PHOENIX — The pursuit of water conservation in Arizona is turning into a battle between the interests of cities versus agriculture.
On Friday, two of agriculture's biggest voices on the Governor's Water Policy Council quit in protest. "We were coming to the table with new solutions and innovative ideas and they weren't being discussed," said Stefanie Smallhouse, President of Arizona Farm Bureau.
In May, Governor Katie Hobbs convened the first meeting of the Water Policy Council. It's a bi-partisan and wide-ranging group tasked with developing water policy for the state in a time of drought and growth.
"It's been 40 years since the Groundwater Management Act was passed. So, if we need new tools to manage groundwater, then we should create them." Governor Hobbs said during the meeting.
In the months since, the Policy Council has moved forward with plans that both State Senator Sine Kerr, a dairy farmer, and Smallhouse believe ignore the interests of farmers. "It was clear in the discussions that agriculture was the target for reducing water," Senator Kerr said, "from not really wanting to hear the input and the concerns of the agriculture and ranching communities and that's not acceptable."
Supervisors from five rural counties issued a statement expressing their disappointment with the resignations of Kerr and Smallhouse from the Governor's Water Policy Council. The Supervisors included Mohave County Chairman Travis Lingenfelter, La Paz Council Chairman Holly Irwin, Coconino Supervisor Patrice Hortsman and Yavapai Supervisor Donna Michaels.
The supervisors said, "This is a moment where Arizona needs leadership on water. Some choose to walk away. We choose to stay the course. A spokesman for Governor Hobbs said "The exiting members are doing a disservice to rural farmers. Depriving them a voice at the table."
Senator Kerr and the Arizona Farm Bureau think differently. It was clear to me there was a pre-determined goal and policy set forth and weren't going to deviate much from that," Kerr said, "we will come up with a great proposal."
