The irrigation industry has done a tremendous job over the past century creating irrigation systems that apply water and nutrients more efficiently and more easily.
Inge Bisconer, Managing Member of Surf ‘N Earth Enterprises, is a technical sales and marketing consultant who has worked 40+ years in the agriculture and landscape irrigation industries. She earned a bachelor’s in agriculture from the University of California, Davis and an MBA in technology management from the University of Phoenix. She taught soil science and landscape irrigation at MiraCosta College. Bisconer currently serves as the IA president and was honored with the IA’s Industry Achievement Award in 2016.
Bisconer connected with New AG International to provide a 2024 outlook for the irrigation sector.
Inge Bisconer, Managing Member Of Surf ‘N Earth Enterprises
How would you describe the current state of the irrigation market, both in the U.S. and abroad? The current state of the irrigation market, both domestically and internationally, is at a pivotal juncture. In the U.S., we’re seeing significant opportunities emerge due to the intensified focus on aquifer water resource management, the persistent challenges of drought and impacts of a changing climate across the country, and for producers to have better tools to manage risk and increase productivity. Sustainable agricultural practices are also increasingly recognized as a key to the global effort to capture carbon and mitigate climate change, with efficient irrigation playing a leading role to reduce inputs, such as water, energy, nutrients and labour, whileat the same time increasing crop productivity and quality. In short, efficient irrigation is key in the emerging circular water and carbon economies.
This landscape is driving demand and spurring market innovation, with growers increasingly cognizant of the need to adapt to water resource regulations, climate dynamics, increasingly scarce and/or expensive inputs, and the need to produce more with less. Similarly, global markets are navigating these challenges, with a pronounced focus on sustainable practices and technological innovations, reflecting a collective move toward meeting the demands of modern agriculture in a changing climate. Emerging carbon markets are reshaping the landscape, offering new incentives for sustainable practices and potentially altering the dynamics of water and resource management. This trend is global, with growers worldwide adapting to heightened regulation and climate variability, indicating a universal shift toward more resilient and environmentally aligned agricultural practices all while working to meet the food, fuel and fibre needs of a growing population.
What are some stand-out technologies that you see on the horizon that could be ready for wider adoption by the industry? It’s an exciting time for the industry. By definition, “technology” is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, and there is a tsunami of it being developed and pitched to agricultural markets worldwide. The irrigation industry has done a tremendous job over the past century creating irrigation systems that apply water and nutrients more efficiently and more easily in countless application scenarios, including gravity, sprinkler and drip irrigation technologies for nearly any climate or terrain or soil. And this technology continues to evolve to do a better job of dealing with dirtier water, ever more scarce and expensive water, energy and nutrients, varying labour availability, emerging government regulations and societal challenges such as climate change. But there is still considerable opportunity for low-tech irrigators to step up and adopt these currently available, always improving systems. In the U.S. alone, over half of our irrigated acres utilize low-tech gravity methodologies that very well may warrant modernization to better gravity systems or pressurized sprinkler and/or drip irrigation systems. The next level of opportunity is adopting remote control technology for those who want a human to make the decision, but not necessarily want a human to carry out the task. Think solenoid-activated valves rather than manual, triggered by programming a controller or even operating the system from a smartphone. Remote control is now very robust, affordable and reliable, and can free up labour for more value-added activities, especially in remote locations. It also provides opportunity to optimize irrigation timing. The next level of opportunity is with automation, where irrigation events are triggered by data from various types of sensor technologies or even artificial intelligence or machine learning. This technology is exponentially growing its ability to
better interpret data, make recommendations and ultimately help producers make better decisions of when irrigation events should take place, and also help inform them of what the status of the irrigation system is. On another note, better education and training technology is also on the horizon to help a more diverse workforce enter agriculture, and better diagnostic technology helps optimize existing systems. All of these are sure to help irrigated agriculture meet its goal of producing more with less.
Overall, what are the main issues facing the irrigation industry today? The irrigation industry is at the leading edge of helping producers become more productive and efficient, all while advancing humanity’s responsible management and efficient utilization of water resources. Our industry embraces the opportunities and recognizes the responsibilities we have toward contributing solutions that enable long-term sustainability.
