All Industry Insights presentations are included with Irrigation Show registration, and CEUs are available for those who attend.
Irrigation’s Role in Sustaining Value & Mitigating Risk
Intermediate | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.125 CEU
Tuesday, Dec. 6 | 1:45 p.m-2:15 p.m. | Room N245
Presenters:
Kyle E. Brungardt, Senior Vice President, Rabobank
Julie Bushell, Vice President, Water Solutions, Paige Electric and President, Paige Wireless
Amy Kremen, Colorado State University, Associate Director of the Irrigation Innovation Consortium
Colby Pellegrino, Deputy General Manager - Resources at Southern Nevada Water Authority
Description: Attendees will leave with an up-to-date understanding of rapidly evolving factors and pressures that lenders and investors are using to shape their actions, products and tools in the past year and years to come and how these factors and pressures will likely affect the irrigation industry.
Irrigation Management Training Program Impacts: High Plains & Delta Regions
Intermediate | Agriculture | 1 CEU
Tuesday, Dec. 6 | 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. | Room N247
Moderator: Timothy Martin, Executive Director, Irrigation Innovation Consortium
Presenters:
Daran Rudnick, PhD, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Associate Professor and Irrigation Management Specialist
Chris Henry, PhD, University of Arkansas, Associate Professor and Water Management Engineer
Amy Kremen, Colorado State University, Associate Director of the Irrigation Innovation Consortium
Description: Producers have lagged in adopting advanced agronomic and irrigation management strategies and technologies. This is in part because of a significant learning curve associated with selecting or integrating different tools and strategies. It is also due to a lack of clarity on the potential return on their investment of money, labor and time. Meanwhile, a broad client base of technical service providers, agricultural lenders, water district leaders, commodity groups and others has been coming together to support programs that train and support producers in successfully using these tools and strategies. This session will cover key observations, outcomes and impacts from three innovative programs: Testing Ag Performance Solutions, Master Irrigator and Irrigation Schools/Most Crop per Drop contest. These programs are equipping producers in the High Plains and Delta regions of the United States with the knowledge, connections and skills they need to make changes on their operations to update and improve their irrigation systems and management and achieve conservation, productivity and profitability goals.
Digital Engagement, Social Media & the World of the “NOW” Customer
Beginner | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.125 CEU
Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 11:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. | Room N247
Presenters:
Gregg Roesink, Corporate Trainer, CID, CIC, CIT, CLIA, Hunter Industries
Kevin Battistoni, Midwest Sales Manager, Hunter Industries
Description: This presentation will dive into the world of digital engagement, dealing with the “NOW” customer created by the hyper-acceleration of technological adoption in the COVID era. What’s your digital footprint look like today? Are you easy to do business with in the “NOW” economy? The company that kills you will look nothing like you. We will review the recipe for a successful digital presence and social media, discussing how to meet your future customers where they are and make sure their customer journey with your company is positive.
Leading Up & Down the Chain of Command
Intermediate | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.125 CEU
Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | Room N245
Presenters:
Shane White, CIT, CLCA, Water Manager, SWhite Consulting
Katie Dauphin, Water Management Department Leader, K&D Landscaping
Description: Learn how to make a difference in your organization no matter what position you are in. This session will focus on leadership techniques to help improve professionally and personally.
Lighting Design – Beyond the Basics
Beginner | Turf & Landscape + Lighting | 0 CEU
Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 12:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m. | Room N247
Presenter: Andy Thomas, CLVLT, COLD, AOLP President and owner of Viewpoint Lighting
Description: Let outdoor lighting take your business to the next level! Outdoor lighting has become very competitive over the years and it’s important that lighting professionals have the proper training and education to be successful. The Association of Outdoor Lighting Professionals is the trade association for outdoor lighting professionals whose mission is to promote and advance the landscape and architectural lighting industry — which is exactly what this session will do! AOLP’s panel of experts will help you take your lighting design beyond the basics, giving you an edge on the competition. Your company has already realized “why light” but now your designers need to know “how to light” ensuring proper design practices are being followed. While lighting design is subjective, there are fundamental principles that are universally acknowledged to form the basis of “good and responsible” lighting design which the presenters will review.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Why It’s Good for Business!
