Proposed McNeal feedlot raises concerns
Locals fear stench, water consumption
A proposed feedlot in McNeal is raising serious concerns among local residents who fear it will adversely impact their homes through stench, water consumption, and other potential issues.
According to a letter sent out to area property owners on May 9 by Elfrida resident Ramon Bojorquez, he is proposing to seek permits for the construction and operation of a feedlot situated on 1,052 acres of land just south of the intersection of Davis Rd. and U.S. Route 191.
Under Cochise County code, such a feedlot would require a special use permit, which requires notification of surrounding property owners and a period of public input and hearings before the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission.
The proposed feedlot would also be situated in the heart of the Douglas groundwater Active Management Area (DAMA). Creation of DAMA by local ballot initiative in 2022 was a response to rapidly diminishing groundwater resources-- which was largely attributed to production of feed for other cattle feedlots and dairy operations throughout the Sulphur Springs Valley.
Since Bojorquez sent out his letter advising area property owners of his plans, residents have banded together-- creating a website in opposition to the proposed lot and registering their concerns with the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Division and District 2 Supervisor Kathleen Gomez.
According to Cochise County Planner Matthew Taylor, he has received a substantial amount of correspondence from concerned community members in response to the proposed feedlot. Conversely, he said he has not received any correspondence from area residents in favor of the feedlot's construction.
"We have received about 25 responses in the last five or six days. None of them have been favorable," said Taylor. "The majority of them have cited water concerns as well as odors."
According to county officials, Bojorquez has not yet submitted any permit applications or cite plan.
Supervisor dismissive of residents' concerns
Gomez, for her part, seems dismissive of public concern.
A Republican, Gomez was elected to her first term on the Cochise County Board of Supervisors in November. She has been an outspoken advocate of the expanded Douglas Port of Entry, slated for construction about 18 miles south of the proposed McNeal feedlot. This expanded port of entry will rely heavily on U.S. Route 191, and Gomez is a proponent of long-dormant plans to widen U.S. Route 191 into a major trade corridor.
"I think there is a lot of emotion and reaction to a feedlot but I do not know enough about the project yet. I plan to investigate the pros and cons of the feed lot. Who is behind it and if it is up to 1000 cattle or less," [sic] said Gomez in an email to Cochise Regional News. "I would encourage you to find out as much info as you can before reacting to the negativity of the concept. Will it use more water possibly, but we do not have the answers if we do not know exactly how the feed lot would be used. Feed lots are considered a better approach to cattle than grazing. Again, people divided on both sides, but I want solutions and not just the negative aspect. We need economic development and the people who have been here for generations cant be dismissed vs those who have retired here." [sic]
"There must be an informed public so an industry that has been here for decades has a chance to survive. From the email I have seen, and there has been a lot, they are using the same information to the period. I just feel that there is misinformation out there," added Gomez, speaking of concerned community members who have written her in opposition to the lot.
Regarding these concerns voiced by her constituents, Gomez went on to state: "I have [been] finding it more and more bewildering that people are buying land that is zoned for [agricultural use] and then want to rezone and get upset of neighboring lots being used as it is zoned for."
The new District 2 supervisor seems, however, to miss the boat in her dismissal of constituent concerns.
While much of the land in the area of the feedlot is zoned for "rural" use (typically "RU-4," which means rural use, minimum of four acres), this is not necessarily an agricultural designation; lands that are rurally designated may be used for many purposes-- including both agricultural and residential use.
Furthermore, Arizona law governing the Douglas Groundwater Basin Active Management Area designates commercial feedlots as an "industrial" use of groundwater resources-- not an agricultural use.
And, finally, Cochise County regulations (which you'd hope Gomez would be familiar with) requires a "special use" permit for a commercial feedlot such as the one Bojorquez wishes to build. County code recognizes that this is not a standard use of land in Cochise County, because of "unique characteristics and oftentimes high potential to adversely impact surrounding properties"-- hence the need for a "special use" permit.
Gomez did not respond to questions from CRN, asking whether she has discussed the feedlot with Bojorquez or any other involved party.
Mystery of the feedlot
At least for the time being, the issue of this proposed feedlot seems shrouded in mystery. Bojorquez has not yet submitted any plans or proposals to the county-- and even ownership of the property he has identified as the site of the feedlot is not clear.
