Water Wisdom

Stories of resilience and innovation in agriculture.

This year's theme issue ended up a lot more positive than I anticipated. As I'm writing this in western Missouri, we're in the middle of a severe drought, a stark reminder of the water challenges that farmers face.

But as our talented editors do best, they found the humanity of the farmers, ranchers, and researchers they interviewed. Each and every story depicts the true resilience and strength of those in agriculture—the most important industry in the world.

In our cover story, Martha Mintz discusses how legislators, researchers, and farmers are overhauling Arizona's water use to provide savings for all. In "Irrigation Innovation," Bill Spiegel highlights a Kansas farm whose commitment to conservation is enhancing its efficiency while contributing valuable research to the agricultural community. And farther north in Minnesota, Katie Knapp describes how conservation stewardship can be both noble and profitable.

This issue is a compilation of stories that show us how—through innovation, collaboration, and adaptive water management—farmers will thrive, even in the face of adversity. And if farmers are thriving, everybody wins.