There are a lot of factors to consider when converting to a different form of irrigation. What type of irrigation should you switch to? What changes will need to be made to your management? How do you make this transition as easy as possible?
It’s important to keep your goals in mind when deciding on a new form of irrigation. Here are a few things you should take into consideration to ensure that your switch benefits your operation.
Making the Switch
There might be several reasons why you would want to switch from surface irrigation to mechanized irrigation. In recent years, farmers have considered conversion to other forms of irrigation to reduce water usage and labor costs. Another driver for conversion is water limitations, either due to availability or regulations. This is becoming more and more of a consideration throughout the central plains states as growers evaluate their current irrigation practices. Commodity prices have also had a significant impact on whether or not to convert, as growers need to get the biggest bang for their buck.
Whatever your reasons might be, here are five things you should consider before switching to a different type of irrigation.
1. Review your current management and cropping plans.
Begin with reviewing your plans for your operation. Will a conversion fit into the long term plan? Consider your cropping and rotation plans, and how a new irrigation system would affect it. Things like available water supply, available labor, available power supply, soil types, and field size and shape will determine what you should switch to. A crop consultant or your local dealer would have good input at this stage. Analyzing the features of your operation will allow you to switch to the most efficient type of irrigation for your field, which means you should talk to someone who will be open and honest with you during the conversion process.