Arizona plays a critical role in the nation’s food security.

But our state also is well positioned to take advantage of growing foreign markets for dairy, cotton and other crops, a top federal official told farmers and ranchers on April 30.

“I can't imagine a state more strategically located than Arizona,” Luke Lindberg, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, said.

Lindberg toured Saddle Mountain Dairy and Hardison Farm in Buckeye and hosted an informal listening session with farmers and ranchers, with coordination from the Arizona Farm Bureau.

Arizona farmers want to make their own way

Most of the food and fiber grown in Arizona remains in the country. Exports account for only 8% of state agricultural sales, a 2025 University of Arizona analysis found.

Still, exported commodities and food and fiber products contributed $1.85 billion to the state economy in 2022, the most recent year of data available.

Some industries are far more reliant on foreign buyers than others.

Exports account for 88% of Arizona cotton sales, the UA study found, compared to 39% of fruit sales, 24% of other crops and hay sales, and 9% of vegetable and melon sales.

“One of the things we voiced to the undersecretary is that we appreciate the support and the assistance, and we recognize that this is a difficult time in the ag economy,” said Clint Gladden, who operates the 4,000-cow Saddle Mountain Dairy and supporting 2,500-acre Gladden Farm with his brother, Josh, and his dad, Danny.

“But as much as we appreciate it, we don't necessarily want that. What we want is access to markets and to stand on our own two feet.”

Water, increased costs are major issues

Arizona has a leg up on international trade, Lindberg said, in part because its agricultural industry is so diversified.

And while Arizona’s location helps facilitate trade with Mexico — our largest trading partner — he also noted that it primes the state to do business with countries that recently cemented new trade agreements, including El Salvador, Argentina and Ecuador.

The undersecretary urged farmers to seek opportunities for Arizona cotton and dairy products in rapidly growing southeast Asian markets, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.

While Lindberg was in town to tout international trade, water security and increased costs to farm weighed heavily on the conversation.

During the roundtable, farmers emphasized the uncertainty on the Colorado River. They warned that diminished hydropower generating capacity at Lake Mead could have statewide agricultural impacts, even on farms that don’t rely on the river for water.

The cuts are sure to make power more expensive, they noted, increasing costs to pump groundwater.

“Commodities are selling at a loss, and fertilizer, diesel and parts are all more expensive,” Gladden said. “Add in potentially doubling utility costs, and that has a much further reaching impact than water deliveries alone.”

Shore up agriculture for the next generation

Producers also pointed out that while trade deals are important, infrastructure investments will be needed to meet those demands for food and fiber.

“You can bring cotton back,” said Shawn Wood, Arizona Farm Bureau’s first vice president whose family farm also grows 700 acres of corn, cotton, alfalfa and wheat.

“But the reality is that there is only one gin in Maricopa County to process it, where we used to have 12. It would take a long-term market solution to make it profitable and reliable enough to incentivize the processing plants to rebuild.”

Lindberg said he recognized that farms are under strain, and that while USDA data show the agricultural trade deficit has decreased by 42% since 2025, many farmers have yet to feel that in their pocketbooks.

He promised to share water and pocketbook concerns with his peers in Washington, D.C.

 “The real underlying story to me is that people want to pass their farms on to the next generation,” Lindberg said. “We understand that now is a critical time” to shore up agriculture for the next generation.


Joanna Allhands writes about water, land use and other issues important to the Arizona Farm Bureau. Reach her at joannaallhands@azfb.org.