Agriculture in Yuma County, Arizona

Yuma County, situated in southwestern Arizona bordering Mexico and California, has a key role in agriculture. Even though Yuma County in itself is in the middle of a desert, its agricultural output surpasses any assumption people might have. Often a myriad of people pass through Yuma on the I-8 Highway without realizing the significance of what is occurring. This story map will explore and inform the true magnitude, impact, and effect that agriculture has in Yuma County, Arizona.

Almost daily sunshine reigns upon this region of over 230,000 acres of farmland. With only an average of 4 inches of rain a year, the mighty Colorado River running through the region is responsible for Yuma's rich soil due to its millions of years of sediments deposited. These conditions provide an extended growing time which makes way for over 175 types of crops and seeds to be grown here. The largest of these crops are lettuce, where 90% of all leafy vegetables in the United States are grown in Yuma County. Other notable crops are lemons, melons, cotton, alfalfa, grains, cotton, dates, and wheat. 71% of wheat production in the area is also exported to Italy to be used in premium pasta.

The Yuma County Cropland map paints a trend about Yuma's farmland, they are all based around the Colorado River and its tributary, the Gila River, which displays the importance of the two rivers to Yuma's livelihood. The water resources become the life source within a desert similar to the situation of the Nile River in Egypt. The concentration of population is also a bi-product of this as all of Yuma County's three cities and one town are located in these agricultural areas, truly showing the greater impact of agriculture in the county.

With agriculture being Yuma County's number one industry it accounts for $144,826,000 of net cash farm income. Migrant labor, innovative local farmers, the Colorado, and senior rights to irrigation water are all factors in the economic success of Yuma.

The Colorado River and its tributaries (mainly the Gila River) are the lifelines of Yuma. But due to a recent drought starting around 2011, the county's lush water supply is threatened. Though, prominently due to Yuma's successful and early agriculture, the county was able to win the most senior rights to the Colorado River. Even though Yuma County's senior rights to the river have lowered the impact of water issues in the county, many farmers are fearing more diverting of water from its agricultural lands.

Owning to Yuma's beneficial agriculture, and in turn to its senior water rights, has brought the county in conflict its three counties to the east, Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties. These three all benefit from the CAWCD (Central Arizona Water Conservation District), which govern the Central Arizona Project, which has tried to get more power and rights to water, insight of the droughts. Many in Yuma, mainly farmers, fear that if the CAWCD keeps vying for power in court (that they believe should be left to the Arizona Department of Water Resources) they will make even grander plays for water outside of central Arizona. Farmers believe that they will eventually start pulling water resources away from Yuma and its agriculture.

One of the main concerns with the Central Arizona Project for Yuma County is the series of canals and dams which regulate and lower the flow of the Colorado's water downstream to the banks of Yuma and its fields. This problem was also faced with the diverting of water to California especially with the creation of the All American Canal.

The extensive amount of cropland has affected migration to Yuma mainly for laborers to work the farms. Much of Yuma County's labor needs are fulfilled with migrant and seasonal workers. Many of these workers work in the United States with H2-A Visas (Temporary Agriculture Worker). There are over 6,100 H2-A visas in Arizona, mainly in Yuma and many more who register in California but also work in Arizona, who come from Mexico to work temporarily on U.S. farms.

There are also many seasonal workers that work depending on the growing season at the time, usually working to and from the Salinas Valley in California then to Yuma, Arizona, and sometimes to Colorado. Often these workers move back and forth without their families and often cram into small apartments to save money.

For workers who take jobs that otherwise would not be fulfilled, there are little to no benefits given by farm owners. Many of these workers live day by day trying to support families, with no sick leaves, and no fringe benefits. These farm workers also face workplace injury due to machinery, pesticide poisoning, high stress, record heat, long hours, family separation, and lack of security.

In Arizona, the mean hourly wage for these agricultural laborers is $12.08, far behind the nationwide mean hourly wage of $24.98. The impact of movement is shown in migration trends. During the winter more workers come into Arizona to work the winter harvest, and its biggest crop, the Winter Lettuce.

Within the sands of the Sonoran Desert exist the fertile lands of Yuma County. The rich land on the banks the mighty Colorado is the reason why over 175 crops grow in this region. Agriculture is the number one industry in Yuma County bringing over $2.5 billion worth of revenue. Though recent drought has stuck the area for nearly a decade, Yuma has overcome the consequences of the water shortage with its senior rights to the Colorado, though some organizations like the CAWCD (benefiting most neighboring counties) challenge Yuma County's influence and hold on to their water supply in Arizona. Migrant and seasonal workers form the backbone of labor needs within the county. These workers are often coming from Mexico with H2-A Agricultural Worker Visas or as seasonal workers who travel from the Salinas Valley in California and various part of Colorado. Through long hours, record heat, and cold temperatures these migrant and seasonal laborers work long and hard to support their families in which many are separated from for the entire season. With no sick leave, no fringe benefits, and low wages, these diligent workers are the reason why Yuma produces 90% of all leafy vegetables in the USA and many more crops. The beautiful and tireless, Winter Lettuce Capital of the World, Yuma County, Arizona.

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United States Department of Agriculture, 2017. 2017 Census Of Agriculture. National Agriculture Statistics Service, pp.1-2. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/County_Profiles/Arizona/cp04027.pdf

Washington, John. “Life as a Farmworker in Yuma's Lettuce Fields.” Civil Eats, 12 Sept. 2018, civileats.com/2018/09/03/life-as-a-farmworker-in-yumas-lettuce-fields/.

Story map created in full by Alexander Jauregui-Galarza.