Arizona’s Attorney General Kris Mayes says she may sue foreign-owned farms under Arizona’s “nuisance law” in Arizona. These farms, particularly those operated by Fondomonte Arizona – which is in turn owned by a Saudi company called Almarai – have drawn criticism for years due to their water-intensive alfalfa farming. Fondomonte/Almarai then exports the alfalfa to feed dairy cows in Saudi Arabia.
Fondomonte’s farming operations began in La Paz County in 2014, after the purchased more than 10,000 acres of land West of the Valley. Under the agreement, Fondomonte paid less than the going market rate for the land and did not have to pay for the water it used. Alfalfa is one of the most water-intensive crops in the world.
Mayes hired two hydrologists to survey the area’s groundwater. She said:
“[The] first time, I think, in the history of Arizona that has happened. And I was dead serious when I talked about using nuisance [laws] to stop the Saudis from de-watering our aquifers.”
