EDITORIAL MESSAGE


Best of both worlds O


ne thing I have learned from being around the agricultural industry is that there is always more to learn. Whether it is new technology, genetic innovations, new practices and products for pest and disease


control, updated equipment, etc., there is always something coming on the horizon.


Ag companies and researchers are continually searching for new ways to help farmers do their jobs better, easier, more economically and more sustainably. It can be difficult to keep up. For many in ag production, annual farm and trade shows have been the best way to get caught up on what’s new out there. 2020 made it difficult because those shows were canceled.


But, in a “find the silver lining in the cloud” sort of way, the industry adjusted and provided an incredible array of virtual opportunities to learn and keep up with what was going on. The empty space was filled with online webinars, conferences, field demos and virtual trade shows. For the first time, it was pos- sible to take advantage of something offered in a region far from home or even an international event — without traveling.


Many organi gan zations are planning


a safe return to offering in-person ev


events, while also reaching a larger audience with online programming.


If you have comments, suggestions or an idea for what you would like to see covered in a future issue, please feel free to contact me at anneblankenbiller@irrigation.org.


The irrigation resource for today’s growers


Published by: Irrigation Association 8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Dr. Suite 630 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


Associate Publisher Trisha Klaus


Editor-in-Chief Anne Blankenbiller anneblankenbiller@ irrigation.org


Creative Director Sean Burris


4 Irrigation TODAY | Spring 2021


Business Development Director Stephanie Clark


National Sales Representatives Tom Schoen Central U.S. tom.schoen@bock-assoc.com 952.905.3214


Tara Schelling East, West & International taraschelling@irrigation.org 215.588.5811


Editorial Committee Chair Diann Ilkenhons Senninger Irrigation Inc.


Editorial Committee Jonathan Aguilar, PhD, PE Kansas State University


Julie Bushell Paige Electric – Ag


Charles Hillyer, PhD, Vice Chair Center for Irrigation Technology, Fresno State University


Susan Hutton Irrigation Innovation Consortium


Jacob Knipp Reinke Manufacturing Co. Inc.


Michael A. Noftle, CAIS, CID Ideal Design Solutions LLC


Karin Novotny Rivulis Irrigation


Kevin Stewart, CAIS Jain Irrigation Inc.


Bill S. Thornton, Past Chair Watertronics


irrigationtoday.org


Contributors Inge Bisconer, CID, CLIA Steve Brown Chip Carlson Ruediger Claas John Farner George Oamek, PhD Roric Paulman Rick Reinders Cassandra Toves Robert Welke, Dip. Mech. Eng., CIAg, CIAL


As we inch closer to normalcy, I foresee us benefitting from the past year and getting the best of both worlds. Many organizations are planning a safe return to offering in-person events, while also reaching a larger audience with online programming. The Irrigation Association is a perfect example. While the IA is planning for the 2021 Irrigation Show and Education Week in San Diego in December, the success of its conferences and the Industry Insights weekly webinar series has opened the door to continue these types of educational opportunities. The goal going forward is to provide a hybrid format that meets the needs of the entire industry.


Watch for more opportunities out there in the days to come and take advan- tage of keeping up and maybe even learning about something you have always been curious about.


Anne Blankenbier Irrigation Today Editor-in-Chief


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