Water in the American West

In California, Arizona and New Mexico, water is the most precious natural resource. Issues with water include drought, the high cost of water, legislation limiting water, and an ever-increasing need for more of it to be diverted to high-population urban centers. Fortunately, the pistachio rootstock grown in the USA is relatively drought-tolerant, compared to many other agricultural crops. APG growers employ the most advanced technologies in direct irrigation, ensuring every drop is used wisely and properly to maximize produce quality. A common issue in the American West—particularly where water is limited—is the high saline content in the soil, that has historically prevented any agricultural activity. In these semi-desert areas, the high levels of naturally occurring saline can render a stark, bleak landscape where nothing grows. The trees our members grow, in California, Arizona and New Mexico, not only tolerate, but actually do well in most of these soils. Today, young plantings, of hundreds of acres of pistachio orchards, now beautify this otherwise unused land, providing bird and wildlife habitats and a multitude of environmental benefits.