Inside irrigation

The Irrigation Association’s 2014 Irrigation Show and Education Conference is designed to educate industry workers, teach skills, showcase new products and provide networking opportunities. The event takes place Nov. 17-21, 2014 in Phoenix.
 

Keynote.

This year, Lowell Catlett, Ph.D. will be the general session keynote speaker. Catlett is both dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at New Mexico State University, as well as a regents professor in agricultural economics and business and extension economics. Catlett will be sharing his outlook on the market and his stance on emerging technologies.
 

Latest and greatest.

The new product contest will be returning for this year’s show. The latest introductions to the market will be showcased on the show floor. A panel of judges will evaluate each product based on innovation, increased water efficiency, ease of use, cost benefits, time savings and design quality. All products will be entered in one of six categories: agriculture, turf/landscape, golf, technology/electronics, rainwater catchment and pond and waterscape. The first and second place winners will be announced Thursday during the general session.
 

Brain power.

The show will also offer multiple educational seminars, sessions and certification opportunities. Admittance to both the irrigation seminars and the technical sessions are included in full registration. However, the education classes and certification classes require extra registrations and costs.
 

Networking.

Turf Talk contractor roundtables will take place Nov. 19th. Discussion topics will include sales strategies for success, quantifying water savings, innovative irrigation technologies, making sense of social media and marketing, customer service mapping, meeting the needs of young consumers and more.

This year’s show will also feature:

• More than 300 exhibitors for irrigation and related products.
• Show pavilions hosted by the International Professional Pond Companies Association and American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association.
• Networking at the opening night party and Blending Borders, an international reception open for the first time to fully-registered attendees.
• Technical sessions on using alternate water sources, conservation programs and landscape water management.
• Seminars on chemigation/fertigation, wiring techniques and new auditing technology.
• Half-day International Agriculture Irrigation Summit on global regulations, practices and sustainability initiatives.
• Classes on landscape irrigation basics and advanced techniques.
• Pond and waterscape seminars from IPPCA INFO TANZA.
• Rainwater harvesting workshops at ARCSA’s 2014 Annual Conference.
   

Registration information is on show’s website at bit.ly/2014iashow. The event is located at the Phoenix Convention Center.