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University of Arizona Laying Groundwork to Support Wine Industry with Science

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In the News

 From Grist, May 22

At last, states reach a Colorado River deal: Pay farmers not to farm

In order to convince farmers to plant fewer acres, officials need to give them more money per acre-foot of water than they would have made from selling crops on a given field.  ... “Water is a valuable asset, and I think people are nervous about parting with it, because it kind of suggests that you don’t really need it after all,” said George Frisvold, an extension specialist at the University of Arizona who studies agricultural policy.

“I think there’s real concern that this is voluntary now, but it could come back and bite you."

Listening to Arizona

UArizona Cooperative Extension conducted a statewide needs assessment survey last year to better understand the communities we serve.

The survey results and associated demographic analysis will help Extension meet communities' needs across the state.

Water conservation, quality, and rights ranked high among respondents concerns, along with education, child abuse prevention, and drought preparation.

The county-by-county information offers a glimpse of who we are and what our communities need to thrive. The work includes a collection of data describing the population, economics, health, education, agriculture, and natural environment in each county.

The results, along with an economic impact analysis also done last year, will help Extension develop a long-term strategic action plan.

Statewide Needs Assessment
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In the News

From KOLD News 13, May 24, starting at 2:02

Tucson Signs Deal to Voluntarily Forfeit Portion of Colorado River Allotment

“The fact of the matter is, it's important for us to conserve water in Tucson or anywhere out here, because we live in a desert, and water is the first limiting factor ... The way the laws are structured now, the agreements have to be reopened and renegotiated entirely again in 2026, so that's why this in an interim resolution to help us deal with the conservation necessary on the Colorado River."

– Jeffrey Silvertooth, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Specialist in Agronomy and Soil Science

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We are always looking for stories that show the impact of Cooperative Extension work. If you have a story you would like to see on this News page, or if you have a comment or suggestion, please contact Brad Poole at bradpoole@arizona.edu.

All Extension news page stories are vetted by the Cooperative Extension communications team and available for journalists to use as they would news releases. Please attribute stories or passages taken from the news page to Arizona Cooperative Extension.

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