Beginner | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.125 CEU
Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 1:15 p.m.-1:45 p.m. | Room N245
Presenters:
Warren Gorowitz, CLIA, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, Hunter Industries
Inge Bisconer, CID, CLIA, Vice President, IA Board of Directors and Managing Member, Surf ‘N Earth Enterprises
Natasha Rankin, MBA, CAE, IA CEO
Description: Get a basic understanding of what diversity, equity and inclusion is and how it’s good for business. Attendees will also learn about why the Irrigation Association adopted the Commitment to Equality in July of 2020 and how that will guide the association going forward. Panelists will share how they define diversity, equity and inclusion and how their organization is creating a path for diverse candidates in their workforce development.
Connecting Irrigators & Agronomists: Benefits & Challenges
Beginner | Agriculture | 1 CEU
Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. | Room N245
Moderators:
Mike Hemman, President and CEO, Netafim USA
Inge Bisconer, CID, CLIA, Managing Member, Surf ‘N Earth Enterprises
Panelists:
Rick Mallory, Irrigation Specialist, JG Boswell Company (Cotton)
Jerome Pier, Senior Agronomist, QualiTech (Plant Nutrition)
Dan Rooney, CEO, LandScan (Ag Info Tech)
Description: This session will discuss the importance of water and energy use efficiency in producing crops and the traditionally differing roles agronomists and irrigators play in producing crops efficiently. The panelists will provide a better understanding of agronomic and irrigator skill sets and where there are potential synergies. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to connect with working agronomic and irrigation practitioners in the field.
ROI of Improving Drip Irrigation System Distribution Uniformity
Beginner | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.5 CEU
Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 3:10 p.m.-3:40 p.m. | Room N245
Presenters:
Inge Bisconer, CID, CLIA, Managing Member, Surf ‘N Earth Enterprises
Jim Anshutz, PE, Owner, AGH20
Tom Devol, Senior Manager, Field Outreach and Education, Almond Board of California
Description: This session will discuss the magnitude of drip irrigation in the United States and California and the importance of using distribution uniformity measurements to assess existing drip irrigation system performance. We’ll discuss how DU is measured, the results of DU measurements taken to date in California and the potential implications of poor DU in terms of input costs, foregone yield/quality and environmental implications. Attendees will also learn about two efforts underway to improve poor on-farm drip irrigation system DU.
Drought-Driven Change: How the Climate Crisis Has Altered Perspectives on Smart Irrigation
Beginner | Turf & Landscape | 0.5 CEU
Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 3:45 p.m.-4:15 p.m. | Main Show Floor: Innovation Hub
Presenter:
Keith Schweiger, CLWM, CID, CIC, CLIA, CIT, QWEL, Calsense
Description: Learn about the practical tools cities are using to maintain parks and green spaces in the middle of drought and climate crisis. This session will discuss how to approach a water district or provider to discuss ways to work together to make sensible use of technology within a water-restricted environment. Attendees will learn about alternative approaches to financing smart irrigation investments and how to explain the advantages provided by an “as a service” model for budget-conscious organizations. The session will also include a discussion of the central role of smart irrigation technology in implementing a 360-degree holistic approach to landscape care: providing beautiful, functional landscapes without wasting water.
Marketing Your Business on Social Media
Beginner | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.125 CEU
Thursday, Dec. 8 | 10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. | Room N247
Presenter: Clare Gerow Kyte, Office Manager and Social Media Director, Gerow Enterprises LLC Irrigation and Drainage
Description: This session will discuss how to market a business on social media. Social media platforms that will be discussed include Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Learn how to create content for a business and what attracts the eye of clientele — new and returning.
