In the 1940s, farmers began drawing water from the vast underground Ogallala Aquifer through deep wells, opening the way for thirstier crops, better plant nourishment, and higher yields. Although many were initially skeptical, dry conditions quickly led to widespread acceptance of deep-well irrigation. At the same time, innovations in automotive and machinery increased horsepower and expanded farming methods, leading farmers to invest in trucks, tractors with special attachments, planting machines, and harvesters. Irrigation and new equipment made farming more strategic and diversified. Sugar beets became a popular dual-purpose cash crop because cattle could graze on the beet tops left after harvest, and many Hispanic migrant workers settled to labor in the sugar beet fields, including the intensive work of moving flood irrigation pipes. Sugar beets remained a mainstay until the early 1970s, when Great Western Sugar sold out to the Hunt brothers, who later declared bankruptcy after sugar and silver prices fell. Irrigation also made field selection and crop rotation more practical, increasing the diversity of irrigated crops such as corn, wheat and other grains, hay, and sunflowers. Center-pivot irrigation systems replaced flood irrigation and made it possible to apply fertilizers and other chemicals directly through watering. Improved soil management practices, including weed control, moisture conservation, and fertility-building programs, became hallmarks of good farming. Global Positioning Systems and no-till farming later brought unprecedented energy efficiency and soil and water conservation. Much of the locally grown corn is used to feed cattle and hogs in nearby feeding facilities or in the ethanol industry, and the region’s financial strength depends heavily on farming and cattle feeding.