Arizona attorney general speaks out on AgTech’s leases being terminated

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) - Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is speaking out on AgTech's state land leases being terminated.

Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-Ariz.) announced the news in a press release, saying Arizona State Land Department (ASLD) has terminated five state land agricultural leases held by AgTech and other related entities in Yuma County.

The Governor's Office also said AgTech has a 90-day period before they have to be off the land. The cancellation of the leases is immediate, but they have a few months to wind down their operations on those parcels of land.

Following the announcement, Attorney General Mayes responded to AgTech's leases being terminated saying in part, "For too long, the people of Yuma were told to live with the flies, the smell, and the uncertainty about what was going into their soil and water. No Arizonan should have to put up with such conditions."

The announcement came almost two weeks after the Yuma City Council voted to renew their contract with AgTech.

Mayes said the town hall event in July played a key part for Gov. Hobbs in making the decision.

"I think the people of Yuma are the heroes in the story because they're the ones who came forward and made their views known. I think they had been suffering this for a long time, probably way too long," Mayes said.

Mayes is also aware of The Lemon Grove owner Tyler Woodman is being sued for $300,000 by AgTech, saying it's outrageous that Woodman is being sued.

"He had every right to speak his mind. That is the American way...that person who raised the awareness about this would be then sued by this company I think is what's so outrageous to me," Mayes said.

AgTech has hired Gallagher & Kennedy, which is an Arizona law firm, who said they will look at all the evidence and take the necessary legal actions.

"One of the main issues that we have is kind of both the mischaracterization of both facts and law. For example, if you actually take a look at the Arizona state land department letters to attack the way it's being characterized by all the elective officials, it's inaccurate," Stuart Kimball, a Gallagher & Kennedy shareholder, said.