Yuma County Supervisors to Hold Biosolids Meeting, Public Comment Welcome

Millions of dollars in annual crop losses and a years-long fly infestation have pushed Yuma County's biosolids dispute to the front of the Board of Supervisors' agenda. The board is set to take up the matter Monday at 9 a.m. at the County Auditorium on Main Street, with the public invited to sign up and speak during the call to the public.

At the heart of the issue is AG Tech LLC, a company that transports biosolids from wastewater treatment facilities and applies them to farmland in Yuma. The county formally escalated its concerns last December, sending a letter to the Arizona State Land Department requesting that AG Tech LLC's lease be terminated. In that letter, the county stated that "residents, agricultural producers, and community stakeholders have experienced persistent nuisances attributed to AG Tech's operations, including overwhelming odors, severe fly infestations, and the spread of dust and debris from the use of biosolids on state land."

AG Tech's lease has since expired, and the company is currently operating on a month-to-month basis. District 2 Supervisor Jonathan Lines has not been subtle about what the county is seeking. "We have asked for accountability and compliance from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality," Lines said. "We've also asked that their contract be reviewed. They are now on a month-to-month because their lease expired and we've asked for ADEQ to shut down their operations in Yuma County."

The economic damage extends well beyond nuisance complaints. The county's December letter cited local date growers reporting significant crop losses amounting to millions of dollars every year, which they attribute to conditions aggravated by the biosolid application. The fly infestation tied to AG Tech's operations has persisted for several years, and its effects have spread beyond agriculture.

Tyler Woodman, owner of The Lemon Grove, has spoken publicly about the burden on his business. "It's been affecting us in a multitude of ways," Woodman said.

Monday's meeting gives residents a direct line to their elected representatives on the issue. Those wishing to address the board are encouraged to sign up at the call to the public when the session opens at 9 a.m. The board is chaired in 2026 by District 1 Supervisor Martin Porchas, with Jonathan Lines serving as vice-chairman.