Room to grow

I’d like to start out this column with a big thank you to all of those who came to the Irrigation Show and Education Week in San Antonio.

I was especially glad to be involved in an Industry Insights presentation of the results of the 2024 Green Industry Outlook Survey – Contractors. While the survey itself is geared more toward landscape irrigation contractors, several of the key takeaways apply across the board.

One of those crossovers deals with the potential for smart irrigation technologies to impact the upcoming year. Among landscape irrigation contractors, 54% think that it’s the top trend that will make a difference for their company. Especially if you’re a farmer in an area facing any significant level of water scarcity, it’s likely that you’re thinking similarly.

Making an investment here can pay off both in more money at season’s end and in a better outlook for everyone in the irrigation industry.

But, currently at least, smart irrigation practices like connected controllers and weather-checking systems aren’t the norm for landscape irrigation professionals. While most professionals believe that demand for products like those will increase moderately in the upcoming year, less than 40% of their customers are using smart controllers today. That means there’s a lot of room for growth and potentially a lot of money left on the table.

Some of the same ideas could be true for agriculture. Smart irrigation practices, like those including working with soil moisture sensors and remote irrigation system management, can make the most of the water you’re working with, and might result in lower water and power bills over time. For agricultural professionals, that can make an enormous difference in the end result for a crop and for your bottom line at the end of the season. Whether or not you’re in a region facing water scarcity, it’s worth taking some time to consider, if only to find a way to save a little extra money.

Even beyond that, improving your irrigation system to include smart practices is an important way you can share the message that growers like yourself are part of the path forward for dealing with those water scarcity issues. Making an investment here can pay off both in more money at season’s end and in a better outlook for everyone in the irrigation industry.

Irrigation Today Editor-in-Chief