Smart Irrigation for Agriculture Leads to More Efficient Carbon Capture
Intermediate
| Agriculture
| 0.5 CEU
Thursday, Dec. 8 | 10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. | Room N245
Presenter: Jim Lauria, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Mazzei Injector Company
Description: Farmers can capture a vast amount of atmospheric carbon in their crops and soils … if they have the water to do it. Many plans to reverse greenhouse gas emissions — such as the one described in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s 2020 report on California’s efforts, Getting to Neutral — largely ignore agriculture. There are two keys to unlocking California’s massive carbon-capturing resource: agricultural technology and connecting with farmers. Ag technology represents a broad range of approaches, from buried sensors in the soil to satellite monitoring technology and a wide array of tools in between. However, smart irrigation is where the rubber meets the road. This presentation will examine the trends in the smart irrigation industry and who should know about them.
Sustainable Practices with Limited Resources
Intermediate | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.125 CEU
Thursday, Dec. 8 | 11:15 a.m.-11:45 a.m. | Room N247
Presenters: Ludmila Podwell and Tom Trepiccione, Davey Water Products
Description: Learn how limited resources negatively impact population and what solutions can be brought to bear to alleviate shortages in an environmentally sustainable way. The global community is at a crossroads where daily needs and renewable resources intersect. Environmentalists, governments, manufacturers and consumers are challenged with ambitious commitments to provide power, water and nutrition to everyone. The choices that are currently being made must positively impact and improve the lives of those most affected.
Our Industry’s Responsibility – Supporting the Communities Around Us
Beginner | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.125 CEU
Thursday, Dec. 8 | 12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m. | Room N247
Presenters:
John Farner, Global Chief Sustainability Officer, Netafim
Warren Gorowitz, CLIA, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, Hunter Industries
Hagar Kostianovsky, Global Lead, Corporate Social Responsibility, Netafim
Description: We all know and understand how our products advance sustainable agriculture and landscapes through efficient water use and nutrient management. But, where does this fall into environmental, social and governance? What can our companies be doing to increase the social capital of our business? Through an interactive presentation and discussion, global leaders in sustainability and corporate social responsibility will discuss what they have done to support the communities in the areas in which they do business. This is becoming a necessity and benefits employee engagement, brand awareness and the irrigation industry as a whole.
State of the Green Industry – Through the Lens of Industry Professionals & Audience Participation
Beginner | Turf & Landscape + Agriculture | 0.125 CEU
Thursday, Dec. 8 | 12:45 p.m.-1:15 p.m. | Room N245
Presenters:
Gregg Roesink, CIT, CID, CIC, CLIA, Corporate Trainer, Hunter Industries
Kevin Battistoni, Midwest Sales Manager, Hunter Industries
Kyle Brown, Editor-in-Chief, Irrigation & Lighting
Description: Participate in a live audience survey to gauge the industry outlook in real time. We’ll look back at the industry outlook of the past year and for the year ahead from a survey of 1,600 professionals industry-wide. This session will review relevant economic data for the current year and next year.
From Irrigation to Water Management
Intermediate | Turf & Landscape | 1 CEU
Thursday, Dec. 8 | 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. | Room N247
Presenter: DJ Seeger, President, Seeger Water
Description: This session will provide a picture of the future of the irrigation and green industries. As water resources become more scarce and expensive, homeowners and property managers are relying on irrigation professionals to keep their landscapes healthy, while reducing consumption. Through new technologies like flow sensors and central control, irrigators are taking control of water usage and are critical in the future of water conservation. Attendees will learn about the technology, industry best practices and business strategies to lead the industry paradigm shift from irrigation to water management.
Nebraska’s Water Balance Story: A Microcosm for Advancing Water Management
Intermediate | Agriculture | 1 CEU
Thursday, Dec. 8 | 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m. | Room N245
Presenters:
Dayle McDermitt, PhD, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute Faculty Fellow, Adjunct Professor- University of Nebraska, Nebraska Water Balance Alliance
Christopher Neale, PhD, Director of Research, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, Professor of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska
Daran Rudnick, PhD, Associate Professor and Irrigation Management Specialist, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Derek Heeren, PhD, Associate Professor and Irrigation Engineer, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Roric Paulman, Producer, Paulman Farms
Description: Explore novel technologies and applications for efficient irrigation and gain insight on improving water balance management at field, farm and regional scales. This session will expand understanding regarding the value of these advances in water management capability for direct and indirect irrigation sector stakeholders.