Yes farmland is becoming a huge commodity, or water actually, this needs to end, the US doesn't even own the US anymore.
Saudi Arabia buying up farmland in US Southwest
However, the issue of land rights comes into play. As the owners of the land, the Saudis appear to be playing by the rules. The area of the Arizona desert where the Saudis bought land is a region with little or no regulation on groundwater use. That's in contrast to most of the state, 85 percent of which has strict groundwater rules.
Local development and groundwater pumping have contributed to the groundwater table falling since 2010 by more than 50 feet in parts of La Paz County, 130 miles west of Phoenix. State documents show there are at least 23 water wells on the lands controlled by Alamarai's subsidiary, Fondomonte Arizona. Each of the wells is capable of pumping more than 100,000 gallons daily.
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/01/15/saudi-arabia-buying-up-farmland-in-us-southwest.html
Keith Murfield, CEO of United Dairymen of Arizona, "The alfalfa exports are tantamount to exporting water, because in Saudi Arabia, they have decided that it's better to bring feed in rather than to empty their water reserves." Murfield believes that this trend will continue unless there will be certain rules and regulations intended for it.
Saudi Arabia Buys Farmlands in US Southwest
Penelope, you are addressing a subject dear to my heart. Here in the West we have vast stretches of BLM and National Forest. As well as Monuments, National Parks, and Wildlife refuges. All of which we, as citizens are free to use within reasonable limits.
Now, there is a movement to sell off these lands to private individuals and corporations. It is behind the mask of 'Ranchers' movement, but that is just a mask. And it is supported by only one party, the GOP. What is really at stake here is the fact that alternative energy, wind, solar, and geothermal, are coming into their own. The cost for the first two is already very competitive with coal, gas, and nuclear. But they both require a lot of land.
Now most of the BLM land is land on which the homesteaders simply could not survive. So it is mostly used for grazing land for ranchers and for recreation. However, vast tracts of it are prime areas for wind and solar, as well as geothermal. And, if developed as the land presently stands, the royalties would go to the government, and could be used to fund National Park improvements, recreation areas, and even for the national debt.
But, if the land is sold to private individuals and corporations, that money will go to them. And the present grazing fees for the ranchers will go from $1.63 per unit, to market value, presently about $20. That will put the present ranchers out of business, and the owners of the land will then take over the ranches for pennies on the dollar. And we will pay a lot more for the beef we eat. At the same time, the hunting rights on the land will be sold to the highest bidder, foreign or domestic. And when the states sell the land, they will do so in chunks that the local ranchers will not have the finances to be able to buy.
So now we see an effort to sell off the public lands. For the benefit of the already very wealthy. As usual, using stooges who have not the intellect to see what the result will be.
