The California Agricultural Irrigation Association will host its fall meeting Sept. 14-15 at the SeaCrest Oceanfront Hotel in Pismo Beach, California. Ernest Conant, regional director of the Mid-Pacific Region of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, will speak. Conant had nearly 40 years of water law experience advocating for water for both agriculture and municipalities before being named to this position in January 2019.
During the meeting, the CAIA will present a legislative update on the current water issues facing the western United States, as well as the regulatory environment in Washington, D.C. In addition, educational and technical sessions will be provided during the two-day period. The real high point of the meeting will be the chance to network and catch up with CAIA members and guests on the latest happenings in the agricultural community.
Additional information regarding this event will be posted on the CAIA website at calirrigation.com. CAIA members, irrigation industry representatives and other interested parties are all encouraged to attend.
Western agriculture has long wrestled with its ability to communicate with the people who take for granted that food will always be plentiful and available. In late March, an idea to sound the alarm of the pending food scarcity issue began with some Klamath Basin farmers.
Producers in March caught in the crosshairs banded together to take out a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal, sharing the viewpoint that the government’s delivery of water to farmers is critical to ensuring a strong domestic food supply.
The Family Farm Alliance and California Farm Water Coalition teamed up and went to work. The ad ran on April 2 and the QR code at the bottom of the ad led readers to a webpage with more information about this dire situation and what must be done to correct it. The landing page links to a recent Alliance report, “A Wake-Up Call to our National Leaders From an American Rancher,” which further describes current and projected food shortages resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war. The report can be found at familyfarmalliance.org.
The Irrigation Association, Fairfax, Virginia, announced the winners of the 2022 Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra Scholarship Program. In its sixth year, the program awarded 18 scholarships to recipients studying and pursuing careers in the irrigation field.
Rain Bird is the exclusive sponsor of the scholarship program through 2026 to honor Rain Bird’s late president and CEO, Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra.
The 18 students are from colleges and universities around the nation and are enrolled in associate to graduate programs with an irrigation focus. The scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, were awarded based on the candidate’s letter of intent, financial need, resume, list of irrigation courses and letters of reference.
Since the program’s inception in 2016, 107 students have been awarded scholarships. View the list of the winners on Irrigation Today‘s website.
The Irrigation Association is hosting the 2022 Irrigation Show and Education Week co-locating with the National Ground Water Association, in Las Vegas. The show will include the latest irrigation products, IA University courses and networking opportunities. Registration opens this summer with early bird discounts. For more information, go to irrigationshow.org.
The Irrigation Association is now accepting applications for the 2022 Irrigation E3 program. Students and faculty are encouraged to apply and take advantage of the opportunities available only at the annual Irrigation Show and Education Week.
The E3 program, lead sponsored by The Toro Company in 2022, provides students and educators with exposure, experience and education in the irrigation industry. Winners will receive an education and travel award for the 2022 Irrigation Show in Las Vegas Dec. 5-9. At the Irrigation Show, E3 winners are given the chance to walk the trade show floor, take education classes and network with industry professionals.
Student and faculty applications are due by Sept. 23 with notification of status by early October. Learn more about the student and faculty program requirements and the application process for each at irrigation.org/E3.
Smart Irrigation Month is our industry’s opportunity to come together during the month of July to promote the social, economic and environmental benefits of efficient irrigation. The IA invites the industry to join us for this important initiative. For more information, tips and resources, visit smartirrigationmonth.org or Industry Insights, Summer 2022.
More than 660 cotton producers, representing more than 1.2 million acres, enrolled their 2021 crop in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, a sustainability initiative which is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, soil loss, energy use and water use.
To increase participation in the Trust Protocol, cotton producers now can commit to enroll their 2022-2024 cotton crops. Along with the streamlined three-year enrollment feature, producers now can authorize account access for their crop consultant who can enter information on their behalf at trustuscotton.org. Also, if producers utilize the John Deere Operations Center they can pre-populate up to 40% of the data needed to complete their Fieldprint Analysis.
Other enrollment process enhancements soon will be available. Enrollment questions and others regarding the Trust Protocol can be directed to the grower helpdesk a growers@trustuscotton.org.
Western Growers member Joe Del Bosque was featured on “NBC Nightly News” speaking with anchor Lester Holt about the impact of the California drought on how he is growing his crops. Del Bosque Farms, located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, grows cantaloupes, honeydews and watermelons among other produce. Also featured in the piece were Bill Diedrich, president of the Board of Directors of the California Farm Water Coalition, and Mike Wide, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition. The segment, which originally aired on the evening newscast on April 28, can be viewed on the NBC News YouTube channel.
