John,

Forty million people depend on the Colorado River for water. But over the past few years, the river has plummeted to crisis levels – threatening the future of the entire region, especially for those already vulnerable to climate change and water scarcity.

New research from Food & Water Watch revealed the culprits for the water crisis — climate change, a history of bad policy, and the government’s refusal to take on Big Ag’s thirstiest industries.

We’ve known for decades that the arid West can’t sustain Big Ag. What shocks me the most about my research is finding out how much water Big Ag’s thirsty mega-dairy cows and cash crops are using. While some communities can’t even get drinking water, industrial farms are guzzling water with impunity. 

🌱 One major guzzler: livestock feed crops. These crops account for 55% of water use in the Basin, with alfalfa consuming 2.2 trillion gallons of water in 2022 alone. 

🐮 Another major guzzler: Mega-dairies (which confine 500 cows or more). Mega-dairy cows in the Basin number collectively in the millions and require 218 million gallons of water every single day.

Allowing Big Ag to continue down this path of water hoarding will only cause harm for communities and ecosystems already struggling to survive in a hotter, drier climate.

Food & Water Watch is working to secure a livable future in the Basin and beyond. We’re pushing policymakers to rethink water use and rein in Big Ag’s water abuses, but we need you with us, John, because water is a human right.

Will you make a gift to Food & Water Watch today? Your gift will be put to work to help stop the influence of large agribusiness, ban factory farms, and ensure everyone has access to clean drinking water.

Onward together,

Kat Ruane
Researcher
Food & Water Watch