Arizona revokes Saudi Arabian company’s well drilling permits
Arizona’s alfalfa yields are some of the highest in the world — the state produces an average of 8.3 tons of alfalfa per acre in comparison to the national average of 3.2 tons. State 48’s climate means that they can produce eight to 10 cuttings per year, but while the state has plenty of sunshine days (generally around 300), water is a precious commodity there. And, water is where things start to heat up. Arizona has been renting approximately thousands of acres of state trust land in La Paz County to a Saudi Arabian-owned farm named Fondomonte Alfalfa Farm for $25 per acre (about one-sixth of the market price). The problem? The Arizona State Land Department hasn’t offered any transparency as to why they’ve issued this “sweetheart” of a deal.