As New Mexico citizens continue to face the dire consequences of a relentless state-wide drought, a new report from national advocacy group Food & Water Watch – “Big Ag Fuels New Mexico’s Water Crisis” – reveals that wasteful mega-dairies and industrial alfalfa and pecan production across the state drain residential wells and state aquifers, leaving little water allocated for local communities and family farms. Further, the report shows that state agencies do not consider climate change in assessment of water rights, and state drought plans are inadequate to protect future water security.

In the report, Food & Water Watch offers recommendations to Gov. Lujan Grisham on how to curb this corporate abuse, including denying water permit applications for all new or expanding alfalfa, pecan, and mega-dairy operations. 

Tonight at Santa Fe Public Library – Southside Branch at 6:30 pm, Food & Water Watch, along with community leaders, will be presenting the findings of the report to the public and kicking off a statewide education and organizing campaign to pressure the Lujan Grisham administration to act on its findings.

“Corporate greed and the mismanagement of our precious water resources are parching New Mexico and putting millions of our residents at risk,” said Alexa Moore, Food & Water Watch New Mexico Organizer. “Governor Lujan Grisham and the state legislature must rein in the corporate water abuse, first by halting the expansion of the most egregious factory farm and mega-dairy industries.”

New Mexico has faced periods of drought before, but the deepening climate crisis has rendered the current system of relying on waterways like the Colorado River ineffective. In 2022 alone, more than 90 percent of New Mexico was in severe drought, burdened by the largest wildfire in state history and some of the driest months on record. Despite this, the report notes that over 80 percent of the state’s freshwater went toward industrial agriculture — primarily mega-dairies, alfalfa and pecans — which accounts for more than 774 billion gallons yearly. By comparison, public water supply and domestic wells account for only 10 percent of water withdrawals. Agriculture is a $3 billion annual industry, representing only 3 percent of the state’s gross domestic product, making its water use extremely outsized.

Food & Water Watch estimates that it takes 32 million gallons of water a day to maintain operations on New Mexico’s mega-dairies (those with 500 head or more), or 11.7 billion gallons annually. This could supply 400,000 people with water for a year — 4.5 times the population of Santa Fe. In addition, dairies further put New Mexico residents who live near these facilities at risk by contaminating groundwater at alarming rates. 

Other hugely thirsty crops have also seen huge recent growth in the state, including alfalfa, the state’s dominant crop, and pecans, which while not a crop native to New Mexico, uses a staggering 93 billion gallons of water – enough to supply more than 3.2 million people. 

In addition to presenting this data, the report calls on Gov. Lujan Grisham and the state legislature to: stop the egregious misuse of New Mexico water, first by halting approval of new or expanded alfalfa, pecan and mega-dairy operations; and provide stronger oversight and protection of citizen’s right to water, first through the creation of a State Drought Plan that clearly addresses the abuses of industrial agriculture’s water usage.