ASSOCIATION NEWS
Julie Bushell, vice president of Paige Water Solutions, and president-elect of the Irrigation Association, Fairfax, Virginia, has been reappointed as a representative member of the Federal Communications Commission’s Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States.
Her appointment, effective from the establishment date of the rechartered task force on Nov. 29, 2023, will last until the end of the task force on Jan. 1, 2025.
It’s time to plan to attend the 2024 Irrigation Show and Education Week at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center in Long Beach, California, from Nov. 4-7.
The event will offer unique education opportunities, access to the latest in irrigation technology and networking with a community of peers. Attendees can check out one of the educational sessions or interact with new technology with the New Product Contest on the exhibit floor.
Event registration will open in June. For more information on the Irrigation Show and Education Week, visit
irrigationshow.org.
The task force is a federal advisory committee established in consultation with the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. It is tasked with advising and recommending measures to the commission on assessing and promoting the deployment of broadband internet access service on unserved agricultural land, aiming to promote precision agriculture.
In her role, Bushell will attend at least three one-day plenary task force meetings per year during the task force’s term and participate in specific working groups of the task force. Her status as a voting member is representative of the Irrigation Association and not as a “special government employee.”
Bushell’s involvement in the task force is part of a broader initiative to explore how connectivity can improve sustainability in agricultural production.
The Irrigation Association announced four newly elected members of the IA Board of Directors. • Mark McCostlin, global sales director, Agri-Inject Inc. (Yuma, Colorado)
• Erwin Newell, vice president of business development and irrigation, TriEst Ag Group (Tampa, Florida)
• Todd Polderman, vice president of marketing for landscape irrigation and outdoor lighting, Hunter Industries (San Marcos, California)
• Mark Stuhlsatz, CIT, CLIA, regional vice president, Ryan Lawn and Tree (Mission, Kansas)
These directors started their terms at the conclusion of the 2023 Irrigation Show and Education Week and joined the 11 other members who are continuing their terms from previous years. The IA Board is made up of 15 elected leaders in the irrigation industry.
The IA welcomes these new leaders to the board and the association. Their contributions are essential to the IA’s work to elevate the impact and value of the industry and create an environment where irrigation businesses can thrive and grow.
“Our four new directors bring highly respected experience and expertise to the IA Board,” says IA CEO Natasha Rankin, MBA, CAE. “I look forward to the insights and contributions each of them brings to the IA Board as we carry out our mission to be the recognized authority in efficient irrigation. We appreciate the commitment these industry leaders provide to the IA and its members and their efforts to further the industry and association’s long-term sustainability and growth.”
The IA Board of Directors is tasked with establishing the association’s strategic direction, policies and programs. Directors are nominated and elected each year by members of the association and represent the diversity of member types and market segments.
To learn more about the IA Board of Directors and view the complete roster, visit www.
irrigation.org/boardofdirectors.
irrigationtoday.org Spring 2024 | Irrigation TODAY 35
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