The Irrigation Association builds awareness

Don’t miss the latest news from the Irrigation Association, including Smart Irrigation Month and 2022 scholarships.
Associations in action | Summer 2022
Don’t miss the Summer 2022 news from the Irrigation Association, including Smart Irrigation Month and 2022 scholarships.

Smart Irrigation Month starts soon

Each July, it’s time for irrigation professionals to boast about the benefits of effective irrigation practices, sharing information with customers and communities by recognizing Smart Irrigation Month. The Irrigation Association, Fairfax, Virginia, spotlights these efforts through its Smart Irrigation Month initiative celebrated throughout July. Smart Irrigation Month promotes the social, economic and environmental benefits of efficient irrigation technologies, products and services in landscape, turf and agricultural irrigation – and celebrates those who share our commitment and responsibility to the most efficient and effective use of our most precious resource: water.

In 2022, the Smart Irrigation Month theme is “Proud of our past. Focused on the future.” The IA looks forward to celebrating the invaluable pioneers of the irrigation industry and the current innovators and contributors who are focusing on the future of our industry and how smart irrigation will continue to benefit our society through more efficient food production and sustainable landscapes.

“Smart Irrigation Month is the ideal opportunity for companies to share how they are the future of irrigation,” says IA CEO Natasha Rankin. “As outdoor water use increases during the warmer summer months, July is the perfect time to educate your customers and communities, helping them better understand that efficient irrigation tools and practices save them water and money, while being good stewards.”

The irrigation industry is constantly innovating and improving water use practices, and Smart Irrigation Month provides an opportunity to highlight how efficient irrigation plays a crucial role in many aspects of everyday life. 

There are lots of ways for industry professionals to promote Smart Irrigation Month. The Irrigation Association website offers resources including irrigation facts and information that contractors can share with customers. They can also participate in Technology Tuesday, held the first Tuesday of July. Irrigation industry professionals are encouraged to wear blue on July 5 and share a selfie or staff photo with #SmartIrrigationMonth to show their support. 

“Innovation and new ideas are prevalent throughout the industry and are constantly helping improve the products and services professionals offer,” Rankin says. “Smart Irrigation Month is a celebration of these ideas, a celebration of where we’ve come from and of where we’re going in the future.”

Smart Irrigation Month is sponsored by HydroPoint.

For more information and resources, check out the website at smartirrigationmonth.org.

Share your support for Smart Irrigation Month

Smart Irrigation Month is the perfect opportunity to show what effective water use means to you as an industry professional. Take this chance to share your story and celebrate what you and your company do to promote smart irrigation practices by going to smartirrigationmonth.org and answering a few short questions:

  • How is your company promoting smart irrigation practices?
  • How has your company encouraged clients to use smart irrigation practices?
  • Who in your company is a champion of promoting smart irrigation?

Share your support and a photo of you or your team on the website. We’ll collect some of those stories to share on social media and the Irrigation & Lighting website.

IA awards scholarships

The Irrigation Association, Fairfax, Virginia, announced the winners of the 2022 Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra Scholarship Program. In its sixth year, the program awarded 18 scholarships to recipients studying and pursuing careers in the irrigation field.

Rain Bird is the exclusive sponsor of the scholarship program through 2026 to honor Rain Bird’s late president and CEO, Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra.

The 18 students are from colleges and universities around the nation and are enrolled in associate to graduate programs with an irrigation focus. The scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $3,000, were awarded based on the candidate’s letter of intent, financial need, resume, list of irrigation courses and letters of reference.

Since the program’s inception in 2016, 107 students have been awarded scholarships. In 2022, Molly Biggs and Megan Nelson were recognized as the 2022 Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra scholars, a special designation awarded to the top two winners each year.

The following are the winners of the 2022 Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra Scholarship Program:

  • Molly Biggs, Kansas State University
  • Megan Nelson, Kansas State University
  • Gavin Barnes, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
  • Troy Bowman, Cincinnati State
  • Luis Cortes, California State Polytechnic University Pomona
  • Kristopher Criscione, Louisiana State University
  • Juanita Diusaba Yusunguaira, Walla Walla Community College
  • Matthew Gallegos, California State University, Fresno
  • Charles Graham, Oklahoma State University
  • Sheila Grubb, Spokane Community College Agriculture
  • Samuel Hester, University of Georgia
  • Mary Logan Tostenson, University of Georgia
  • Kade McGinn, Kansas State University
  • Emily Sarantopulos, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
  • Emily Scruggs, Clemson University
  • Erika Sos, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
  • John Van Vliet, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
  • Hannah Williams, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The 2023 Anthony W. “Tony” LaFetra Scholarship Program will open this fall with a deadline of Feb. 15, 2023. To learn more about program requirements and the application process, visit irrigation.org/awards.

In This Category

Inge-Bisconer-headshot
Bisconer has served on the IA Board since 2018 and took over for Randy Wood, who served as the 2023 IA president. 
IA-hosts-annual-Technician-Week-event
This year’s event culminated in an in-person certification exam on March 15 at the IA headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia. 
Ad_WUG24_700x467
The initiative celebrates irrigation and lighting contractors who have had a successful year, sharing their stories in Irrigation & Lighting.  

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