Farmers talk about impact water cuts could have on desert southwest
YUMA, Arizona (KYMA, KECY) – Drought in the west has left the fate of the Colorado River uncertain.
result? The country’s food supply is in jeopardy.
To alleviate this problem, local farmers play a role in protecting and enforcing water use in Yuma’s growing areas.
Mark Stover, Tanimura, Antle Yuma and Imperial Ag Director say water is very important in the southwest of the desert, especially from November to April.
“90% of our lettuce and other commodities for the US and Canada come from here in Yuma,” says Stover.
To survive, Yuma’s farmers have their own ways of conserving water.
Tanimura Farm and Entre Farm started with land leveling using GPS.
“Only the amount of water that is needed is poured into the field. It is continuously metered. Only every gallon that is applied is metered, and so is the runoff that flows out and back into the Colorado River. So it’s a very efficient procedure,” Stover explains.
Stover says these technologies make Yuma 75 percent more efficient than the rest of the Colorado River Basin.
But if a water outage comes to Yuma, farmers say it will affect food prices nationwide.
“It’s a more expensive food and would compromise food safety and health,” Stover says.
The short film was produced in collaboration with local farming organizations, including the Yuma County Agricultural Water Coalition, the Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association, and the Yuma Desert Agricultural Center of Excellence (YCEDA). “Yuma The Winter Salad Bowl” To spread awareness.
“There is a strong desire to protect and enhance water use in the Yuma growing region,” says Stover.
Stover said Yuma produces 7 million pounds a day, or 1 billion pounds a month.
In the film, Robby Woodhouse, owner of Casa De Lena Farms, LLC, said, “The battle we’re fighting today to keep our waters going is probably the most important battle we’ve ever fought.” said.
Yuma’s farmers are feeding more people with less and are looking for ways to continuously improve.
