Arizona has moved to limit a Saudi-owned alfalfa farm and other megafarms from essentially exporting water to their countries via crop growth, leaving local wells dry. In 2015, the Center for Investigative Reporting warned that Saudi Arabia's agricultural industry was on the verge of collapse as ancient aquifers dried up.

A kingdom that was once a top wheat exporter saw its water resources depleted. The following year, Saudi Arabia ended domestic wheat production at scale. Its largest dairy company, Almarai, purchased 9,600 acres in Arizona and began growing hay to feed its livestock, causing groundwater overextraction and sinking properties by at least three feet in the region.

As air pollution traps heat in the atmosphere, more frequent extreme weather events like droughts are exacerbating water scarcity in Arizona and elsewhere. In January, the UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health warned that 'episodes that once looked like temporary shocks are becoming chronic in many places,' leading to 'water bankruptcy.' The jostle for resources across international borders has real consequences for local people.

After the documentary The Grab raised awareness about domestic water management, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs canceled several of the Saudi farm's contracts on state land. In January's State of the State address, Hobbs announced the formation of a new 'active management area' in La Paz County, where Saudi Arabia's alfalfa farm is located.