It’s that time of year again when multicolored tractors took over the Arizona Western College main campus in Yuma.
The Southwest Ag Summit held this past week is now in its 20th year. It’s a chance for agricultural industry leaders from Yuma and beyond to meet up to talk the latest in ag technology and challenges including water and labor.
Ag leaders met Wednesday and Thursday at AWC. They attended field demonstrations and breakout sessions on topics including the Colorado River and food safety.
"Ag tech is booming," said Mike Pasquinelli, president of the Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association, one of the agencies behind the Summit. "There's so much explosion that we have from thinning to weeding to spray application drones. We're working on automation in harvesting as well."
Ag leaders from Yuma meet here with leaders at the state and national level.
"This is just a great place for everyone wto get together," said Paul Brierley, director for the Arizona Department of Agriculture. "They learn about what the latest techonology is. They talk about issues. Water is going to be talked about a lot."
Last week, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced it’s moving forward on operating guidelines for Colorado River reservoirs by Oct. 1. While the seven Basin States including Arizona have not reached full consensus on an operating framework, Interior officials say they cannot delay action.
They say meeting the deadline is essential to ensure certainty and stability for the Colorado River system beyond this year.
"We're willing to talk... in an effort to reach an agreement," Clint Chandler, deputy director for the Arizona Department of Water Resources, told KAWC.
The 2026 Southwest Ag Summit concluded Thursday night with the annual Harvest Dinner.
