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News and information from UC Cooperative Extension about alfalfa and forage production.
Tractor & Hay bales
Comments:
by Mark Osterkamp
on April 2, 2017 at 5:40 PM
Dan,  
I hope this is not a subtle statement that growing Alfalfa in Imperial Valley is not  
sustainable. When Amazon and Walmart stop importing from China you can throw  
rocks at us for exporting to Saudi. Imperial Valley is probably the best place in the world for  
hay production. Please don't work against us.
Reply by Daniel H Putnam
on April 3, 2017 at 12:50 PM
Mark;  
Not at all. Imperial is an amazing place for hay production.  
 
My main point is the opening of a new markets for farmers and the fact that it's linked to world limitations in water. The water issue isn't just local - something we should pay attention to.  
 
The questions of exports is much more complicated, of course. I think I heard recently that well over 40% of CA ag. production is dependent upon exports. Dairy is the #2 export product in CA (alfalfa in another form). Alfalfa is somewhat of a minor crop for exports compared with many others (almonds, wine, rice, citrus, wheat, etc.).  
 
You raise a good point about importing goods from China and Asia (as well as oil from Saudi Arabia), which is part of the point about world trade. A careful 'balance sheet' for the water balance of trade, would show we're probably importing more than we're exporting ('virtual water').  
 
I raise similar points in my blog a few years ago: "Is exporting water to China in the form of alfalfa hay immoral?" See: http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8825  
 
Wishing you the best.  
 
Dan
by Wilson Lara
on April 19, 2017 at 1:33 AM
Thanks For Sharing This Blog Its Very Useful For Me
by connor scott
on November 1, 2018 at 3:33 PM
i am doing a school project on this and i live in arizona where our hay prices have raised substantuly for a mix of cow and i would like to know how this would affect us in future months and maybe years to come if they cant get there things in check thx
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