Ian Shippen, a 42-year-old farmer with spiked hair, is considered a rural prophet on the arid salt plains located 1,000 kilometers west of Sydney. Shippen believes that the ongoing drought in Australia's food bowl will have a lasting impact on agriculture in the world's driest settled continent. According to Shippen, farmers will need to revert back to traditional farming methods from a century ago, focusing on broadacre areas and sheep farming. Shippen predicts that large areas of land will become unproductive, with farmers only able to sustain one sheep per 5 or 6 acres. He believes that the current drought will have significant repercussions on the farming 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 barren land that was made fertile by water sourced from the eastern Australian alps, a long day's drive away. Shippen and his wife Camilla, who comes from a family of doctors in the city, anticipated a shift in the industry as a prolonged period of dry weather set in and water prices steadily rose, altering the economics of irrigation. "The cost of water continues to rise. Water is no longer considered an asset but a burden." Farmers who sell their water may be left with a large dry area, according to Shippen. As a local councillor, Shippen is highly respected by other farmers who are observing his approach of selling water licenses in order to purchase more land. Initially owning a few thousand acres, he now possesses over 180,000 acres, caring for 45,000 sheep and lambs, 8,000 cattle, and A$10 million ($8.2 million) in bank debt, with interest payments of A$900,000 annually. Shippen emphasizes the pressure of debt, stating that they are working tirelessly to repay the bankers. Shippen sees potential in the midst of drought concerns, but he, like others, is worried about the upcoming summer and its impact on crops and livestock. He believes that the challenging times will lead to opportunities, such as affordable farm purchases. Shippen also notes a shift in water politics as Australian governments recognize the importance of conserving water in light of potential long-term climate changes. Shippen expresses disappointment that the current boom in commodities and selling of Australian resources to China has resulted in farmers losing their political influence to advocate for national projects such as redirecting coastal rivers to potentially mitigate future droughts. He laments that farmers, who make up only 2 percent of the population, feel insignificant and dispensable. Shippen plans to downsize his operations, sell livestock, convert wheat to hay, sell crops for food, lay off employees, and hope to endure the challenging circumstances.