Our industry excels at developing new technologies and efficient precision irrigation products and services that work toward improved productivity in conjunction with resource sustainability. The focus then becomes increasing end user adoption of these valuable tools, attracting and retaining talent, along with promoting the utilization of qualified industry professionals. All this while advancing industry-recognized standards and best practices to ensure the wise use of water, energy and nutrients through the proper design, installation, operation and maintenance of efficient irrigation systems.
We must also continue to foster ongoing innovation, advance public policy that incentivizes adoption of more efficient irrigation products and services, and make educational and technical resources available to growers along with their trusted advisers, such as crop consultants. These efforts are crucial for the irrigation industry’s progression and integration with the total farm to ensure wiser water and resource usage while at the same time meeting humanity’s productivity and environmental sustainability needs.
How is the Irrigation Association working to address those issues? As an association, we understand the need to increase end-user adoption of efficient irrigation products and advocate for using the expertise of irrigation professionals. Our industry professionals are one of our greatest strengths — and equipping them with information and resources to more effectively champion the contributions of irrigation to farmland and landscapes is imperative.
Our advocacy efforts are focused on impacting decision-makers at both the federal and state levels to promote policies that support a thriving, growing irrigation industry, while also ensuring that the message of irrigation’s value to society and impact on our world is effectively communicated. The IA is positioned to be sought out as the credible and indispensable voice of the industry to policymakers, media and other decision-makers.
The IA’s work to engage with decision-makers on the IA’s priorities with upcoming farm bill legislation remains a priority in 2024. We are continuing to advocate with
members of Congress related to this bill. Our recommendations include three general priorities: 1) invest in and improve the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and other U.S. Department of Agriculture programs; 2) prioritize technical assistance, education and research; and 3) close the digital divide and protect critical infrastructure from 21st century threats. These main priorities will guide our advocacy work in the agriculture sector throughout 2024.
What are the main goals for the Irrigation Association in 2024? As an association, together with our members, the IA is looking forward to 2024 with energy and excitement about the opportunities that lie ahead as we work together to find solutions to challenges that our industry faces.
Our key strategic priorities will continue to drive the work that we do.
As we work to elevate the impact and value of our industry, our aim is to boost the adoption of efficient irrigation products among end-users and encourage a preference for engaging with irrigation professionals. We want to equip our industry professionals to champion the value of the irrigation sector, as the IA positions itself as a credible and indispensable voice within the industry. To this end, we are advocating for policies that incentivize increased adoption of irrigation products and services and increased use of irrigation professionals via the farm bill, the Water Conservation Tax Rebate Parity Act, and other federal, state and local conservation incentives and tax rebates, as well as support for and engagement with the EPA WaterSense program.
We are also committed to building a professional, expert workforce by increasing the number of expert irrigation professionals, positioning the IA as the preferred partner for enhancing awareness and pursuing career pathways in irrigation, and providing valuable education and training offerings. We are working to advocate for financial resources so that industry professionals can pursue postsecondary certifications by supporting the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (S.722/H.R.1477). And we continue to advocate for improvements to the H-2B and H-2A guest worker programs, as well as immigration reform, to meet the workforce needs of the industry.
Finally, in pursuit of a thriving, growing industry, the IA endeavours to enhance cooperation among industry companies to create transparency and understanding of the irrigation marketplace. Additionally, we will work to measure industry growth and ensure that IA member companies maintain healthy workplace cultures to build and sustain competitiveness.
These strategic priorities collectively reflect the IA’s commitment to advancing the irrigation industry’s impact, fostering a skilled workforce, and promoting overall industry growth and prosperity. ●
The irrigation industry is at the leadingedge of helping producers become moreproductive and efficient.
Alberta, Canada’s Lethbridge College will receive CDN$1 million in infrastructure funding from the provincial government to expand the capacity of its applied research in irrigation science.
The provincial grant is in addition to $1 million in federal funding the college received last year from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The combined $2 million from the provincial and federal governments will support smart irrigation infrastructure needs for the Mueller Irrigation Research Group at the Lethbridge College (LC) research farm.
“Our Smart Irrigation Farm will undertake research to minimize water usage in our agricultural system in the face of future droughts and maximize crop productivity,” said Kenny Corscadden, vice president research and partnerships and interim vice president academic.
