In April, I reported about the Saudi Arabia-based Fondomonte Arizona Limited Liability Company that conducts farming operations in La Paz county, Arizona. The company’s alfalfa crops depend on water pumped from ancient aquifers that are not regulated by Arizona’s water laws. Last week, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a nuisance lawsuit against the company, contending that Fondomonte’s excessive water use is causing wells on joining farms to go dry, and soils to subside. In addition to stopping excessive pumping of groundwater, Mayes also stated that the suit calls for an abatement fund to be established to address the damages the company has caused. According to Mayes, she hopes that lawsuit will prompt lawmakers to finally pass legislation concerning water use across the state.
So far this year, compensation claims in Colorado for three confirmed wolf depredations has totaled $3,855. But the bill is likely to grow, since there are 13 confirmations involving 23 heads of livestock that are expected to be submitted this year. If depredation is confirmed, producers have some options. They can ask for reimbursement for fair market value of the animal, up to $15,000, and can also receive up to $15,000 reimbursement for veterinarian costs for the treatment of injured livestock or guard or herding animals. In large, open range settings, where topography and vegetation make it difficult to confirm depredations in a timely manner, livestock owners will have a Basic Compensation Ratio option, which provides compensation for missing calves or sheep, and may also cover some production losses. The other is an Itemized Production Losses option, that provides compensation for missing calves and sheep as well as indirect losses such as decreased weaning weights, and conception rates, as well other indirect losses on a case-by-case basis.
The USDA’s Economic Research Service published its 2024 edition of America’s Farms and Ranches at a Glance. https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=110559 This study looks at family farms in which a majority of the business is owned by an operator and/or any individual related by blood, marriage, or adoption. The study points out some interesting statistics that include, 86% of U.S. farms are small family farms with gross cash farm income of less than $350,000, which includes the cash sales of crops, animals and animal products, and government farm program payments. These farms operate on 41% of U.S. agricultural land and account for 17% of the total value of production, producing 45% of the value of hay and 46% of the total U.S. poultry and egg output, and over 20% of the value of beef production. Large-scale family farms with gross farm income of a million dollars or more accounted for 48% of the total value of production and used 31% of agricultural land in 2023. However, these large-scale farms accounted for over half of the value of cash grains, and soybeans, more than 70% of the value of cotton, and dairy production and about 60% of the value of specialty crops. The report also points out that small family farms often have cow-calf operations, while large-scale family farms are more likely to operate feedlots.
Inventor of the Cray supercomputer Seymour Cray wrote, “If you were plowing a field, which would you rather have, two strong oxen or 1,024 chickens.