MOSES LAKE — The conference might be in Las Vegas, but the 29th annual Family Farm Alliance Conference will tackle some critical issues near and dear to the Columbia Basin when the west’s most effective grassroots irrigated agricultural organization meets Feb. 23-24 at the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino.

John Fleck, a long-time water reporter and author of the recently published “Water is For Fighting Over” will be the keynote speaker on Feb. 24. Fleck argues that the constant doom and gloom about water in the west misses something extremely important that’s been going on in recent years. Even in the face of scarce water and negative reporting, communities have managed to adapt and thrive in surprising ways.

Farmers and cities in the west have shown an impressive ability to adapt and even cooperate across state lines to overcome water scarcity. Fleck is director of the University of New Mexico's Water Resources Program and is a professor of practice in water policy and governance in the university's Department of Economics.

Paul Taylor is scheduled to discuss his new paperback, “The Next America,” and as evidenced by the recent election, the partisan gap in how Americans evaluate their presidents is wider now that at any time in the modern era.

“These days Democrats and Republicans no longer stop at disagreeing with each other’s ideas,” said Taylor, the former executive vice president of Pew Research Center. “It’s as if they belong not to rival parties, but alien tribes.”

The Family Farm Alliance will tackle the reality of the “Next West” head-on by challenging everyone in irrigated agriculture to consider new and unusual solutions and strategies in dealing with old and frustrating problems.

While Congress is more polarized by party than at any time since the Reconstruction Era, a majority of Americans tell pollsters they’d like to see Washington rediscover the lost art of political compromise.

Moving into this “Next West,” it is no secret that irrigated agriculture has never faced more challenges, Taylor said. Fortunately, Western producers have led the way through proactive, flexible and strategic leadership and working with partners to find solutions to difficult issues.

The Family Farm Alliance’s 29th Annual Meeting and Conference will include speakers and discussions that address how we deal with these many issues and questions, which will determine the future of farming and ranching in the Next West.

Other conference topics include:

— Getting on the same page for effective communications. Western farmers and ranchers are stepping up their game to employ sophisticated marketing, communications and outreach strategies to both protect and enhance their livelihoods.

— “Thirsty Land,” a documentary film that tells the story about extreme drought, agriculture, and the water crisis in the western United States and how these challenges impact farmers, local communities, and the environment. The depleted water resources in the American West is one of the most urgent challenges of the 21st century facing agriculture and growing urban communities. The drought in this region has local, national, and global impacts not only for the present, but also for future generations. The film looks at the water crisis from the side of agriculture and the potential long-term impact a continuing drought in the USA will have on our global food supply, and how it impacts local communities and cities, as well as farmers in the drought-stricken areas of the country. “Thirsty Land” is produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Conrad Weaver.

“Our goal is to motivate change in people’s behavior and attitudes about the usage of water: to help the audience think about their own consumption of water every time they take a drink, enjoy a shower, or water their lawn,” said Weaver. “We hope this project will give the audience a better appreciation for farmers, scientists and companies who work so hard to produce our food, and preserve clean drinking water for our world.”

Rodney Harwood can be reached via email at businessag@columbiabasinherald.com.