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Water-wise: New irrigation products on display

Innovations to improve water efficiency and conservation were showcased at this year’s Irrigation Show and Education Week.

Curt Arens, Editor, Nebraska Farmer

December 13, 2023

10 Slides
 Ag irrigation systems, components, sensors, telemetry and other technologies were on full display at the annual Irrigation Show

It’s all about new tech, but the new technologies that help improve water conservation, lower equipment maintenance, and offer new monitoring and control abilities show special promise in the irrigation realm.

These technologies were among the newest of the new products on display at the annual Irrigation Show and Education Week, hosted by the Irrigation Association at the end of November in San Antonio.

In addition to a new product contest, the show this year showcased leading agriculture irrigation companies — hosting Industry Insights presentations on varied topics in the irrigation world; and IA University, courses that were offered to improve overall knowledge and expertise for industry technicians.

An IA 2022 survey of attendees at last year’s show said people enjoyed the hands-on access to the latest products and technologies as one of the main reasons they attended, along with the industry educational offerings and the opportunity to network with other farmers and irrigation professionals.

Among the 200-plus irrigation exhibitors at the show, there were also landscape irrigation and lighting vendors included, with ag irrigation just one portion on display. New products at this year’s show focused on improved water efficiency, with cutting-edge valve designs that reduced pressure losses, and a backwash valve that improves the quality of water going through the system.

There were plenty of controllers and monitoring systems that could help diagnose irrigation system issues, including one that would monitor center-pivot-tower alignment issues. But connectivity in the field was also on display, with numerous systems that worked to establish fast in-field connections. Of course, fertigation systems were also a part of the show, with new products that helped with more accurately applying expensive nutrients to crops.

With so many innovations on the exhibit floor during the show, IA officials acknowledged during the general session panel discussion that AI and machine learning are sure to be a bigger part of the irrigation industry down the road. Today, it is mostly confined to training materials, communications and marketing, and a few other aspects of the business, but industry professionals said many times during the show that new uses for these technologies are being tested all the time.

For more information on the Irrigation Show and Education Week, visit irrigation.org. To learn more about some of the new products featured at this year’s show in San Antonio, click through the slideshow.

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About the Author

Curt Arens

Editor, Nebraska Farmer

Curt Arens began writing about Nebraska’s farm families when he was in high school. Before joining Farm Progress as a field editor in April 2010, he had worked as a freelance farm writer for 27 years, first for newspapers and then for farm magazines, including Nebraska Farmer.

His real full-time career, however, during that same period was farming his family’s fourth generation land in northeast Nebraska. He also operated his Christmas tree farm and grew black oil sunflowers for wild birdseed. Curt continues to raise corn, soybeans and alfalfa and runs a cow-calf herd.

Curt and his wife Donna have four children, Lauren, Taylor, Zachary and Benjamin. They are active in their church and St. Rose School in Crofton, where Donna teaches and their children attend classes.

Previously, the 1986 University of Nebraska animal science graduate wrote a weekly rural life column, developed a farm radio program and wrote books about farm direct marketing and farmers markets. He received media honors from the Nebraska Forest Service, Center for Rural Affairs and Northeast Nebraska Experimental Farm Association.

He wrote about the spiritual side of farming in his 2008 book, “Down to Earth: Celebrating a Blessed Life on the Land,” garnering a Catholic Press Association award.

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