NPR:” But for much of the year, the region’s primary crops are alfalfa and other hay crops, which have one primary purpose: feeding beef and dairy cows in the U.S. and around the world”
1: amounts doubled from 2007 to 2017. ”US is the lead exporter, and exports are now greater than the equivalent of 17% of the alfalfa and 41% of the grass hays produced in the 7 western US states. “
Per this USDA report (2) looks like numbers peaked 2021-2022, good overview of who’s buying here.
Our hay exports have risen 2193% over 10 years to Saudi Arabia (3)
And not exactly related to my argument, but it’s not far off, here’s a fun number: exports of beef to China has gone up over the last 10 years by 593949% (4). Obviously cherry picked for the large number, but dannnggg.
If I were doing more research I’d be including soybeans and corn as well.
I’ll admit my views are in part due to living in AZ and driving through wonderful desert areas littered with alfalfa fields and other water intensive crops. Never made sense. (That and lawns, having a rock front yard was great. Oh and the multitude of world class golf courses.) At the time I was told a lot of those fields were owned by Saudis who exported it.
(1) https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=2920...
(2)https://hayandforage.com/article-permalink-4700.html