around the world many farmers struggled to meet their crops demand for water yet
to meet their crops demand for water yet
to meet their crops demand for water yet every year farmers send billions of
every year farmers send billions of
every year farmers send billions of virtual gallons of water to other
virtual gallons of water to other
virtual gallons of water to other countries in the form of food and feed
countries in the form of food and feed
countries in the form of food and feed grown with that water some countries
grown with that water some countries
grown with that water some countries export more than the import others do
export more than the import others do
export more than the import others do the opposite the demand for milk in
the opposite the demand for milk in
the opposite the demand for milk in China where consumers are drinking more
China where consumers are drinking more
China where consumers are drinking more of it than ever shows how virtual water
of it than ever shows how virtual water
of it than ever shows how virtual water is being exported from the United States
is being exported from the United States
is being exported from the United States Chinese farmers responded to the growing
Chinese farmers responded to the growing
Chinese farmers responded to the growing demand for milk by importing more
demand for milk by importing more
demand for milk by importing more foreign cows but Chinese farmers
foreign cows but Chinese farmers
foreign cows but Chinese farmers couldn’t grow enough to feed all their
couldn’t grow enough to feed all their
couldn’t grow enough to feed all their cattle demand for alfalfa hay increased
cattle demand for alfalfa hay increased
cattle demand for alfalfa hay increased and with it imports of virtual water it
and with it imports of virtual water it
and with it imports of virtual water it takes 1182 gallons of water to produce a
takes 1182 gallons of water to produce a
takes 1182 gallons of water to produce a single gallon of milk in China only 1%
single gallon of milk in China only 1%
single gallon of milk in China only 1% of that water is for cattle to drink or
of that water is for cattle to drink or
of that water is for cattle to drink or for other uses on the farm the remaining
for other uses on the farm the remaining
for other uses on the farm the remaining 99% is used to produce feed and hay for
99% is used to produce feed and hay for
99% is used to produce feed and hay for the cattle much of China’s imported
the cattle much of China’s imported
the cattle much of China’s imported alfalfa hay comes from California which
alfalfa hay comes from California which
alfalfa hay comes from California which is suffering one of its worst droughts
is suffering one of its worst droughts
is suffering one of its worst droughts on record alfalfa is the state’s largest
on record alfalfa is the state’s largest
on record alfalfa is the state’s largest agricultural water user and Chinese
agricultural water user and Chinese
agricultural water user and Chinese imports of US alfalfa have grown
imports of US alfalfa have grown
imports of US alfalfa have grown drastically since 2005 reaching almost
drastically since 2005 reaching almost
drastically since 2005 reaching almost 650 thousand tons in 2013 growing that
650 thousand tons in 2013 growing that
650 thousand tons in 2013 growing that took three hundred ten thousand acre
took three hundred ten thousand acre
took three hundred ten thousand acre feet of us water that’s equivalent to
feet of us water that’s equivalent to
feet of us water that’s equivalent to the amount used annually by 800,000
the amount used annually by 800,000
the amount used annually by 800,000 American families the issue of
American families the issue of
American families the issue of Agriculture’s water footprint meaning
Agriculture’s water footprint meaning
Agriculture’s water footprint meaning all the water used to produce a
all the water used to produce a
all the water used to produce a commodity and get it to a consumer is
commodity and get it to a consumer is
commodity and get it to a consumer is contentious since many farmers use
contentious since many farmers use
contentious since many farmers use scarce water to produce low value export
scarce water to produce low value export
scarce water to produce low value export crops but at the very least we can all
crops but at the very least we can all
crops but at the very least we can all be more aware of the water that arrives
be more aware of the water that arrives
be more aware of the water that arrives not just in our glasses
not just in our glasses
not just in our glasses but on our plates
”
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