Despite recent rainfall, nearly a quarter of the United States is still experiencing drought conditions – Including parts of the Southwest.
a Viral TikTok Alfalfa is water intensive crops it is often used to feed grazing animals such as cattle.
VERIFY reader Lisa also asked if Saudi Arabia is actually using Arizona water to grow alfalfa.
question
Are companies in Saudi Arabia using water from Arizona and California to grow alfalfa?
source of information
answer
Yes, a Saudi Arabian company grows alfalfa using water from Arizona and California.
what we found
Saudi Arabian companies grow alfalfa on farmland in Arizona and California and send it abroad to feed the country’s cattle. is pumping water from the Colorado River across the border, an expert told VERIFY.
In March 2014, Fondomonte Arizona, a subsidiary of Saudi dairy company Almarai, Purchased 9,834 acres of farmland in Vicksburg, Arizona for $47.5 million. The town is located in La Paz County about 100 miles from Phoenix.
In a press release, the company said the land would be used to “improve and secure a supply of top quality alfalfa hay” from regions outside Saudi Arabia.
Fondomonte also leases thousands of acres of farmland from the Arizona Department of Lands in La Paz County, which according to records is another subsidiary of Fondomonte in California. Own at least 1,790 acres of farmland Bryce is a city on the border of California and Arizona.
Why Saudi Arabia is Growing Alfalfa in the US
So why is Saudi Arabia relying on farms abroad to grow alfalfa? A final decision was made to ban the cultivation of alfalfa and other crops.
Almarai seems to have chosen to farm alfalfa in these parts of Arizona and California for several reasons. Alfalfa grows quickly in desert climates like La Paz County and Bryce, Koch said.
the crop is grown in other western statesColorado, Nevada, Utah, and Oregon.
“If you have enough water to pump to irrigate, you can inflict many cuts. [of alfalfa] A year in the desert,” said Koch.
Additionally, Fondmonte benefits from the lack of groundwater pumping regulations in La Paz County, Arizona.
“If you can invest the capital and dig deep wells that can reach deep into the groundwater supply, you can actually pump as much as you want,” Koch said. “This was an attraction to go to, even for Saudis. [to La Paz County], if they are not charged for the water they extract, it is because it is not measured. “
It is not uncommon for foreign companies to own farmland in the United States. A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Services Agency We found that as of December 31, 2021, approximately 5% of U.S. farmland is owned by foreign investors.
Similarly, many American companies invest in farms in other countries growing agricultural products.For example, tomatoes, berries and avocados are grown in Mexico for the US
