Blog: In the Arizona desert, where your neighbor is an alfalfa farm
… In Arizona, 76 percent of water use goes toward agriculture. Mature alfalfa (hay) is largely used to feed cattle, and in Arizona, alfalfa is a commonly planted thirsty crop. A 2020 study found 79 percent of Colorado river water goes to alfalfa. … Outside of certain areas, like Phoenix, if you own the land, you can drill a well and take as much water as you want. And many farms are doing just that. In 2015, the Center for Investigative Reporting did a deep-dive into the Saudi-owned farm drilling deep wells to water alfalfa that they then harvest and ship to Saudi Arabia. The story brought light to a situation that, as time has gone on, is slowly rendering the desert almost unlivable.
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