Casa Grande, Arizona (3TV/CBS 5) – It’s not Jace Miller’s job to grow thousands of acres of alfalfa, Bermudagrass, etc. it’s in his blood.

“My great-grandfather came to Gilbert in 1919 to live in the house and start farming,” said Miller. . The Arizona family recently visited the Casa He Grande headquarters to see how Miller is navigating historic cuts to the state’s Colorado River water supply.

“In 2021, we had lush, beautiful cotton. Now it’s overgrown with weeds,” Miller said of one of his operations in Eloy.

Miller had to cut his summer harvest by 50%. In addition to more expensive fuel and fertilizer, that ultimately means your food will be more expensive.Miller says the average price for a bale of hay is about $13 or $14, but currently is he $20.

This comes as a new legislative session begins in Arizona and renewed interest in water policy.

“There is no doubt we will consider additional cuts,” said Chelsea McGuire, director of government relations for the Arizona Department of Agriculture.

McGuire says Arizona farmers can grow crops unlike any other, but there are definite challenges. Farmers in central Arizona no longer have access to water from the Colorado River, but McGuire says Yuma farmers are finding ways to grow with less water. At the State Capitol, McGuire says her biggest focus is education and explaining to legislators what the agricultural industry is doing with water. “Looking at state stats, we were like, ‘Wow, AGs use over 70% of our water. Shouldn’t we be looking there to reduce water usage?’ We have to remember what we do with water, water use is not a waste of water,” she said. added McGuire.

“It hurts your pride. You take great pride in the products you produce and the land you cultivate,” Miller said.

New concerns arise in 2023. Winter is a slow season, but Miller hopes he never has to go down this road. “We didn’t have to sell equipment or lay off employees, but it means we may need to scale back our business if things don’t improve.”

Water crises aside, this job miller looks forward to every day. “I think the best explanation is its pure bliss. For me, it’s not a job. It’s a lifestyle, not a career.”

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