A closer look at the Irrigation Association

By Emma Peterson. 

Diving into how the Irrigation Association supports and advances the outdoor industry.  

If you work in the outdoor industry, you’ve probably heard of The Irrigation Show and Education Week. With an expo floor full of cutting-edge technology, best-in-class education offerings and more, this is the ultimate place for irrigation professionals to meet and level up their skills. But what do you know about the organization behind this iconic show?  

The Irrigation Association (IA) is a leading trade organization dedicated to “promoting efficient irrigation technologies, products and services.” The annual Irrigation Show and Education Week is one of the ways they pursue this goal. Other ways they serve their members and the industry include:  

• Advocacy: The IA has a dedicated government affairs team that advocates for the needs of the irrigation association. They work on all levels of government (federal, state, regional and local) to share information about water stewardship, respond to public policies related to water resource planning and work with other associations/partners to define best water practices.  
• Workforce development: IA also has a workforce development team (previously working under the name Irrigation Foundation) that works to promote careers in irrigation. They do this through the E3 program, the Faculty Academy, scholarships and more.  
• Certifications: And IA is not only focused on bringing new people into the industry. They also provide a variety of certification and education opportunities to give their members a competitive edge. These certification opportunities include everything from becoming an irrigation designer to becoming a golf irrigation auditor.  
• Publications: Through Irrigation Today and Irrigation & Lighting magazines, IA keeps their members and other professionals up to date on “the latest trends, technologies and issues in both the agriculture and landscape irrigation industries.” 
• Landscape Irrigation Pros Week: Like the education week, this is an annual event. However, the Landscape Irrigation Pros Week is specifically designed to be a virtual event so that professionals can learn from where they are. Courses are hosted on Zoom over the course of five days and are divided into two categories – Industry Basics and Industry Pros – making this perfect for professionals of all skill levels. 

These examples are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the programming and support IA offers outdoor professionals. Learn more about IA at www.irrigation.org.