The smart irrigation infrastructure at Lethbridge College’s research farm is the first of its kind among post-secondary institutions across Canada. These grants will enable the Mueller Irrigation Research Group to continue to expand its capabilities, providing opportunities for students, researchers and industry partners.
“These grants will help us to increase the capacity of our group to do plot and field scale experiments on the LC research farm,” said Dr. Willemijn Appels, senior applied research chair. “We’ll be able to purchase the latest irrigation technology and plant/soil sensing equipment to investigate the effects of management decisions regarding irrigation management, nutrient and land management on soils and crops in great detail. Our goal is to
distill practical management strategies for precision agriculture in irrigation from this detailed work.”
The funding will be used to upgrade irrigation equipment on the research farm. The centre pivots and linear move systems will be outfitted with variable rate irrigation (VRI) technology, better mapping systems and other equipment required to enhance site-specific irrigation management. The funding will also help provide agricultural equipment for plot and field experiments, lab equipment for sample analysis, and sensors to capture instant observations of plant, soil and weather conditions anywhere on the farm.
“The equipment will boost our capacity for laboratory work as well, which means that we will need to have less analysis done by third parties and can do more in house,” Appels said. “That’s great for our own research and student projects, and it will also increase our flexibility to work with industry.” ●
Irrigation infrastructure at the Lethbridge College research farm.Photo: Lethbridge College
CropX Technologies announced the launch of a new product in partnership with Reinke Irrigation to refine water management for farmers through field-specific evapotranspiration (ET) measurements of crop water use.
Reinke Direct ET by CropX is an innovation that provides affordable actual evapotranspiration (ETa) measurements with a sensor mounted on a Reinke center pivot irrigation system, available exclusively through Reinke.
ET values indicate the total water used by plants and evaporated from the soil. Reinke Direct ET by CropX offers measured, not modeled, field-specific values without need for any additional calculations. A news release states this offers farmers using Reinke center pivots a practical solution to manage water resources with greater precision. By measuring the amount of water that their crops use, Reinke Direct ET gives farmers daily insights into their field's water needs, enabling informed irrigation decisions on when and how much to irrigate their crops. “This innovation aims to promote water-efficient practices and support sustainable farming using a device that is easy to install and maintain and does not require removal at the end of the season,” states the news release.
Chris Roth, president of Reinke, said the company is renowned for its innovative and practical precision irrigation solutions. “Reinke will continue to lead the industry by partnering with CropX to offer actual evapotranspiration data from a farmer’s specific field. With this enhanced insight, farmers can make better decisions at the field level, where it counts the most.”
In addition to Reinke Direct ET by CropX available on the Reinke center pivots, CropX is also releasing its actual ET sensor, a device that can be installed in any field to measure ETa. When used in combination with a CropX soil sensor as part of the CropX agronomic farm management system, growers will have access to the most accurate overview of water-plant usage and soil water availability to bring the highest accuracy to irrigation decisions. The underlying ET measurement technology was developed by Tule Technologies, which was acquired by CropX in January 2023.
“CropX Technologies is committed to gathering the best data from the field and delivering it to growers to enhance their agronomic management decisions. Precision agriculture is crucial for modern farming. Our collaboration with Reinke Irrigation allows us to deliver practical solutions that help pivot farmers optimize their water usage, while our new actual ET devices can ensure non-pivot growers can access the same level of detail,” said Tomer Tzach, CEO of CropX. ●
Lumo, an agtech company that tackles water challenges, announces a trial of its irrigation technology with Treasury Americas, a division of the global wine company, Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), in Napa, Calif.
In a news release, Lumo stated it aims to help growers revolutionize the way they manage water in their vineyards, empowering them to automate and closely monitor irrigation activities.
"Efficient irrigation is paramount in bridging the gap between water usage and the quality of fruit," said Devon Wright, Lumo CEO and founder.
Currently, 24 of Lumo's smart irrigation valves are being utilized by TWE, allowing the company to manage irrigation on 90 acres of Napa vineyard land. Lumo stated the trial with TWE should provide evidence of how Lumo's advanced water technology can help to improve operational efficiencies while aiding in water conservation. ●