In his May 9 letter to area property owners, Bojorquez identified two adjacent parcels of land as the future site of the proposed feedlot. According to the Cochise County Assessor's Office, both of these parcels are held in trust by Pioneer Title Agency. No information regarding the members or beneficiaries of this trust are available to the public through county records.
Pioneer Title agency declined to provide any information to Cochise Regional News relating to the ownership of this trust or property.
According to Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) records, Bojorquez is a principal of three active Arizona corporations: White Water Creek Pecan Farm LLC, Las Tres Rosas Cattle Company LLC (formerly Las Tres Rosas Dairy Products), and Tres Rosas Maakov Cattle LLC.
Both the pecan farm and Las Tres Rosas Cattle, according to records, are companies Bojorquez has owned for several years-- dating back to at least 2017.
Tres Rosas Maakov Cattle, on the other hand, was incorporated just a few days ago.
According to ACC records, Tres Rosas Maakov Cattle was incorporated on May 23. It has three corporate members: Nicolas Reynoso Carmelo, Maakov Cattle LLC, and Ramon Bojorquez.
Reynoso Carmelo is a Hermosillo, Sonora-based businessman who has been ranked among the top business leaders of that Mexican state by some trade publications focused on that area.
According to ACC records, Reynoso Carmelo is also a corporate member and manager of Maakov Cattle, LLC-- which, as stated above, is also a principal of Tres Rosas Maakov Cattle, LLC.
According to ACC records, Reynoso Carmelo reserved the business name "Maakov" in September 2024 and is corporate manager or member of several Arizona domestic corporations sharing the "Maakov" name. These include: Maakov Snacks, Maakov Real Estate, Maakov Holdings, and Maakov Cattle.
While ACC records demonstrate that these "Maakov" Arizona corporate entities are represented by a Tucson-based statutory agent, records also demonstrate that all of their corporate members and managers are based in Hermosillo, Sonora.
According to the "Maakov" website, Reynoso Carmelo is chief executive officer of "Maakov," which consists of several "divisions," focusing on things like pecan production, cattle production, snack foods, and "raising mule deer for hunting experiences."
On February 1, President Donald Trump imposed a 25-percent tariff on all goods imported to the United States from Mexico. This marked the outset of a series of tariffs and tariff postponements that have wrought a fair amount of uncertainty and chaos for Mexican businesses seeking to import goods to the United States.
It is not known if there is a relation to Trump's tariff policy, but it is worth noting that, according to ACC records, Reynoso Carmelo and another Hermosillo-based associate incorporated Maakov Cattle in Arizona on February 20-- a few weeks following Trump's initial tariff salvo.
Review of corporate records for Tres Rosas Maakov Cattle LLC (the entity created in partnership between Elfrida's Ramon Bojorquez, Nicolas Reynoso Carmelo and Maakov Cattle LLC on May 23) demonstrates that Bojorquez is the sole U.S.-domiciled human principal of that partnership.
[Note: Maakov Cattle LLC is listed as a corporate principal of the Bojorquez/Maakov partnership. It is a domestic Arizona corporation, though all of its principals, including Reynoso Carmelo, are based in Sonora.]
Bojorquez, thus far, has been the sole public face of the proposed McNeal feedlot.
Bojorquez did not respond to repeated requests for comment and written questions from Cochise Regional News concerning his plans for this proposed feedlot. Among questions not responded to were several seeking information on the role-- if any-- of Maakov in the proposed McNeal feedlot. Bojorquez also did not respond to questions asking whether the proposed feedlot or his partnership with Maakov Cattle has any relation to current U.S. trade policy.
Neither Nicolas Reynoso Carmelo or Maakov Chief Commercial Officer Santiago Reynoso responded to written questions submitted by CRN. Among questions not responded to were several seeking information on the role-- if any-- of Maakov in the proposed McNeal feedlot. These Maakov corporate officers also did not respond to questions asking whether the proposed feedlot or their partnership with Bojorquez has any relation to current U.S. trade policy.
Numerous attempts to submit written questions to Maakov CEO Nicolas Reynoso Carmelo using the email address provided on the Maakov website were met with delivery failure notifications.
If you have questions or concerns, or would like to take part in public hearings concerning the proposed McNeal feedlot, contact the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission or Development Services.
Beau Hodai, Cochise Regional News— May 28, 2025
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