Technology keeps evolving to help crop producers make every drop of water count on the fields. To demonstrate the latest in crop irrigation technology, farmers in numerous counties are teaming with the Kansas Water Office to present Water Technology Field Days in several locations throughout August and September.

I want to thank the growing number of forward-thinking producers who are our partners in the water technology farms,” said Kansas Water Office Acting Director Earl Lewis.  “The results from these farms continue to show that by using more technology, producers can continue to grow crops, get the yields they want to see, use less water, and still see an increase in their bottom line.”

The field days are designed for producers to see how the newest research and technology is being applied in real-life settings in different areas of the state. Five more Water Technology Farm projects were implemented in 2019 with a total of 15 Water Technology Farm projects, on more than 40 fields throughout the state but concentrated overlying the High Plains Aquifer.

The upcoming field day dates and locations include:

* Aug.  8 – Tribune, KS – Homeland Farm – 5 p.m.

* Aug.  9 – Hesston, KS – Jacob, Weber and R&E Goering Farms – 10:30 a.m.

* Aug. 20 – Scott City, KS – Circle C and Long Farms – 10:30 a.m.

* Aug. 23 – Larned, KS – WaterPACK & ILS Farm – 10:30 a.m.

* Sept.  4 – Goodland, KS – NW KS Tech College Farms – 9:30 a.m. (multiple events)

* Sept.  5 – Garden City, KS – The GCC-Roth Family, T&O and Harshberger Farms – 10:30 a.m.

* Sept.  5 – Liberal, KS – Hatcher Land & Cattle Farm – 5 p.m.

* Sept. 10 – Troy, KS – Loess Hills Water Quality Farm – 9 a.m.

For the third year Northwest Kansas Technical College is also participating by providing learning and workforce development training for its students. Northwest Kansas Technical College’s Precision Agriculture department partners with local landowners on projects in the surrounding counties.  In these projects, the students and landowners receive in-field training and hands on experience implementing water efficiency technologies. With supplier partnerships, students will be exposed to multiple types of soil moisture probes, pivot controls, irrigation scheduling systems and other water management tools. 

KWO provides financial assistance to Kansas State University’s efforts to give technical support for some of the technology farms. "K-State Research and Extension is committed to developing and promoting new irrigation technologies that will be environmentally and economically efficient while conserving and protecting limited water resources,” said Ernie Minton, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of K-State Research and Extension. “The K-State research and extension services conducted at these Water Technology Farms significantly advances the knowledge of the most efficient water management technology and practices."

The Water Technology Farms wouldn’t be possible without key public-private partnerships and support from the following:

Kansas Water Office, Kansas Corn Commission, K-State Research and Extension, 96 Agri Sales, AgLeader-SMS, Agrela Ecosystems, AgSense, AgVenture - Dorn Seeds, American Implement, American Irrigation, American Robotics, Amvac – Simpas, AquaSpy, Autonomous Pivot, Bactifeed, BASF, Bayer Ag, Central Plains Equipment, Ceres Imaging, Channel Seed, The Climate Corporation, Climate/FieldView, Conestoga, Crop Quest, CropMetrics, Dane G.Hansen Foundation, Davis, Dekalb, DigiFarm, Doniphan County Conservation District, Dragon-Line, Encira, Farm Reign, Farmers Edge, Fieldnet by Lindsay, Fontanelle, Franklin Farms, Frontier Ag, The Garden City Company, Golden Harvest Seeds, Golden Plains Equipment, Great Plains Precision Ag, Groundwater Management District No. 1, Groundwater Management District No. 2, Groundwater Management District No. 4, Growsmart by Lindsay, Heartland Soil Services, Hemipshere GNSS (Outback Guidance), Highland Community College, Inman Irrigation, Innovative Livestock Services, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Agriculture- Division of Water Resources, Kansas Department of Agriculture- Division of Conservation, Kansas Department of Commerce, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Geological Survey, Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, Kansas Its (KITS), Komet, K-State University - KS Mesonet, Lee Wheeling Consulting, Lindsay Corporation, MKC, ModernAG, Nature Conservancy of Kansas, NETAFIM, Nex-Tech, Northwest Kansas Groundwater Conservation Foundation, Ogallala Aquifer Program, OnTarget Ag Solutions, Outlaw Irrigation, Phytech, Pioneer Hybrid Seed, Precision Planting, Premier Ag, Presley Solutions, Red Barn Enterprises, Rivulis, San-d-Akr Farms, SatShots, Schaal Well Service, Seaman Crop Consulting, Senninger, Servitech, Simplot, STEPS, Syngenta, T&O Farms, Teeter Irrigation, TerrAvion, Todd and Diana Long, Trellis, Trimble, Tri-State Irrigation, United Sorghum Checkoff, Valley, Valmont Industries, WaterPACK, Western Irrigation, Western Sprinklers, Woofter Irrigation, Yost Farm Supply - New Holland, Zimmatic by Lindsay.

For more information visit: www.kwo.ks.gov or contact Armando Zarco, Water Resource Planner at (620) 276-2901.