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Old 11-26-2021, 09:56 AM
 
410 posts, read 398,743 times
Reputation: 567

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https://www.azcentral.com/story/news...ts/8655703002/

"An examination of property records by The Arizona Republic found that Greenstone and related companies have bought at least 8,863 acres of farmland in three Arizona counties in recent years. They have amassed enough land in Yuma County to trigger alarms among longtime residents, whose water rights are among the most valuable on the lower river.

The Republic’s review of county property records in Arizona revealed that two other water-focused investment companies, Water Asset Management and Vidler Water Company, own agricultural lands totaling about 8,642 acres in several areas of the state. These same companies have bought land and water rights in places across the West, amassing a growing list of investments in Colorado, Nevada, California, New Mexico and Idaho. "
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Old 11-27-2021, 03:08 PM
 
Location: East Central Phoenix
8,042 posts, read 12,259,749 times
Reputation: 9835
It makes sense when water cutbacks for farmers will be occurring very soon. Agriculture consumes 74% of the available water supply in Arizona. When there is an ongoing drought, the cutbacks rightfully should be made to the greatest water users who really contribute a small portion to the overall economy. A lot of the agricultural products end up being shipped out of state. It may be difficult to believe, but suburban type of development (master planned communities, etc). actually consumes far less water than farms do.
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Old 11-27-2021, 03:46 PM
 
Location: Boydton, VA
4,599 posts, read 6,357,219 times
Reputation: 10585
"When there is an ongoing drought, the cutbacks rightfully should be made to the greatest water users who really contribute a small portion to the overall economy."

Perhaps you should have that conversation with a farmer to see their reaction to your opinion.

"With agriculture being Yuma County's number one industry it accounts for $144,826,000 of net cash farm income". link

Today, agriculture in Arizona contributes more than $23.3 billion to the state’s economy. One study puts the number of jobs supported by agriculture at approximately 138,000, and the number of workers employed at 162,000. link

State Quick Facts
Population
7,278,717

Total State GDP
$366,189,900,000

State Land Area (Acres)
72,700,160

Land in Forest (Acres)
18,482,977

Land in Forest
25%

Land in Farms (Acres)
26,200,000

Land in Farms
36%

Number of Farms
19,000

Average Farm Size (acres)
1,379

Average Farm Real Estate Value (per acre)
$3,800

Agricultural Cash Receipts
$4,160,341,000

Cash Receipts from Crops
$2,425,583,000

Cash Receipts from Animals
$1,734,758,000

link

Last edited by gemstone1; 11-27-2021 at 04:11 PM..
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Old 11-27-2021, 03:56 PM
 
8,081 posts, read 6,955,180 times
Reputation: 7983
Quote:
Originally Posted by gemstone1 View Post
"When there is an ongoing drought, the cutbacks rightfully should be made to the greatest water users who really contribute a small portion to the overall economy."

Perhaps you should have that conversation with a farmer to see their reaction to your opinion.

"With agriculture being Yuma County's number one industry it accounts for $144,826,000 of net cash farm income". link

Today, agriculture in Arizona contributes more than $23.3 billion to the state’s economy. One study puts the number of jobs supported by agriculture at approximately 138,000, and the number of workers employed at 162,000. link
Less than 10% of the economy uses 74% of the States water resources.
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Old 11-27-2021, 04:47 PM
 
Location: East Central Phoenix
8,042 posts, read 12,259,749 times
Reputation: 9835
Quote:
Originally Posted by gemstone1 View Post
"When there is an ongoing drought, the cutbacks rightfully should be made to the greatest water users who really contribute a small portion to the overall economy."

Perhaps you should have that conversation with a farmer to see their reaction to your opinion.

"With agriculture being Yuma County's number one industry it accounts for $144,826,000 of net cash farm income". link

Today, agriculture in Arizona contributes more than $23.3 billion to the state’s economy. One study puts the number of jobs supported by agriculture at approximately 138,000, and the number of workers employed at 162,000. link
Where do you suggest we make cutbacks? Please don't say golf courses or grass lawns because many golf courses use recycled water, and grass lawns demand a very small amount of water in comparison to agriculture. The transfer of water to certain suburban areas will actually save on water consumption. I'm not saying we should eliminate all agriculture, but in the current serious drought situation, water reductions need to be made to the biggest users which contribute the least to the overall economy of the state. Farms consume nearly three quarters of the water supply, which is nothing to take lightly. The worst part of it is how much Arizona farms receive in federal subsidies, especially cotton farmers.

https://projects.propublica.org/kill...drought-crisis

Quote:
Over the last 20 years, Arizona’s farmers have collected more than $1.1 billion in cotton subsidies, nine times more than the amount paid out for the next highest subsidized crop. In California, where cotton also gets more support than most other crops, farmers received more than $3 billion in cotton aid.
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Old 11-28-2021, 07:58 AM
 
Location: Boydton, VA
4,599 posts, read 6,357,219 times
Reputation: 10585
"Where do you suggest we make cutbacks?" I would not suggest anything at all, there are plenty of high level, paid professionals trying to figure out the best solution for all who rely on the Colorado River for their existence or livelihood ... don't see amateur opinions (including mine) on this forum as part of the solution.
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Old 11-28-2022, 07:59 AM
Status: "Nothin' to lose" (set 7 days ago)
 
Location: Concord, CA
7,182 posts, read 9,313,073 times
Reputation: 25612
Wells are running dry in drought-weary Southwest as foreign-owned farms guzzle water to feed cattle overseas

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/11...ttle-overseas/

"Workers with the water district in Wenden, Arizona, saw something remarkable last year as they slowly lowered a camera into the drought-stricken town’s well: The water was moving.

