Episode summary
For a Thirsty West, It’s Either Cows or Humans | Bloomberg Businessweek
Bloomberg Businessweek Daily
· · Hosts: Carol Massar, Tim Stenovec · Guests: Mark Gongloff
Summary
The discussion centers on how the Colorado River’s shrinking supply is forcing the West to choose between urban water use and the agricultural demand that feeds cattle. Mark Gongloff argues that the problem is less about emissions or “cow farts” than about water, especially because a third of the basin’s human water use goes to cow food, while the river has already lost about 20% of its historic flow after 25 years of drought. He says California and Arizona grow a large share of the alfalfa and other hay used for cattle, and a meaningful slice of that feed is exported overseas.
Gongloff says the crisis is becoming unavoidable because reservoirs such as Lake Mead and Lake Powell are at dangerously low levels and the federal government is pressing for major cuts in lower-basin allocations. He notes that the Interior Department has proposed cutting 3 million acre-feet of water by 2028, a scale he says would force hard choices for households, cities, and farms. Arizona has managed municipal water relatively well, he adds, but agriculture remains exposed, and some farmers are already switching from alfalfa to less water-intensive crops.
He argues the region needs a broader water agreement and better pricing of scarce water. Even a wetter year from El Niño, he says, would not be enough to erase the deficit because the upper basin still needs snowpack to replenish the river.
Key takeaways
- Mark Gongloff says the Colorado River crisis is fundamentally a water-allocation problem, not just a beef or methane issue.
- He says about a third of human water use in the basin goes to cow food, making alfalfa a major target for cuts.
- He says the federal plan to cut 3 million acre-feet by 2028 would force major tradeoffs for lower-basin states, especially Arizona and California.
- Gongloff says 26% of the hay grown in California and Arizona is exported, including to China, Japan, and Saudi Arabia.
- He says one or two good rainfall years would not fix the shortage because the basin is already deeply in deficit.
Notable quotes
“This is not about cow farts. Okay. This is not about cow farts. As you point out in your column, it's about water and it's about alalfa”
“a third of the water used by human beings in that basin up lower and upper is devoted to cow food. Period”
“26% of the cow food that is grown in California and Arizona goes overseas. Ironic to China and Japan mainly”
“they're going to have to make some really hard choices. You know, again, cows versus people is being the big one”
“no, not necessarily. But we are about to get a a year of decent rain/ snowfall because we have a historic El Nino”
How the episode opens
Bloomberg Audio Studios podcasts radio news. — You're listening to Bloomberg Business Week with Carol Masser and Tim Stenc on Bloomberg Radio. Christine, I have a simple question for you. Do you eat steak? — I do, but I'm trying to do less of it.
It's for environmental reasons. — Yeah. Yeah, for environmental reasons and just for, you know, uh, humanitarian Well, no, not really humanitarian, but whatever the humanitarian equivalent is for animals. — Well, you might stop might stop eating it after reading Mark Gong's latest column. He's a Bloomberg opinion columnist. He covers climate change. He joins us from New Jersey. Mark, I know that that's not the point of the column by any chance. And by the way, I should note
I cooked two steaks last night uh and then I read your column today, so not so great, but I'm sorry.
Nothing. Go ahead. Feel bad.
But I'm joking. Don't feel bad. Here's the problem.
Here's the here's the problem. This is not about cow farts. Okay.
This is not about cow farts. As you point out in your column, it's about water and it's about alalfa. What's the problem here?
The problem here is that of the water that human beings use in the Colorado River basin, which as we know is very dry, has been in drought for 25 years, uh the Colorado River itself is 20% less of its usual of its historic flow like me, like pal, record low water levels, all that stuff is happening. Meanwhile, a third of the water used by human beings in that basin up lower and upper is devoted to cow food. Period.
Uh 25% goes to other human food. The other 23% or so goes to every other human use.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- colorado river water levels
- water allocation cuts
- climate change and drought
- irrigation and cattle feed
- western drought impacts
Watch the episode
Watch “For a Thirsty West, It’s Either Cows or Humans | Bloomberg Businessweek” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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