PLAINVIEW HERALD | MYPLAINVIEW.COM
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2025 C1
Agriculture
outlook 2025
A Plainview Herald Advertising Product
South Plains Irrigation helping growers tap precious resource By Teresa Young SPECIAL TO THE HERALD In a time when ongoing draught and diminishing water are common challenges, growers depend heavily on business partners like South Plains Irrigation to keep them connected to the precious resource. For Daniel Smith, owner of the Olton-based business since 1998, that’s the biggest motivation. “We really strive to be partners with our customers, and our goal is really to go above and beyond to meet their needs. I grew up on a farm and the majority of my employees – whether they are office staff, service staff or sales staff – all grew up in this agricultural community and we have a lifelong tie to this way of life,” said Smith. “The reality is that we do a lot of consultation with people to help them make decisions on what
is best for their farm and employees once they comtheir particular opera- plete school. tion.” The company covers a South Plains Irrigation wide area of farms, mostly deals solely in agricul- due to their long-time reptural irrigation and elec- utation for quality service trical work related to ag- and partially due to fewer riculture. They sell and such businesses operating install center pivot and now. Smith said he is willsub-surface drip irrigation ing to serve any customsystems. For center piv- er who reaches out, and ots, they are a dealer for the business continues to Zimmatic brand and sell grow on the sub-surface various vendors on the side. drip side, primarily Irritec products and Fresno filter Smith said the irrigation industry has changed systems. somewhat over the years, The company also pro- with the early years ruled vides service for all these by the center pivot and products to keep growers few adopting the novelgoing strong during the ty drip model. Today, he growing season. South says, that is changing draPlains Irrigation has 30- matically. plus year-round employees and brings on extra “Right now, the driver beworkers during the sum- hind the increased sales of mer busy season, and he drip is through the Farm said the majority of ser- Service Agency cost-share vice work is electrical. programs from the govSmith said he likes to hire ernment to move toward area high school students drip irrigation. We have for summer work and more than 3,000 acres to train them in the industry install, and we’re selling so they can be full-time more every day,” he ex-
plained. “Definitely the tide has turned toward the sub-surface drip irrigation in this part of the country. We have done that installation all over the region.” Smith said the change comes from the realization that the water table is limited and the drought has not helped it replenish much over the past few decades. The government subsidies are a measure toward conservation of this valuable resource.
to install such systems, economy and keeps the Smith said. nation providing import“We can actually see what ant commodities.
we’ll be doing two years ahead of ourselves with all the funding available out there. What we’re selling today we won’t be installing until the fall. We’ll do everything we can up until it’s time to plant crops,” he said. “I’ve never been able to forecast what I would be doing 18-24 months ahead until recently. I have been in this industry for many years and have never seen it like this.
“Rather than watering to evaporate, you are putting it directly into the ground. You can also put your fertilizers directly into the root zone through the drip, and that allows you to use less of those products,” he said. “It’s a much more efficient way to raise a crop, not just in water application but with fertility as well.”
“For the agricultural community, it’s definitely a great thing and very helpful to get a lot of this converted. The downside for us on the drip versus pivot is the service requirements after the fact. There is still a service demand but it is much less and much less costly.”
And the growth is not expected to subside as long as the government is helping provide the funding
Still, Smith sees a great reward in serving the farming community that pours so much into the area
“There is a misconception by people not involved in agriculture that farmers are all rich. But it is one of the most stressful ways to make a living. You are subject to the weather and the whims of the government,” said Smith, noting he watched his father farmer struggle and was encouraged to find other work. But assisting growers is a passion, not just a career.
“My personality has always been to help farmers, and years ago everyone helped each other out. By growing up that way, I had a natural bent to help people, and it’s rewarding to us as individuals to help other people,” he says. “But also God rewards us for helping, and it’s all tied together. The only way to live in this environment is to have faith.”
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