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More Agriculture Stories

Tomatoes on their way north across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Trump’s proposed tariffs could spike U.S. grocery prices, industry experts warn

A 25% tariff on Mexican goods could have a ripple effect on U.S. produce prices and businesses.
Vikki, from "The Crone Body".

The unspoken beauty of aging in "The Crone Body".

Also on Arizona Spotlight: : "Bad Art Night" at the Arizona Science Center offers people a chance to explore their curious side; and an asylum seeker shares his welcome to Tucson.
A worker packs avocados at a plant in Uruapan, Michoacan state, Mexico, Feb. 9, 2024.

U.S. to hand over pest inspections of Mexican avocados to Mexico

California avocado growers are fuming about a U.S. decision to halt inspections of Mexican orchards by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
LEFT: Arizona Attorney General, Kris Mayes. RIGHT: Water from the Colorado River flows through an irrigation canal at an alfalfa farm near Eloy, Arizona.

The Buzz: Arizona's rural water fight continues

Debate over how to regulate groundwater pumping continue, with some officials calling for immediate action.

Invasive Desert Plants: African Sumac

Invasive plants in the Sonoran Desert, such as the African sumac endangers natives by competing for limited water resources and creating monocultures.
An irrigation ditch using reclaimed water in Marana, AZ. September 2023.

Never closer and never farther away: The fight over updating Arizona's rural groundwater law

How a group that was formed to fight the problem resulted in two competing bills, neither of which made it out of the legislature.
Governor Katie Hobbs and an ADWR staff member look at a fissure near Willcox, AZ. The fissure is caused by dropping water levels in the aquifer. September 5, 2024

Hobbs willing to use administrative action over water

The Governor spent the day in Cochise County meeting with farmers and homeowners.
This map shows an area of land identified by locals as the 15 Circles. State data still shows this land as being leased by Fondomonte, the Saudi-backed alfalfa farmers.

Hedge funds and foreign farms get water, rural Arizonans get empty wells

A Saudi presence in La Paz County is already well known. So who else is using the area's water?
Stacks of hay bales sit beside an irrigation canal in Imperial Valley on June 20, 2023. Critics have called for reductions to the amount of alfalfa grown with Colorado River water. The particularly thirsty crop is mostly used for cattle feed.

The Buzz: Arizona/Saudi relations go back long before Fondomonte

We listen to an episode of AZPM's podcast Tapped that traces the link between the two deserts
LEFT: Date Palms on the campus on the University of Arizona. July 2024. RIGHT: Arizona alfalfa field with flood irrigation on a sunny day.

From date palms to alfalfa: How Arizona became fertile ground for Saudi farms

What started with a camel handler would grow into a lucrative trade, but eventually ended in exploitation of lax water laws.
Archeologist Dr. Deni Seymour at work in the desert unearthing artifacts.

Discovering dynamic history in "Coronado: The New Evidence".

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Simon Donovan shares a story about a beloved dog named Betty.
The Central Arizona Project canal just north of CAP headquarters near Phoenix.

A crisis fraught with possibility: How a massive canal set Arizona up for growth

The Central Arizona Project ensured that the states biggest cities had enough water and brought about a farm boom in the middle of the state.
A photo of Joe Pera from the poster for season 2 of his Adult Swim television show, "Joe Pera Talks with You."

"A medium guy in general, across the board." Joe Pera talks with Tucson.

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Checking in with the Tucson Audubon Society; and a Tucson knitter who is making socks the REAL old-fashioned way.
From left to right: Lydia Millet, Molly McCloy, and Gabrielle Pietrangelo.

Sharing lived experience with keen observation.

On this Arizona Spotlight, hear three women who are telling vibrant stories across different mediums.
A farm in Arizona.

USDA Under Secretary visits Tucson to assist Tribal agribusinesses promote their products

The visit highlighted the need for increased utilization of USDA programs by tribal businesses and showcased successful initiatives such as a recent trade mission to Canada.
1975 Zoo Staff, Barry Ames, Joanna Gradillas, Marc Bruns, Angela Stewart, Alex Flores, Mike Flint, Ms. Boyle, Ann Dery, Sandra Hein, Gale Ferrick, Al Gallego, Shanda Martin, Kathy Kuehn, Garland Godbehere.

"Taking the camel to the drive-in?" Historian David Leighton's history of the Reid Park Zoo

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Visit the Word of Mouth Print Space; celebrate imagination at the Library's Megamania!! Festival; and meet the founder of the Naco Wellness Initiative.

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