But the aquifer which sits below the small desert town in the southwestern part of the state is not a river; it’s a massive, underground reservoir which stores water built up over thousands of years. And that water is almost always still.

Gary Saiter, a longtime resident and head of the Wenden Water Improvement District, said the water was moving because it was being pumped rapidly out of the ground by a neighboring well belonging to Al Dahra, a United Arab Emirates-based company farming alfalfa in the Southwest.

Al Dahra did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story.

“The well guys and I have never seen anything like this before,” Saiter told CNN. The farm was “pumping and it was sucking the water through the aquifer.”"


It seems to me that our water laws need to be updated. What do you think?
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Old 11-28-2022, 08:15 AM
 
1,198 posts, read 1,625,286 times
Reputation: 2435
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vision67 View Post
Wells are running dry in drought-weary Southwest as foreign-owned farms guzzle water to feed cattle overseas

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/11...ttle-overseas/

"Workers with the water district in Wenden, Arizona, saw something remarkable last year as they slowly lowered a camera into the drought-stricken town’s well: The water was moving.

But the aquifer which sits below the small desert town in the southwestern part of the state is not a river; it’s a massive, underground reservoir which stores water built up over thousands of years. And that water is almost always still.

Gary Saiter, a longtime resident and head of the Wenden Water Improvement District, said the water was moving because it was being pumped rapidly out of the ground by a neighboring well belonging to Al Dahra, a United Arab Emirates-based company farming alfalfa in the Southwest.

Al Dahra did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story.

“The well guys and I have never seen anything like this before,” Saiter told CNN. The farm was “pumping and it was sucking the water through the aquifer.”"


It seems to me that our water laws need to be updated. What do you think?
Not an Arizona resident but have been following stories such as this for some time. I think it's an abomination that we would sell resources as precious as water and agricultural land to another country. It defies all common sense and shows a lack of priorities. These resources are priceless, and money will never replace them once they are gone.
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Old 11-28-2022, 08:28 AM
 
Location: Sonoran Desert
39,076 posts, read 51,213,988 times
Reputation: 28317
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vision67 View Post
Wells are running dry in drought-weary Southwest as foreign-owned farms guzzle water to feed cattle overseas

https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/11...ttle-overseas/

"Workers with the water district in Wenden, Arizona, saw something remarkable last year as they slowly lowered a camera into the drought-stricken town’s well: The water was moving.

But the aquifer which sits below the small desert town in the southwestern part of the state is not a river; it’s a massive, underground reservoir which stores water built up over thousands of years. And that water is almost always still.

Gary Saiter, a longtime resident and head of the Wenden Water Improvement District, said the water was moving because it was being pumped rapidly out of the ground by a neighboring well belonging to Al Dahra, a United Arab Emirates-based company farming alfalfa in the Southwest.

Al Dahra did not respond to multiple requests for comment on this story.

“The well guys and I have never seen anything like this before,” Saiter told CNN. The farm was “pumping and it was sucking the water through the aquifer.”"


It seems to me that our water laws need to be updated. What do you think?
Our natural reaction, I suppose, is to condemn the idea of foreigners using our water to produce crops for their consumption. But when one reflects on it, how does that differ from our US farmers (corporate agribusinesses) exporting crops around the world? Most of what we grow ends up in other countries. Al Dahra employs hundreds of workers in the US just like a US operator would. They do a better job, I believe, of supporting their communities. The issue in my view is the type of crop being raised. Cattle feed is a low value crop and should not be irrigated with sparse Colorado River water, and especially groundwater. Growing alfalfa should be banned here just like it is in Saudi Arabia (which is why they moved their operations to Arizona).

Now maybe we don't want AZ govt getting into deciding what crops can be grown. So a market solution is preferred. Charge aquifer depletion fees to all water consumers that would make growing of alfalfa economically impossible. That would drive crop selection to higher value crops or simply put non-economic operators out of business leaving more available for the highest value use - urban development.
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Old 11-28-2022, 04:42 PM
 
1,054 posts, read 1,276,320 times
Reputation: 2066
Quote:
Originally Posted by gemstone1 View Post
"When there is an ongoing drought, the cutbacks rightfully should be made to the greatest water users who really contribute a small portion to the overall economy."

Perhaps you should have that conversation with a farmer to see their reaction to your opinion.

"With agriculture being Yuma County's number one industry it accounts for $144,826,000 of net cash farm income". link

Today, agriculture in Arizona contributes more than $23.3 billion to the state’s economy. One study puts the number of jobs supported by agriculture at approximately 138,000, and the number of workers employed at 162,000. link

State Quick Facts
Population
7,278,717

Total State GDP
$366,189,900,000

State Land Area (Acres)
72,700,160

Land in Forest (Acres)
18,482,977

Land in Forest
25%

Land in Farms (Acres)
26,200,000

Land in Farms
36%

Number of Farms
19,000

Average Farm Size (acres)
1,379

Average Farm Real Estate Value (per acre)
$3,800

Agricultural Cash Receipts
$4,160,341,000

Cash Receipts from Crops
$2,425,583,000

Cash Receipts from Animals
$1,734,758,000

link
Being a farmer and living in a farming community, I was very surprised to see that post. Farmers are the hardest working people in this country and we would be in big trouble without them. They deserve the utmost respect.
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