U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns declared July Smart Irrigation Month as top agriculture officials and the Irrigation Association launched a tour to promote efficient irrigation.
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Irrigation Association Executive Director Tom Kimmell attended the first event Thursday, July 13, in Yazoo County, Miss., along with USDA Deputy Undersecretary Merlyn Carlson, who oversees the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Kimmell told the gathering on the farm of Byron Seward that irrigation water is a finite resource that must be used intelligently. He said the Irrigation Association conceived the idea of Smart Irrigation Month to raise awareness of advances in irrigation efficiency.
Seward, who grows cotton, corn and soybeans, uses a center pivot irrigation system that has been modified to use less water, Kimmell said. Pivots use substantially less water than flood irrigation, and Seward's modifications make his system even more efficient.
Carlson signed a Smart Irrigation Month proclamation similar to the one signed by Johanns on July 10 and talked about the Energy Estimator for Irrigation, the USDA's latest Web-based tool help producers cope with high energy costs.
"We are happy to be a partner of the USDA and NRCS to get the word out about efficient irrigation," Kimmell says.
American agriculture becomes more efficient every year. The latest farm irrigation survey shows growers are employing more modern irrigation practices and producing more on less land with less water.
The Irrigation Association identified July, a peak month for irrigation usage, as Smart Irrigation Month to raise awareness of advances in irrigation efficiency. Smart Irrigation Month was recognized in the Congressional Record on June 8.