Water

Estimates released of irrigated cropland idled due to California drought

On August 15, a team from UC Davis, ERA Economics and the UC Agricultural Issues Center released an economic impact report related to the California drought of 2016. Several commentaries have indicated that land fallowing... more »

Extended deadlines, new guidance added for food safety law

FDA has extended some of the compliance deadlines for parts of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and has issued draft guidance for a key portion of the law, the Produce Safety Rule. The changes... more »

South Texas irrigation training manual published

South Texas agricultural irrigators have a new resource available to help them improve irrigation management and water conservation, according to a Texas Water Resources Institute official. The “South Texas Irrigation Training Program Manual,” a publication... more »

Irrigation evolves from cumbersome sprinkler applications

Irrigation of vegetable crops has a lengthy history, driven by the reality that water is a finite resource. The emphasis on having the proper amount of water for successful plant growth continues to increase. According... more »

Empire Farm Days’ sprinker demos to highlight irrigation options

Live sprinkler demonstrations at the Empire Farm Days, Aug. 9-11, will highlight irrigation options for all types of fruit, berry, vegetable and crop producers. The demonstrations are part of the outdoor agricultural show hosted on 300 acres... more »

Taller, thinner crop beds save resources

Looking out over thousands of acres of tomatoes, Miguel Talavera, director of East Coast growing operations at Pacific Tomato Grower, marvels at the narrow lanes of fruit that are thriving in the hot Florida sun.... more »

Purdue, MSU Extension provide irrigation tools

For over 25 years, Michigan State University and Purdue University have been developing and improving tools to assist in irrigation management. “Checkbook” irrigation scheduling is still a key factor in irrigation management. MSU and Purdue have... more »

Irrigation management: Measuring soil moisture

Irrigation of crop fields is a common practice in areas of the country that receive little rainfall or have soils with little water-holding capacity. A few regions in Michigan that have light-textured soils have seen... more »