Saudi Alfalfa Farming in Arizona
A Saudi Arabian alfalfa company continues to drain Arizona’s groundwater supply. Saudi Arabia banned alfalfa and forage crop farming over a decade ago after depleting its own groundwater supply. As a result, companies like Fondomonte, owned by Saudi dairy giant Almarai, has been pumping unlimited amounts of water in drought stricken parts of Arizona to grow alfalfa that is shipped back overseas. I covered this story three years ago which led to a national news campaign that culminated in Governor Katie Hobbs canceling its permits.
However, Fondomonte still operates 10,000 acres in the Ranegras Plain Basin. Arizona residents are currently debating in local town halls for potential water management plans. Environmental experts estimate that the foreign alfalfa companies are depleting groundwater 10 times faster than it replenishes.
In response, Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke is weighing a groundwater management plan for large scale farms in the area. You can contact his office at (602) 771-8426 or tbuschatzke@azwater.gov to voice your opinion on the potential water regulation.
You can read more about the stories here:
- https://floodlightnews.org/saudi-owned-corporate-farms-are-draining-arizonas-desert-dry/
- https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2025/10/11/legal-battle-continues-over-saudi-groundwater-pumping-in-arizona/
- https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2025-12-27/arizona-water-crackdown
