Jackie Robbins named IA 2021 Industry Achievement Award recipient
FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA (July 6, 2021) — The Irrigation Association is excited to announce that Jackie Robbins, PhD, PE, CID, TSP, of Ruston, Louisiana, has been named a recipient of the 2021 Industry Achievement Award. This award, sponsored by Hunter | Senninger, is the IA’s highest honor and recognizes an individual whose career demonstrates outstanding contributions to the advancement of the irrigation industry, as well as its products and programs.
Jackie Robbins, former president and CEO of Robbins Association/Irrigation-Mart Inc., is truly a pioneer in the microirrigation field. Over 55 years ago, as microirrigation technology was just becoming available in the United States, he recognized the potential benefits that the technology could provide and began conducting research on its uses and viability as an option for commercial farming operations in the southern region of the United States. His research, publications, teaching and work with extension and producers played a significant role in seeing microirrigation technology adopted as a primary method used to irrigate a wide variety of crops in a region where surface and sprinkler irrigation, or no irrigation, had previously been used.
In addition to Robbins, this year’s Industry Achievement Award was also presented to Angelo Mazzei. “These two award recipients have both been impacting the irrigation industry for numerous decades,” said IA CEO Deborah Hamlin, CAE, FASAE. “Their work has not only advanced the industry by promoting efficient irrigation but it has impacted the lives of growers, aspiring irrigation professionals and others working in our industry. Their fingerprint on the industry will be felt for many years to come.”
Robbins has dedicated significant time and energy to the IA, serving on the Certification Board, the Board of Directors and, most recently, the Standards and Codes Committee. He was heavily involved in the development of the certification program, helping create its initial structure, the supporting education programs, exam writing and even hand grading early exams.
“I am honored to be selected as a 2021 recipient of the Irrigation Association’s Industry Achievement Award. It is great to be part of an industry that is committed to developing and applying technologies that improve our use of natural resources (water, energy, soil, etc.) without abusing them,” Robbins said. “I thank my colleagues, educators, students, mentors and especially the Irrigation-Mart family for their encouragement, cooperation and support throughout my career. Irrigation has a bright future filled with many great opportunities.”
Robbins and the other 2021 IA award recipients will be featured guests on a webinar hosted by the IA this fall. More information about this and other IA awards and past recipients can be found at www.irrigation.org/awards.