Marketplace All-in-One From "How We Survive": The Dry Line
Nov 27, 2025
As the climate shifts, the Midwest is undergoing significant changes that affect our food supply. Discover the impact of the moving dry line and hear how farmers like Vance and Louise Emke are adapting by switching to drought-resistant crops. Learn about the challenges of the Ogallala Aquifer and the critical need for innovative wheat breeding to combat disease. With insights into trade pressures and extreme weather variability, the conversation highlights the vital connection between agriculture and global food security.
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The Dry Line Is Moving East
- The historic 100th meridian marks a climatic divide between humid east and arid west that affects agriculture.
- Richard Seeger found that the dry line has shifted about 140 miles east since 1980 and will keep moving due to human-driven climate change.
Seed Dealers Turned Innovators
- Vance and Louise Emke turned a grain bin into an office and built Emke Seed while managing 14,000 acres.
- They expanded into drought-hardy crops like triticale to survive water scarcity and market demand.
Aquifer Loss Reshapes Farming
- The Ogallala Aquifer's depletion forced many farmers to reduce irrigation and shift to dryland crops.
- That structural water loss reshaped crop choices and increased reliance on drought-tolerant varieties.