Here is a chance for rural Minnesota to be heard on water use, water stewardship and any other water issue.

Minnesota Public Radio, supported by American Public Media, is working on a journalism project that is seeking to obtain feedback from Minnesotans about their connections to water and food.

Amy Skoczlas Cole, managing director of MPR’s project called “The Water Main,” has a team of journalists that is exploring “the intersection of water and food, and what that means to you.”

She notes that “The Water Main” wants to be “a hub for reporting, research, personal stories, live events and digital experiences that increases our collective understanding of water issues and explores the decisions, challenges and solutions needed to manage this essential and common resource.”

She adds: “We welcome your insights and expertise, and we hope you will share the many ways that water shows up in your lives.”

Wow. Sounds like the perfect opportunity for farmers to weigh in on the topic. You know food production. You know how vital it is to have access to fresh, clean water, and you know how to protect it.

Here is a far-reaching way to share your story, especially when the seeker of water-related experiences has a major metro following.

Check out the project’s website at americanpublicmedia.org/water. If you tweet, you can follow this project on Twitter @thewatermain.

You’ll also see a five-question Water IQ quiz on the main website page. I thought I’d do above average on this test, given all the water-related stories I have written for The Farmer over the past decade-plus. Not. The questions really didn’t have a rural food production perspective to them.

The quiz has some basic questions that you should know the answers to, such as what percentage of Minnesotans get their drinking water from underground wells and aquifers, and which household appliance or fixture uses the most water. Then be prepared for a few bizarre questions, such as ones that ask about gray water and urinals.

I’d be interested to know if you agree with me that those water questions need some tweaking. You can suggest additional questions for the quiz. Do so at publicinsightnetwork.org/source/en/insight/3dec125b35dc.

I encourage you to make time to visit “The Water Main" website and to share what you do on your farm to conserve and safeguard our state waters. I know nearly every farmer has a story to tell. Please do so. Our nonfarming consumers need to be enlightened.