In Arizona, fresh scrutiny of Saudi-owned farm’s water use

By SUMAN NAISHADHAM
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — In Arizona, worsening drought has brought renewed attention to a farm owned by a Saudi Arabian company and whether the state should be doing more to protect its groundwater resources. Fondomonte Arizona, a subsidiary of Almarai Co., has for nearly a decade grown alfalfa in the American Southwest that is sent to the Gulf kingdom to feed cows there. The state last week rescinded a pair of drilling permits that would have allowed Fondomonte to pump up to 3,000 gallons of water per minute to irrigate its forage crops. That came amid a broader examination of the company’s operations by Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes. Fondomonte has said in the past its operations are legal and it has spent millions to improve infrastructure.