/ Modified aug 23, 2021 9:50 a.m.

Arizona farmers prepare for water cuts

A third-generation farmer fears for the long-term sustainability of farming in Arizona.

 
     

Farmers in central Arizona are bracing for Colorado River water cuts due to a declining supply in Lake Mead.

Arizona 360 visited “Tempe Farming Company” west of Casa Grande, where third-generation farmer Will Thelander is already making preparations for the reduced water allotment delivered by the Central Arizona Project.

Thelander fears for the long-term sustainability of farming in Arizona, which contributes billions of dollars to the state’s economy each year.

He grows crops such as cotton and alfalfa, but he’s also experimenting with guayule, a desert native plant that is being studied for the natural rubber it produces.

Arizona 360
Arizona 360 airs Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on PBS 6 and Saturdays at 8 p.m. on PBS 6 PLUS. See more from Arizona 360.
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