Midwest Theater Presents "Thirsty Land"

“Thirsty Land,” a documentary film about drought and water management in the great American West, will be shown on Friday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Midwest Theater in downtown Scottsbluff. The filmmaker will be on hand, and the screening will also include a panel discussion about water issues in western Nebraska with regional water and irrigation experts.
      The event is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center, the North Platte Natural Resources District (NPNRD), and the Nebraska Conservation Education Fund.
      Prior to the screening of the 1-hour-10-minute film, Conrad Weaver, who produced and directed “Thirsty Land,” will provide an introduction.
      A panel discussion will follow the film. Moderator will be Jeff Bradshaw, Extension Entomologist at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center. Panelists include John Berge, NPNRD General Manager; Pete Lapaseotes, NPNRD board member and irrigator, cattle feeder, and agribusiness owner; Owen Palm, President and CEO of 21stCentury Holdings; and Dennis Strauch, General Manager of Pathfinder Irrigation District. Palm and Strauch are also members of the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission, Palm representing agribusiness interests and Strauch representing irrigation districts.
      “Thirsty Land” is the story about extreme drought, agriculture, and the water crisis in the Western United States and how these challenges impact farmers, communities, and the environment. The depleted water resources in the American Southwest is one of the most urgent challenges of the 21st Century facing agriculture and growing urban communities. The drought on this region has local, national, and global impacts not only for the present, but also for future generations.
      Thirsty Land is being produced by ConjoStudios LLC in partnership with the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. It is also supported by a number of individuals, organizations, and companies. Other sponsors listed at the film website include Teeter Irrigation Inc.; American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers; American Society of Agronomy; the Irrigation Association; Valley Irrigation; and the Family Farm Alliance; AgChat Foundation; and Archai Media.
            The film’s website is www.thirstylandmovie.com.