Arizona governor Katie Hobbs said this week her administration is terminating state land leases that for years have given a Saudi-owned farm nearly...
WASHINGTON — Arizona governor Katie Hobbs said this week her administration is terminating state land leases that for years have given a Saudi-owned farm nearly unfettered access to pump groundwater in the dry southwestern state.
Fondomonte Arizona, a subsidiary of Saudi dairy giant Almarai Co., grows alfalfa in Arizona that feeds livestock in the water-stressed Gulf kingdom. The violations the governor’s office detailed relate to the company’s storage of hazardous materials, among other issues. On Monday, Hobbs’ office said that Fondomonte was notified of the violations in 2016, but an investigation in August found the company had not fixed the problem seven years later. That gave Arizona’s State Land Department grounds to terminate the lease.
In Arizona, cities such as Phoenix and Tucson have restrictions on how much groundwater they can pump under a 1980 state law aimed at protecting the state’s aquifers. But in rural areas, little is required of water users to pump from underground aquifers besides registering wells with the state and using the water for activities, including farming, that are deemed a “beneficial use.”
Foreign entities and individuals control roughly 3% of U.S. farmland, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Canada is the largest holder — mainly of forestland.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Arizona to cancel leases allowing Saudi-owned farm access to state's groundwaterArizona governor Katie Hobbs said this week her administration is terminating land leases...
Read more »
Arizona to end deal allowing Saudi farms to suck Arizona's groundwater dryFondomonte and Almarai grow alfalfa in Arizona, cut it, bale it and truck it to port. Then it's shipped back to Saudi Arabia to feed dairy cows.
Read more »
Governor Hobbs terminates water lease with Fondomonte ArizonaOn Monday, Governor Katie Hobbs announced that the State Land Department has terminated one of the Fondomonte Arizona, LLC's four Butler Valley leases.
Read more »
Arizona ends water lease with Fondomonte, Saudi Arabia-owned farmGovernor Katie Hobbs has announced the termination of a groundwater lease for a Saudi-based company that operates an alfalfa farming operation in La Paz County. The company does not pay for the water it uses.
Read more »
Arizona to cancel leases allowing Saudi-owned farm access to state's groundwaterArizona governor Katie Hobbs said this week her administration is terminating land leases that for years have given a Saudi-owned farm nearly unfettered access to groundwater in the parched southwestern state.
Read more »