Ian Shippen, a 42-year-old farmer with spiked hair, is considered a rural prophet in the arid salt plains located 1,000 kilometres west of Sydney. Shippen believes that the ongoing drought in Australia's food bowl will bring about permanent changes in agriculture on the driest settled continent in the world. He predicts a return to traditional farming methods from a century ago, focusing on growing broadacre areas and raising sheep. Shippen expressed his views to Reuters at his property near Moulamein, stating that large portions of land will become unproductive, only able to support one sheep per 5 or 6 acres. He believes that the drought will have a significant impact on the agricultural industry. Shippen, along with many others, is trying to find solutions to overcome the drought by taking a risk and transitioning away from irrigated cropping. Nine years ago, he cultivated rice on 2,000 acres of previously dry land that was made available by piping water from the eastern Australian alps, a long drive away. Shippen and his wife, Camilla, who is a doctor's daughter from the city, anticipated the shift in circumstances as a prolonged dry period began and water costs started to rise, altering the financial aspect of irrigation. "The cost of water is steadily increasing. Water is now seen as a burden, not a benefit." Shippen, a local councillor, warns that if farmers sell their water, they will be left with a large, arid property. He has gained the admiration of other farmers for his successful strategy of selling water licenses to buy more land. Shippen started with a few thousand acres and now owns over 180,000 acres, with thousands of sheep, cattle, and significant debt. The drought has drastically reduced income, forcing Shippen to work tirelessly to pay off his debts. Shippen sees opportunity in the midst of drought gloom, despite feeling nervous about the upcoming summer and the challenges it may bring for crops and stock sales. He believes that those who persevere may have a chance to purchase cheap farms as a result. Shippen notes that farmers, while seemingly united, also have a tendency to take advantage of each other for personal gain. He believes that the biggest change is not the drought itself, but the evolving water politics in Australia as governments recognize the importance of conserving this precious resource in light of potential permanent climate changes. Shippen laments that due to the current commodities boom and the sale of Australian resources to China, farmers have lost the political influence needed to advocate for national projects such as redirecting coastal rivers westward to potentially combat future droughts. He expresses frustration at the diminishing significance of farmers, stating that they are only 2 percent of the population and therefore considered irrelevant and expendable. Shippen describes the measures farmers are taking to cope with the situation, including selling stock, cutting wheat for hay, bailing crops for food, reducing their workforce, and hoping to survive the difficult times ahead.