Stay on message

I recently had the opportunity to appear as a guest on a few industry podcasts to discuss various aspects of the landscape irrigation market, particularly highlighting exceptional contractors in the field. Most of the shows were running live, so I had to make sure I had my notes right in front of me, plus one additional note that I always keep nearby when connecting with irrigation professionals.

That note is just a phrase on a piece of paper on my desk, written in all caps: STAY ON MESSAGE. It’s a friendly reminder to myself that whenever I’m talking with others in the industry, nothing is more important than sharing the message of how efficient, smart water use impacts our world every day. When it comes to connecting with the wider world, it never hurts to have a reminder of just how important it is to share that story.

I’d invite you to see this month as a way to stay on message and remind people of the importance not just of what you’re doing every day, but of their own management of a vital resource.

That’s what Smart Irrigation Month, celebrated each July by the Irrigation Association, is all about. It’s meant to promote the social, economic and environmental benefits of efficient irrigation in all its forms, whether you’re setting up a sprinkler or calibrating your system to provide exactly the right amount of water to your crops. The month-long initiative raises public awareness of the hard work growers do every day.

This year’s theme, and the message I’d like to get people discussing, is “What’s the value of smart irrigation?” Efficient water use means more than just getting more for less. It impacts everyone on a day-to-day basis. It means global food security and healthy communities. It means creating well-paying, skilled jobs that encourage community growth and support the national economy.

Given the challenges that the industry faces across labor concerns and declining water availability, there are plenty of messages already being shared about water and how people are using it, especially in the ag community. It’s easy to get bogged down in those obstacles or sidetracked. I’d invite you to see this month as a way to stay on message and remind people of the importance not just of what you’re doing every day, but of their own management of a vital resource.

Check out smartirrigationmonth.org or look on page 32 for some ways you can get that message out.

Irrigation Today Editor-in-Chief