(The following is printed
courtesy of IH Farm Forum.)
CHICAGO The artificial
application of water to soil for the
purpose of plant production
irrigation is as old as
agriculture. Yet, probably more
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has been learned about the subject Missouri-Columbia. “We have a
in the last 20 years than ever tremendous amount of technology
before. and equipment available now,”
“But, we still have a lot to
learn,” says Herman Workman,
Extension farm management
specialist at the University of
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Workman adds. "What we need to
put together now is the right
combination of management and
technology to get maximum
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benefits.”
Irrigation began its popularity
surge in the late ’6os and has ex
ceeded growth projections over the
last 20 years. About 90 percent of
the irrigation in the Midwest was
developed since the invention of
the center-pivot system in the ’sos.
This increased use of center-pivot
systems in the Midwest has ex
ceeded most expectations.
But in the 1980’s, several factors
tended to slow the growth of
irrigation systems. The increase in
energy costs had people taking a
new look at the economics of
running all irrigation systems and,
in a few cases, shifting to crops
requiring less water.
A concern about the depletion of
water used to support irrigation
systems is another reason the
growth curve isn’t rising as
sharply as before. In certain areas
like the High Plains of Texas,
through parts of Oklahoma and
western Kansas underground
water supplies are dwindling. All
of these factors have not reversed
the growth of irrigation, but have
slowed its increase.
Today, when you mention
irrigation, you must be specific.
You could be talking drip, sprinkle,
center pivot, cable tow, flood, high
pressure, low pressure, micro or
loggers, just to name a few. And,
even more innovations are coming.
“For instance,” says Don
Pretzer, associate professor of
Extension farm management at
Kansas State University in
Manhattan, “low-pressure center
pivot systems are being developed
that require only 25 to 35 pounds of
pressure to do the same job as
older systems using 75 or more
pounds. This represents
tremendous energy savings.”
Concerns over water use will
make one thing certain new
irrigation innovations will be
New ag agency formed
HERSEY, Pa. Lon Johnson
and Tom Cooper, two ag
marketing professionals with over
50 combined yeass of experience,
have joined to form Key Marketing
Services, with headquarters in
Hershey. The company will also
maintain an office in Clermont,
Fla., near Orlando.
According to Johnson, president,
the new company will provide
advertising, public relations, sales
promotion and incentive
programs, as well as other types of
marketing services. “We will
specialize in helping farm
equipment dealers, distributors
and manufacturers, since that is
where the bulk of our experience
lies,” said Johnson. “But we will
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extremely efficient. Bill Lyle,
Texas A&M ag engineer, says
irrigation systems in Texas are
efficient already and foresees
them becoming even better.
“We’ve been thinking efficiency in
Texas since the beginning because
of the water situation here.’’
The researchers all agree,
irrigation isn’t for every farmer or
location. “Whether a farmer
should install irrigation or not
depends on several factors,” says
Missouri’s Workman. “Payoff on a
system is highly variable. But,
given the ups and downs of far
ming, I’d say 10 years is a good
planning payoff estimate.”
Workman says a farmer should
first make certain he is a good
dryland farmer before adding
supplemental irrigation. “It takes
some really close figuring and
some very careful engineering and
financial planning to make the
correct decision,” he adds. “Of
course, the economics in areas
where irrigation is supplemental
and used as insurance is quite
different from areas where it is
vital to a crop.”
For Pretzer of Kansas, the main
consideration should be the yield
increases irrigation may offer.
“Simply put, a farmer must
compare his increased returns
with the increased cost he will
have with irrigation. Then, if in his
best estimate irrigation will make
him money, consider it. If not,
forget it.”
“In the future, we will continue
to work irrigation into farming
systems,” Workman says. “It will
expand even more in some areas
and fade out in others. Farmers
will continue to look for labor- and
fuel-saving systems that they can
maneuver and work with. Systems
that meet this goal and are
profitable for the farmer definitely
are in our future.”
be talking with all types of ag
companies because we think we
know how to help them with their
advertising needs.”
Johnson noted that she has been
involved in ag marketing for over
15 years. She has worked for
several advertising agencies on
agricultural and industrial ac
counts, and has worked for Avco
New Idea farm equipment and
Senninger Irrigation in their m
house advertising departments.
Partner Tom Cooper is a veteran
ag professional, having worked for
Sperry New Holland, Massey and
Avco New Idea. With Over 35 years
experience, he recently retired
from his position as New Idea’s
Eastern Regional Manager.