New Study Highlights Challenges and Strategies for U.S. Irrigated Agriculture
A recent study by the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state and future prospects of irrigated agriculture in the United States. The study, published in Agricultural Water Management, highlights the geographical concentration of irrigated agriculture in five states: California, Nebraska, Arkansas, Texas, and Idaho. These states account for about half of all irrigated farmland in the country. The research identifies a shift in agricultural activity towards eastern states due to groundwater depletion in the Great Plains and West. The study emphasizes the need for improved water management, adoption of precision irrigation practices, and expanded access to irrigation technologies for smaller producers to ensure the sustainability of U.S. irrigated agriculture. 
