saudi Arabiaheadquartered Arizona AG vows to stop Saudi farms freely pumping groundwater - 12news.com And while irritation Saudi water deal threatening water supply in Phoenix - Arizona PBS Fresh scrutiny arises as Arizona allows Saudi-owned farm to use free 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. Now, each one of those wells can pump about 1.5 billion gallons of water. In an interview with The Associated Press, Attorney General Kris Mayes said she thought most Arizonans see it as "outrageous" that the state is allowing foreign-owned companies "to stick a straw in our ground and use our water for free to grow alfalfa and send it home to Saudi Arabia. And so the laws that are in place are really inadequate for dealing with this new trend. used to drill and refine the natural gas that makes nylon and in the production This Sonoran Desert field of green, cultivated by a Saudi Arabian dairy giant, has become a flashpoint among residents, who resent the Middle Eastern company's unbridled and steeply discounted. So they got experimental date palms sent to Arizona. We want to hear from you. The aquifers essentially went dry. Hoover Dam, is highlighting the trade-offs between different types of water So they got experimental date palms sent to Arizona. "It's outrageous and frankly unacceptable that the state would even consider granting new wells to allow the Saudis to pump millions of gallons of water to grow more alfalfa for their cows," Mayes said, noting the vast amount of water that could come from those new wells. 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. Foreign entities and individuals control roughly 3% of U.S. farmland, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 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. 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. in the U.S. But Arizona has cultivated alfalfa for a long time, because in the desert you can get multiple harvests in a given year, as long as you have enough water. 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.
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