Category: Election - BWTL

Episode 16 - Workforce Development

1/13/2017

Mission: Promoting careers in irrigation

Episode Highlights:

[1:04] Welcome IA Foundation and Administration Director Janine Sparrowgrove - In this episode, we focus on her role with the Irrigation Foundation.
[1:56] Foundation's mission is to promote careers in irrigation - Programs help support this mission, including:
- Faculty Academy - the goal of this program is to reach those that are training our workforce (college professors and some high school teachers now) to help give them the knowledge they need to teach their students. There are currently two faculty academies - one focused on landscape irrigation and the other focused on agriculture irrigation.
  - 2017 Agriculture Faculty Academy: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension on June 8 - 9.
  - 2017 Landscape Faculty Academy: Disney World Horticulture Services on June 15 - 16.
[6:48] How the Irrigation Association & Irrigation Foundation Overlap - IA's new strategic plan includes workforce development.
- See past episodes to learn more about the association's work:
  - Episode 7 - Certification
  - Episode 8 - Irrigation Industry
  - Episode 12 - Irrigation Show
- Workforce is an issue we see throughout the irrigation industry (agriculture listening sessions and survey of irrigation contractors).
- Brent saw this firsthand earlier this week at the Northern Green Expo while walking the trade show floor. Many booths had large help wanted signs and he heard people speaking about how "there is a demand in all aspects of the landscape industry for qualified, trained people."
[15:16] Irrigation Foundation Vision Statement - The Foundation strives for a future where the irrigation industry is thriving with an ample supply of educated, highly skilled professionals who employ technology and best practices to provide efficient irrigation solutions that protect water and the environment.
- Foundation programs run off of this vision statement:
  - E3 Program - Exposure, Experience & Education - bring students to the Irrigation Show. At the 2016 show, 23 students came and networked with others in the industry and look at new technologies.
  - Irrigation Career Link - Job bank where job seekers can put up their resumes.
  - [20:10] Scholarship Program - New program that will award scholarships ranging from $1,000 - $2,500. Deadline to apply is Feb. 15, 2017.
[21:33] Update on the California Drought - Is California out of drought?
- Appears to be over in the Northern part of California - may get to Southern California but right now they are still in extreme drought.
- Last week: 19% of California drought-free. This week: 35% drought-free. The entire state was in drought 3 months ago. See below graphic of the Drought Monitor from a Washington Post article.

California Drought Monitor
Changes from October 11, 2016 and then in January 2017

Washington Post graphic.

Episode 11 - Dakota Access Pipeline

12/1/2016

SOURCE: EnergyWire: Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Episode Highlights:

[4:20] Recap of President-elect Trump's cabinet pics - Trump still has not announced his choices for EPA Adminstrator, Secretary of Agriculture or Secretary of the Interior.
[8:44] Trump's First 100 Days - In Trump's plan for his first 100 days as president, he does specifically call out water infrastructure.
[10:56] Dakota Access Pipeline and water quality - While we are not experts in this, the entire situation has to do with water.
- Clearing up some misconceptions with facts:
  - The pipeline does not go directly through tribal land; however, it is considered sacred land by the tribe. Also, based on some past treaties, there still are some that believe the tribe has a right to that land.
  - [15:05] Another major concern is the issue of water quality - the pipeline would cross under the Missouri River at Lake Oahe (slightly north of the reservation) and any leak or spill would send oil into the tribe's main source of drinking water. This is a valid concern as oil pipeline leaks are an issue in other areas of the country.
  - The Army Corps of Engineers has published their Environmental Assessments of the pipeline. Back in March, EPA and the Interior Department did express concerns with the location of the pipeline route and its potential effect on the tribe's primary source of drinking water.
  - Local individuals in Bismarck did not vote on rerouting the pipeline away from their locality. The Army Corps of Engineers did look into the Bismarck route as an option but found that this route would have been longer with more road, water body, and wetland crossings.
  - [17:53] Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) sent a letter to President Obama this week about the pipeline and its potential effects on the water supply.
  - Members of the Standing Rock tribe have been organized and vocal about their opposition to the pipeline for longer than it has been in the news. Here's one video made in April. Relevant quote from end of the video:
    - "I can live without money. I can live without oil. But I can't live without water."
[22:47] Recap of an innovation in the news - Scientists aim to feed the world by boosting photosynthesis. This article discusses how researchers have found a way to make photosynthesis more efficient.

SOURCE:
http://ripe.illinois.edu/news/scientists-tweak-photosynthesis-and-boost-crop-yield-proving-it-can-be-done

Next week - Join us in Las Vegas! We'll be recording from the annual Irrigation Show and Education Conference next week.
- Also, listen to John Farner on the Water Zone radio show next Thursday.

Episode 2 - Water is key to food security

9/22/2016

Map of Great Plains

Since we mention it again this podcast, here is a
map showing the 100th meridian in red.

Episode Highlights

[1:39] Current news continued from Episode 1 - We continue our breakdown of the recent statements made by presidential candidates. Three candidates, Hillary Clinton [3:30], Donald Trump [10:40] and Jill Stein [15:59], responded to a question on food. See question #12 and read the answers here.
- Farmers are capable of doing everything but cannot control mother nature. Too much water, not enough water. Our farmers grow the food that people want.
- [7:19] Brief discussion of disaster assistance programs and how we respond to disasters here in the United States.
  - Impact of 2010 drought on rain-fed crops vs. the irrigated states.
- [11:53] The federal government is involved in agriculture policy and food production in the United States.
  - [13:56] U.S. Department of Agriculture: Many agencies supporting agriculture, including the Agriculture Research Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service.
  - [15:31] Access to food is a national security issue.
  - Key takeaway: Innovation and technologies can help ensure the efficient use of resources like water and future food security.
[21:56] The FDA food police - We weigh in on Trump's idea to roll back the federal food safety regulations.
- Read the article John references here.
- [24:17] The Food and Safety Modernization Act and its impact on irrigation.
[27:10] Global population growth and the future of food security
- Assumptions about future global food shortages seem to contradict the current challenge of ending food waste.
[32:28] Preview of next episode - Episode 3 will focus on the Environmental Protection Agency's WaterSense program.
Don't forget to provide us feedback and let us know what you'd like to hear about and discuss on future BWTL episodes.