Irrigation News
There is no doubt that water availability is now and will continue to be a critical factor in determining the future of agricultural productivity and subsequent food security in the U.S. and world. There is also no doubt that food security is important for the world’s population, but first there must be water security to ensure that the production of food needed to ensure that food security can be produced. Thus, it is critically important that farmers who irrigate make decisions that will result in the efficient use of water that is available for a crop.
Following is a summary of some important developments that could affect how Midsouth water availability for soybean producers who irrigate is affected.
Miss. State University’s National Center for Alluvial Aquifer Research [NCAAR] initiated the Mississippi Master Irrigator Program course of training for participants to learn about the use and effective adoption of irrigation water management [IWM] practices that can be applied on their farms to improve irrigation efficiency. The intent of the program is to train participants in the effective use of known IWM practices that can be implemented on their farms. The program consists of both online and classroom training, as well as peer-to-peer exchange among participants and MSU Extension specialists who will serve as instructors. Participants who complete the training course will be awarded Miss. Master Irrigator certification.
There is another point that should be considered here. It is unlikely that all Mississippi soybean producers who irrigate their crop will go through the program to become certified Master Irrigators. Therefore, those who do go through the process of becoming certified should engage with their non-certified soybean-producing neighbors so that they too can benefit from the knowledge that was dispensed through the program. This should increase the use of IWM tools that will result in more efficient irrigation.
The bottom line is this. Soybean producers who irrigate their crop need an advanced understanding of IWM tools that can be applied in their operations to effectively improve irrigation efficiency. As stated in numerous articles on this website, all irrigators in the region must do this to ensure the longevity of the MRVAA, which is the major source of irrigation water in the Delta. The Master Irrigator program can be viewed as a major education and outreach step toward reaching this goal.
In 1995, the Arkansas legislature enacted the Water Resource Conservation and Development Incentives Act [Act 341] that created tax incentives to irrigators who invest in groundwater conservation projects such as the development of surface water sources, conversion from ground water use to surface water use [e.g. tailwater recovery, reservoirs], and water conservation efforts that include land leveling, water impoundments, and IWM technologies such as timers, flow meters, and soil moisture sensors. The Act has been amended four times to improve incentives, with the latest amendment in 2021. The program has been underused since its enactment [<10% of the allotted $20 million tax credits used annually], so there is room for additional projects to improve groundwater conservation in the state. Details about the application process can be found on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture website. Click here to access the specific program.
A final thought. Efficient irrigation that matches water input to a crop’s needs and properties of the soil at the irrigated site should, in the long run, result in improved soil health that will subsequently improve the production potential at that site. This is especially so if effective irrigation is meshed with other technologies that are known to contribute to the improved production potential of a site used for crop production.
Click here for the Soybean Irrigation Guide from MSPB that is posted on this website, and here to access an MSPB White Paper titled “Soybean Water Relations and Irrigation”. The latter link will also allow access to detailed information about the myriad water conservation tools that can used with irrigation to improve irrigation efficiency and conserve water without negatively affecting yield.
Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, June 2024, larryh91746@gmail.com