The simple answer is one that will likely surprise you - most specialty crop farms still rely on human workers to turn on and off valves and pumps manually. There is no widespread use of irrigation automation today in specialty crops like wine grapes, apples, nuts, berries, or outdoor cannabis.
Nearly all golf courses, commercial properties, and parks have been taking advantage of 21st century automation systems for many years now. Why haven't farms done the same?
Verdi has spent the past 4 years working with hundreds of growers, learning first-hand why most of them still choose to irrigate manually. Due to new water usage monitoring requirements, labor regulations and new technology, we are at a precipice of widespread irrigation automation in specialty crop farms, with Verdi leading the change.
We are one step closer to solving the water and labor crisis for growers.
Irrigation System Line Breaks are Frequent
Existing automation systems focus on the control of valves. These systems can save on some labor but workers are still needed to check for leaks and breaks during each irrigation. This is one of the biggest reasons why farmers still choose to irrigate manually - when they send workers out to turn valves on or off, workers are also checking each irrigation line for breaks. Both problems have to be solved.
It's estimated that a typical farmer spends $200-500 per valve per year turning irrigation valves on and off and checking for leaks and breaks
Why other irrigation automation systems can’t detect line breaks?
A break in an irrigation line is too small to be detected from a flow meter installed at the pump so it goes undetected causing major crop damage and water waste.
With the Verdi Block Controller we have made it possible to install a flow meter at every irrigation valve or with the Verdi Micro-Block Controller we have made it possible to install a flow meter on every single irrigation line (drip tube, drip tape or sprinkler lines), not only alerting the manager if there is a leak or a break but pinpointing the exact row and shutting off the water for only that row.
This alerts the irrigation manager, allowing them to fix the leak immediately avoiding crop losses, disease outbreaks, water waste and nutrient losses.
Expensive Hardware & Installation
The most popular automation systems on the market today do not harness the latest developments in extremely low-power electronics and networking technology. As a result, central controllers are needed with wires buried to each valve or large gateway towers, solar panels, and antennas need to be acquired and set up to facilitate the system, and the costs add up!
Verdi engineers have developed hardware products with an ultra-low power architecture. This allows for a small integrated device with no requirements for external solar panels or antennas, which means fewer components, a more compact unit and fewer materials. All resulting in an ultra-low cost system that is easily deployed into existing irrigation systems simplifying all aspects of irrigation automation and monitoring to the grower.
Not only is Verdi making automation most accessible through modern low-power technology that enables a significantly lower cost but Verdi’s system has a user friendly installation process and does not require complicated quoting, farm visits and installation by account managers and trained technicians.
Connectivity Issues
Farms are often in remote areas with poor cellular connectivity. Crops, posts, wires, and terrain can add to the challenge.
Verdi engineers a network solution that takes advantage of multiple technologies like cellular, wide area networks and satellite.
Farmers Are Facing a Labor Shortage & Rising Costs
For ages, farmers have enjoyed cheap workers on farms but this has changed in recent years due to immigration policies, labor moving into other economic activities and state-level labor laws.
- Immigration Policies: Immigration from Mexico to California has declined over time, affecting the pool of foreign-born workers who traditionally make up a significant portion of the farm labor force.
- State-Level Employment Law: As of January 1st, 2024 minimum wage for all workers was increased in California to $16 per hour. Alongside this change, the rules for overtime pay in California have also changed and can increase employee costs drastically.
- Location: Many farms are in very sparsely populated areas where it is hard to find part time and full time labor.
Water is Becoming Scarce and Has Usage Monitoring Requirements
California's agricultural sector, a cornerstone of the state's economy, is grappling with unprecedented challenges due to water scarcity exacerbated by climate change. With agriculture consuming approximately 80% of the state's developed water supply, the impact of drought and reduced water availability is profound.
Regulatory Interventions and Sustainability Efforts
In response to these challenges, California has enacted several regulatory measures. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014 is a pivotal piece of legislation aimed at preventing the overpumping of groundwater, which has led to depleted wells, severe land subsidence damaging infrastructure. This act is a critical step towards ensuring the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources, essential for agriculture.
California is also moving towards sustainable management practices in agriculture incentivizing installation of soil moisture sensor monitoring for agriculture. The State Water Resources Control Board's decision to oversee groundwater pumping in the Tulare Lake Subbasin marks the first state enforcement of its kind. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to manage water sustainably, addressing ongoing drought conditions and concerns about groundwater quality and land subsidence.
These regulatory actions follow years of local community efforts to develop groundwater management plans under SGMA, ensuring sustainable water use for the future. The state's involvement underscores a commitment to protecting communities, agriculture, and the environment from the impacts of prolonged dry periods and climate change.
Impact on Farmers
Water scarcity and the requirement for groundwater flow monitoring places a significant burden on farmers. Reduced water availability directly threatens crop yields and overall farm productivity. Additionally, the costs and complexities of complying with new monitoring regulations can strain already tight farm budgets. These challenges highlight the urgent need for automated irrigation solutions.
How Verdi's New Technology Can Solve the Water and Labor Crisis
Verdi has revolutionized irrigation automation by addressing key challenges such as enabling alerts for irrigation line breaks, offering affordable hardware, solving connectivity issues, and reducing implementation costs, which have hindered the adoption of automation and monitoring technology in agriculture.
Verdi Block Controller with its ultra-low power hardware reduces the costs and complexity and makes valve and pump automation accessible to every farmer.
By integrating micro flow meters and micro valves on every crop row, Verdi Micro-Block controller ensures precise leak detection and enables variable rate application.
Verdi’s software platform integrates real-time data from various sensors to automate and refine irrigation management and monitoring. Verdi’s technology enables farmers to adhere to regulatory mandates effortlessly while enhancing water use efficiency. By leveraging Verdi’s solutions, farmers can achieve compliance with the SGMA, mitigate risks in crop production, reduce environmental impact, and improve productivity amidst challenging conditions.
