In Arizona’s desert landscape, water is our most precious resource — and the topic of data centers’ water use has sparked plenty of conversation. As the state welcomes new technology infrastructure to fuel economic growth, it’s important to step back and remember the bigger picture: Arizona agriculture is the foundation of our food supply, our economy, and the very water systems that support every Arizonan. When we talk about agricultural water use, we’re really talking about water use for all of us — the food on our tables, the jobs in our communities, and the infrastructure that powers modern Arizona.

Arizona agriculture's water use is high-volume but high-impact for food security, with irreplaceable national winter production, local economic stability, and a foundational role in infrastructure that powers Arizona's economy today. In water-scarce times, the value isn't zero-sum—policies balancing efficiency, trading, and incentives (like ag innovation or tech-funded conservation) can sustain it alongside growth in data centers or housing.

As agriculture experts explain, every nation needs high-volume, but high-impact water use to sustain its population and ensure food security. Without it, nations are at food security risk.

As a research student reached out to us for understanding about data centers' use of water and the impact on agriculture, we did some digging to help. Some of the insights are shared here.

 

Arizona Agriculture: America’s Winter Food Basket and a Pillar of Food Security

Few states play a more critical role in national food security than Arizona. Our mild winters and fertile soils — especially in Yuma County, the “Winter Lettuce Capital of the World” — make us the nation’s go-to source for fresh produce when much of the country is covered in snow.

  • From November to April, Arizona supplies 90 to 100% of the nation’s leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, and more) and a massive share of winter vegetables.
  • The state produces about 25% of all U.S. lettuce annually.
  • In peak season, Yuma ships enough produce to fill 1,200 to 1,500 refrigerated semi-trucks daily, enough iceberg lettuce for every person in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to have a head, with millions left over.

This isn’t just volume; it’s reliability and safety. Arizona’s strict food-safety standards help keep grocery shelves stocked with fresh vegetables nationwide during the coldest months. Without our farms, winter fresh produce prices would skyrocket, and supply chains would face major disruptions.

Locally, the benefits are just as real. Arizona agriculture and agribusiness contribute nearly $31 billion to the economy each year and support over 126,000 jobs. From dairy and beef that reach Phoenix stores to melons and greens that keep families fed with short, fresh supply chains, our farms strengthen food resilience right here at home. They also preserve open space, rural communities, and a diversified economy that goes far beyond tech and urban growth.

Arizona Farm Bureau President John Boelts, a Yuma-based farmer who grows vegetables, melons, cotton, and forage crops gives a boot-on-the-ground perspective on this. “We need water to stay in the hands of agriculture so that we can keep food abundant and affordable. We think water resources should remain in the communities where they were developed. We’re simply not going to grow crops without water, and we can do some tremendous agricultural production, tremendous growing of crops here in Arizona if we have the water resources to do it.”

 

Agriculture Built the Water Infrastructure We All Depend On

Here’s something often overlooked: Arizona agriculture didn’t just use water; it built the systems that deliver it today.

  • Early 20th-century farmers and ranchers formed the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association and pledged their own land to finance Roosevelt Dam (completed in 1911). That project created the Salt River Project (SRP), which still supplies reliable water and power to the entire Phoenix metro area.
  • Decades later, agricultural leaders were key advocates for the Central Arizona Project (CAP), the 336-mile canal that brings Colorado River water to central Arizona, initially to help farms, but now serving millions of urban residents and businesses.

These landmark projects were funded and maintained through agricultural efforts. The infrastructure we all rely on for homes, businesses, data centers, and future growth exists because farmers had the vision and took the financial risk. That legacy gives agriculture a strong voice in water policy discussions—and a proven track record of stewardship.

Data Centers and Water: Context Matters

Recent coverage from The Arizona Republic (February 2026) provides numbers on current data centers’ water footprint, noting these numbers are expected to grow. Using air-quality and power records, reporters identified at least 71 data center campuses in Maricopa County with 2.3 gigawatts of capacity, enough to power 300,000 to 500,000 homes.

  • Statewide direct cooling water use in 2025 was estimated at roughly 905 million gallons (about 2,777 acre-feet).
  • Even including indirect water for electricity generation, the current total remains a tiny fraction, well under 1%, of Arizona’s overall water portfolio.
  • Projections for full-build-out show growth (still around 70 to 74% statewide and around 35% in the Phoenix metro).
  • Most concern centers around managed growth and Arizona’s continuing drought.

Many new data centers are adopting dry cooling, reclaimed wastewater, or zero-water technologies, showing the industry is innovating too.

The Republic rightly notes community concerns and the need for transparency, but the reporting consistently shows data centers are not the primary driver of water stress. Drought, Colorado River shortages, and long-term population growth remain the bigger challenges.

Arizona Farm Bureau’s official positions on water, as outlined in our policy documents, advocate for statewide planning with local control, recognizing that agriculture has already dramatically improved efficiency, producing more with less water than we did decades ago, while delivering massive economic and food security value. We support transparency and conservation across all users, but highlight that ag water ultimately serves everyone through the local and national food supply and the infrastructure agriculture helped build.

 

Agricultural Water Use Is Water Use for All of Us

When Arizona farmers apply water to grow crops, that water produces food that feeds families across the country and supports our state’s economy. It maintains the canals, dams, and delivery systems that now serve cities, industries, and tech. Every efficient acre of alfalfa, lettuce, or cotton helps stretch our finite supplies while delivering high-value nutrition and economic returns.

Arizona agriculture has a strong conservation story: We use the same amount of water today as we did in 1957, yet we produce far more thanks to drip irrigation, precision farming, overall technology advances in irrigation management and on-farm investments. We’ve cut per-acre water use dramatically while boosting yields, proving we can do more with less.

In water-scarce times, the conversation shouldn’t be about pitting sectors against each other. It should be about smart, balanced policies that recognize agriculture’s irreplaceable contributions: national food security, local resilience, economic stability, and the infrastructure legacy that benefits every Arizonan.

Looking Forward Together

As data centers expand, the agriculture community supports continued innovation, transparency, and collaboration across all water users. We’ve long advocated for groundwater management policy that protects historic agricultural rights and invests in conservation and efficiencies that benefit all sectors.

Agriculture isn’t just another water user; it’s the sector that literally grew the systems we all share and puts food on tables nationwide. By keeping Arizona farms strong, we keep our food supply secure, our rural communities vibrant, and our shared water resources working for everyone.

Farmers are proud to be part of Arizona’s future. Let’s make sure policy decisions reflect the full value of agriculture—not just the gallons, but the food, jobs, infrastructure, and security it delivers for all of us.

“Water is key; we're not going to make or grow anything in this country, especially not going to grow anything in agriculture without it,” said Boelts in a statement to The Arizona Capitol Times.