Pivots Over Pasture? 

By Kris Polly

Nebraska probably has the densest concentration of center pivots on earth, but it is unusual for those pivots to be irrigating pasture. In our cover story this month, we speak with southwestern Nebraska rancher Jacob Miller, whose pivot-supported 365-day grazing program is just one of the things that sets his operation apart. We discuss the range of regenerative practices he employs in raising grass-fed beef cattle. 

Next, we mark the 30th anniversary of AquaLastic, the producer of a long-lasting, durable sealant product for canals and concrete and metal structures. The very first AquaLastic application in an irrigation district, executed 30 years ago, is still operational and effective. In our conversation with Chas Weatherford, the owner of AquaLastic, we learn more about the sealant and its many uses to seal and preserve irrigation infrastructure. 

Then, we pay a visit to the Precision Technology Institute, Precision Planting’s 400‑acre research farm in Pontiac, Illinois. The facility, managed by Lead Commercial Agronomist Jason Webster, carries out tests to improve yield, profitability, and sustainability across a range of crops. Recently, it has been testing Netafim drip irrigation systems on soybeans, and it is still pushing forward to get even better yields. We learn more in a conversation with Mr. Webster and Davey Rock, Netafim’s key account manager for Midwest agriculture. 

With so much national focus on the arid western states, many people do not realize that Arkansas is the number 3 state in the union in terms of its irrigated area and the number 2 state in how much water is pumped for irrigation. We speak with Wes Ward, the Secretary of Agriculture of Arkansas, to learn about how the state is strengthening irrigated agriculture and planning for the future. 

After that, we look toward Costa Rica, where a new project has installed several Rubicon Water automated gate structures in the system of the Arenal Tempisque Irrigation District. 

Last, we speak with Jessi Korinek, a cofounder and the CEO of startup company Nave Analytics. Nave provides several efficient, cost-effective decision support and analytics tools for farmers that are based on satellite data rather than in-field sensors. Ms. Korinek tells us more about the capabilities of these user-friendly tools. 

Agriculture is an industry with a broad time horizon. Farmers don’t think merely in terms of years or even decades—many times, they think in generational terms, about improving their operations and creating something that can be passed down to their children. That is why technologies, research endeavors, and government efforts that aim to lay the groundwork for many years of future success are so critical. I hope you enjoy reading about them in this month’s issue of Irrigation Leader. 

Kris Polly is the editor-in-chief of Irrigation Leader magazine and the president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at kris.polly@waterstrategies.com.