Editorial message
New innovation on the horizon
It is with great pleasure and expectation that I can finally report that the Irrigation Innovation Consortium has officially become a reality. The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research has graciously funded a noble new enterprise with its initial $5 million grant, and the project was further bolstered by a matching $5 million from university and industry participants.
The formal announcement was made April 28 in Denver, Colorado, at the Water in the West Symposium. The steps leading up to this announcement involved a deliberate and methodical formative process carried out over a year, building from the initial FFAR-sponsored convening event in April 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The formative process was quite rewarding for me, personally. The convening event brought more than 30 universities and companies together to affirm the need for this Consortium. The underpinning purpose is to accomplish research, demonstration and training that is sorely needed in the worlds of irrigation — both landscape and agriculture. Much of the work will be done in the white space of irrigation technology.
By Stephen W. Smith, PhD, FASIC, CAIS, CLIA Irrigation Today Editorial Board Chair
The underpinning purpose is to
accomplish research, demonstration and training that is sorely needed in the worlds of irrigation.
Published by: Irrigation Association 8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive Suite 400 Fairfax, VA 22031-4511 USA Tel 703.536.7080 Fax 703.536.7019
info@irrigationtoday.org www.irrigationtoday.org
Publisher Deborah M. Hamlin, CAE, FASAE
deborahhamlin@irrigation.org
Editor-in-Chief Anne Blankenbiller
anneblankenbiller@irrigation.org
Art Director Trisha Klaus
trishaklaus@irrigation.org
Account Manager Jim Dempsey
jimdempsey@irrigation.org 440.657.0909
Technical Advisor Brent Q. Mecham, CID, CLWM, CIC, CLIA, CAIS
brentmecham@irrigation.org
4 Irrigation TODAY | July 2018
The formative process, something like giving birth (I can only assume), included discussions and evaluation, plus face-to-face meetings and an active exchange of ideas. The result is that we now have five land-grant universities, multiple private companies and other key water entities united together under an already geographically large umbrella. Additional university and industry participants have already expressed interest and enthusiastic support as the Consortium footprint expands.
Outcomes will be borne out over time. This is not a “project” with a start and a projected end date. The Irrigation Innovation Consortium is intended to have a long reach over time to bring increased operational and management efficiencies to landscape and agriculture irrigation.
Thank you to all who participated in the formative process, the announcement — and for the real work yet to come.
The irrigation resource for today’s growers
Editorial Board Chair Stephen W. Smith, PhD, FASIC, CAIS, CLIA Principal, Wade Water LLC
Editorial Board Brian P. Frerich, CID Eco-Drip Irrigation Supply Inc.
Charles Hillyer, PhD Irrigation for the Future
Diann Ilkenhons Senninger Irrigation Inc.
Michael A. Noftle, CAIS, CID Ideal Design Solutions LLC
Jackie (Jay) W.D. Robbins II, PE, TSP, CAIS, CID Irrigation-Mart Inc.
Warren C. Thoma Warren Thoma & Associates LLC
Bill S. Thornton Watertronics
Jill A. Zwiener Valley Irrigation
Contributors Camil Aliman Reece Andrews Stefano Carpin, PhD Paul Colaizzi, PhD Eric Elle Ken Goldberg, PhD Kylen Hunt Elizabeth McCartney Susan O’Shaughnessy, PhD George Oamek, PhD Wesley Porter, PhD Desi Ramirez George Vellidis, PhD Joshua Viers, PhD Stavros Vougioukas, PhD
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