While farmers could not visit the Hill due to COVID-19, the American Soybean Association continued to find ways to advocate for U.S. soy growers. Throughout October, the ASA #SeeSoyHarvest video campaign took Congress through growers’ fields virtually in soybean-producing states across the country. The six harvest videos highlight the importance of U.S. soy for trade, infrastructure, biodiesel and biotechnology while illustrating the opportunities and challenges for agriculture.
The videos were launched biweekly beginning Oct. 6 and were sent to key Hill staff working on agriculture and soy-related issues. By communicating priority issues with legislators, soy growers were able to remind their state and local officials that they remain a resource as critical agricultural policy decisions are made and offer a passenger seat inside their combines to see what soy harvest is like on the farm. The videos are on the ASA YouTube channel, accessible through www.soygrowers.com.
In lieu of the annual California Agricultural Irrigation Association fall meeting typically held in Pismo Beach, the CAIA hosted a virtual event on Oct. 14, 2020. Thank you to IDC LLC, Rubicon Water and Wildeye USA for their support to make this event possible.
During the proceedings, a legislative update on water issues facing the western United States, as well as the current regulatory environment in Washington, D.C., was presented by Dennis Albiani and Anthony Molina of California Advocates, John Farner of the Irrigation Association, and Dan Keppen of the Family Farm Alliance. Even during this difficult period, the CAIA continues its work to make certain that the important issues affecting its members are understood by our elected officials.
Stuart Styles, PhD, PE, CID, director of Cal Poly’s Irrigation Training and Research Center, gave a technical presentation entitled, “The Effect of Upstream Chemical Injection on Magnetic Flow Meters,” which was informative and well received.
The CAIA’s next meeting will be held virtually and in conjunction with the online 2021 World Ag Expo which takes place Feb. 9-11. CAIA members, irrigation industry representatives and other interested parties are all encouraged to attend. For more information, visit www.calirrigation.com.
We hope you will join the Family Farm Alliance (virtually, that is) during the week of Feb. 15 to learn how Western agricultural water users are working with their communities, federal and state governments, investors, and nongovernmental organizations to shore up their water reliability. The 2021 Family Farm Alliance annual conference originally scheduled in Reno, Nevada, will now be a virtual event.
“This decision by the Alliance board of directors was made after careful consideration of all options,” said Alliance President Patrick O’Toole. “With the global COVID pandemic, and the associated uncertainty that surrounds us during this difficult time, the board decided it was not in the best interest of our attendees to move forward with an on-location event.”
More information — including final dates, registration and sponsorship opportunities, and a program agenda — can be downloaded on the Family Farm Alliance website: www.familyfarmalliance.org.
On Nov. 5, the IA brought the industry together to present its first-ever Agricultural Irrigation Summit. The virtual event featured addresses from ag industry leaders, including Kate Greenberg, Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, and Diane E. Gelburd, PhD, deputy chief for science and technology with the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
A unique portion of the event was the CEO roundtable including leaders from some of today’s top irrigation manufacturers: Len Adams, Valley Irrigation (A); Mike Hemman, Netafim (B); Aric Olson, Jain Irrigation (C); and Randy Wood, Lindsay Corporation (D). The summit also included a panel of growers discussing everything from technology advances and adoption to global challenges related to water use and the future.
Thank you to the Agricultural Irrigation Summit sponsors: Jain Irrigation, Lindsay Corporation, Netafim and Valley Irrigation.
The Industry Insights for agriculture weekly webinar series continues through March. These webinars feature industry experts discussing a variety of today’s relevant topics. Choose from webinars discussing microirrigation issues, using satellite data, the Internet of Things, irrigation technology management and scheduling, and more. Check out the full schedule and register at www.irrigation.org/industryinsights.
Register now and mark your calendar to attend this virtual summit that will provide insight into how to produce more leaders in your organization and identify common traps all leaders fall into. You’ll learn how to build positive, lasting change in your company — all through the lens of irrigation.
Go to www.irrigationshow.org for more information and to register. The Leadership Summit is being sponsored by premier sponsor Hunter Industries and presenting sponsors HARCO Fittings, Horizon and Solutionview.
Have you seen the new Irrigation Today website? Go to www.irrigationtoday.org for the latest ag and irrigation news, magazine information and much more.
U.S. cotton producers are encouraged to participate in National Cotton Council-coordinated webinars to help them learn more about the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and to enroll in this voluntary program that aims to give brands/ retailers the critical assurances needed to source U.S. cotton. A list of webinars is at https://trustuscotton.org/enrollment-webinar-live-sessions/.
The virtual 2021 Beltwide Cotton Conferences, Jan. 5-7, offered livestreamed presentations from the Cotton Consultants Conference and technical sessions that can be tailored to improve individual farming operations. Registration (at www.cotton.org/beltwide) will remain open after the conference for on-demand access of all recorded content.
The NCC’s 2021 Annual Meeting also will be held virtually with committee meetings the weeks of Jan. 25 and Feb. 1, and NCC Board/General Session meetings are slated for Feb. 11-12. Direct questions to info@cotton.org.
The National Ground Water Association released a study on the financial and health benefits of testing and disinfecting private waters wells. The white paper, Well Owner Disinfection Decisions Affected by Pathogenic Contamination, reports that the cost of protective well testing and disinfection in wells is substantially less than medical treatment and lost wages stemming from illness due to pathogenic contamination.
Microbial contamination of wells can result from human and animal fecal contamination carried to a well from sources including floodwater, waste lagoon seepage, septage and sewerage leaks, and pasturage runoff.
Health effects can result from pathogens causing waterborne illness and cost approximately $11,910 to $12,690 for treatment, hospitalization and lost wages. Well safety can range from $570 to $1,395 for well testing and disinfection.
Go to www.NGWA.org to view the white paper.
While COVID-related food industry shutdowns created significant challenges in 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture responded to potato industry requests by providing both the largest surplus commodity purchase program and the largest direct payment disaster relief program in our industry’s history.
Unfortunately, COVID is continuing to impact our 2021 planning. After serious deliberation, the Potato LEAF Board of Directors decided to not conduct a Potato Industry Leadership Institute class for 2021. Additionally, the National Potato Council announced that the 2021 Potato D.C. Fly-In will be a virtual event. The event will now occur the week of Feb. 22-26 as originally scheduled and will also include the NPC Annual Meeting, all in a virtual format.
The decision to make these changes, as well as holding a virtual Potato Expo 2021, was painful economically for NPC and organizationally for the industry. Regardless, this industry is resilient and will come out on the other side of this crisis even stronger than before. For more information, go to www.nationalpotatocouncil.org.
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