Valley® Irrigation, a Valmont company, was recently honored with a Vanguard Award for transforming 25,000 acres of underutilized farmland in Arkansas into one of the premier farming operations in the U.S. The annual award honors an innovative project in the irrigation industry.
Valley® Irrigation, a Valmont company, was recently honored with a Vanguard Award for transforming 25,000 acres of underutilized farmland in Arkansas into one of the premier farming operations in the U.S. The annual award honors an innovative project in the irrigation industry.
The award-winning work resulted from a successful collaboration between Valley and Goldcrest Farm Trust Advisors (GFTA), a private U.S. farmland real estate investment trust. Together, they reinvigorated farming capability on Goldcrest Farms, an area twice the size of Manhattan located near Texarkana, Arkansas.
The project began in 2018 and aimed to introduce sustainability while increasing crop yields for future farmers who rent the land. Leveraging the nearby river and ample annual rainfall, Valley Irrigation provided Goldcrest Farms with a highly technological infrastructure to harness the existing natural resources and achieve optimal results.
“Revitalizing 25,000 acres of underused farmland was an opportunity to use the power and potential of our technology for positive transformation. This project demonstrated how sustainable, efficient irrigation can revitalize even the most challenging land into productive farmland. Receiving the Vanguard Award is a testament to our industry leadership and the high level of innovation we brought to this project,” said Tyler Fields, Senior Director of Global Water Delivery.
Valley’s efforts included constructing 33 miles of irrigation ditches, reservoirs and bayous to improve drainage. By doing so, the diesel power units typically required for a farm of this size were decreased by 36%, resulting in lower fuel and electricity costs per acre. The team also moved three million cubic yards of dirt for a rice or furrow irrigated cropping option and to limit erosion and nitrogen runoff.
The 54 center pivots Valley installed on the land include Low-Elevation Spray Application (LESA) and Low-Energy Precision Application (LEPA) systems to manage water applications. Electric motors were paired with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) to adjust water flow and pressure to target needs and reduce energy and maintenance costs by 25-50%.
Additionally, the growers of Goldcrest Farms further benefit from the innovative remote technology of Valley 365®, which empowers them to have complete control over their water management from any connected device. This advanced platform ensures the utmost efficiency in irrigation for more sustainable farming and less waste.
Building on the success of the Vanguard Award, we are continuing to lead the industry in innovative solutions. Our Valley teams are actively working on similar large-scale sustainable agriculture transformations that conserve resources and improve life. This work is critical to increasing food security and resilience against water scarcity and extreme weather.
Valley and GFTA will be officially recognized with the Vanguard Award during the November 2024 Irrigation Show and Education Week in Long Beach, California.