Category: Drip Irrigation News
¡Acompáñenos en la Expo Agro Sinaloa 2014!
Del 19 al 21 de Febrero, Toro estará presente en la Expo Agro Sinaloa en Culiacán, Sinaloa, Méx. Este año 2014 es muy especial para Toro, pues celebra sus 100 años en el negocio, un hito importante en su historia. Asegúrese de detenerse en el stand A-79 de Toro para acompañarnos en la celebración de nuestro “Siglo de Innovación” y también para echar un vistazo a nuestros más recientes productos.
Para saber acerca de Toro y de nuestros 100 años de historia, visite www.toro.com/100.
¡Lo esperamos en el evento!
Continue readingJoin Us at the 2014 World Ag Expo
From February 11th – 13th, Toro will be exhibiting at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. This is a special year for us because we are celebrating a rare milestone – 100 years in business! So be sure to stop by Toro booth #K44 to help us celebrate our “Century of Innovation,” check out our newest products, and find out what we have in store for the next 100 years. To learn more about Toro and our 100-year history, visit www.toro.com/100. Hope to see you at the show!
California Drought has Farmers Facing Unemployment
Amid California’s driest year on record, the nation’s leading agricultural region is locked in drought and bracing for unemployment to soar, sending farm workers to food lines in a place famous for its abundance.
One-third of the Central Valley’s jobs are related to farming. Strains on water supplies are expected to force farmers to leave fields unplanted, creating a ripple effect on food processing plant workers, truck drivers and those who sell fertilizer, irrigation equipment and tractors.
Continue readingCalifornia Cancels Water Deliveries Due to Drought
California water officials turned off the tap Friday, saying the winter drought forced them to cancel water deliveries to the entire state.
The Department of Water Resources said in Sacramento none of the water from the State Water Project earmarked for individual water agencies would be delivered as previously agreed to.
“The harsh weather leaves us little choice,” DWR Director Mark Cowin said. “If we are to have any hope of coping with continued dry weather and balancing multiple needs, we must act now to preserve what water remains in our reservoirs.”
The State Water Project is the infrastructure agency that parcels out the water that comes mainly from winter rains and snowfall to water agencies serving cities and agricultural areas. Because precipitation has been rare this winter, there is virtually no hope supplies for the dry summer will be adequate.
Continue readingThe Toro Company Kicks Off Centennial Year Celebration
On July 10, 2014, The Toro Company (NYSE: TTC) will celebrate a rare business milestone – achieving 100 years in business. According to Michael J. Hoffman, Toro’s chairman and chief executive officer, Toro attributes its remarkable longevity to, “the character of our people and channel partners, and their relentless commitment to serving our customers and building market leadership through innovation.”
Toro’s yearlong celebration of its 100th anniversary provides an opportunity not only to look back on the company’s notable achievements, but also to recognize the ingenuity and dedication of its employees – and to thank its channel partners and end-user customers around the world for their loyalty and trust in The Toro Company.
As Hoffman put it, “These same values that have been core throughout our first 100 years form the foundation for continued success into our next century.”
A Legacy of Excellence
From the start, Toro built its legacy by understanding the needs of its customers and developing products and services to help them succeed. This commitment to innovation is reflected in the more than 1,500 patents its employees around the world have earned over the years.
In addition, Toro has developed strong networks of professional distributor, dealer and retailer partners across industries in more than 90 countries to provide local, expert, professional customer service. For example, in 1922, Toro created the golf industry’s first national distributor network. And, in 1934 as the business grew, Toro encouraged its distributors to establish dealers in areas the distributors’ staff could not effectively cover, providing local customer service that proved to be a competitive advantage.
This commitment to customer service has been instrumental in Toro’s development of long-term relationships with golf courses, homeowners, professional contractors, agricultural growers, construction and rental companies, government and educational institutions – in addition to many premier sporting events, venues and historic sites around the world.
People Make the Difference
For decades, customers have counted on Toro because of the company’s reputation for reliability, quality and standing behind its products. When Toro celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1939, the company’s first president and co-founder John Samuel Clapper noted that the loyal service of Toro’s employees and distributors was the customers’ guarantee of a high-quality product. As Hoffman summarized, “What was true 75 years ago when Mr. Clapper made his statement about Toro remains true today – the loyal service of our employees and channel partners is critical to our company’s success.”
Explore Toro Innovations
From developing new technologies to expanding into new markets, a timeline of the company’s many innovations and achievements is available at www.toro.com/100 – in addition to several highlights below, summarized by market:
Potato Grower Adding More Drip Irrigation
With its inaugural “a great start,” Maverick Potato Co. in Center, CO, is heading into 2014 with plans to double yellow production, increase organics, make upgrades to the packing shed and continue to build relationships in both domestic and Mexican markets, according to company President Roger Christensen.
Christensen, who founded Maverick in 2013 with co-owner Michael Kruse, is a longtime San Luis Valley grower and potato salesman. The two grower-partners went into the 2013-14 season with plans to move approximately 200,000 hundredweight of mostly russets, with a lesser volume of yellows.
“Overall it has gone really well, and we’re off to a great start,” Christensen said in early January. “We are now SCS GlobalGAP certified and consider food safety to be our number-one priority.
Continue readingU.S. Water Prize Winners to be Announced at the California Irrigation Institute Conference
The U.S. Water Alliance will announce the 2014 winners of the esteemed U.S. Water Prize on Thursday, January 23, at the 52nd annual California Irrigation Institute (CII) conference in Sacramento addressing water and energy use. Alliance President Ben Grumbles will announce the winners in his keynote directed to the audience of agricultural, urban and environmental water experts.
“Given the urgent and critical challenges California faces due to drought, there couldn’t be a better place to announce and celebrate U.S. Water Prize winners,” explains Grumbles. “America’s future looks bright blue with these shining water stars. Our 2014 winners are leading the way by reducing water waste, reusing water resources, and rethinking watershed strategies and technologies.”
Continue readingCalifornia Governor Declares Drought State of Emergency
With California facing water shortfalls in the driest year in recorded state history, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today proclaimed a State of Emergency and directed state officials to take all necessary actions to prepare for these drought conditions.
“We can’t make it rain, but we can be much better prepared for the terrible consequences that California’s drought now threatens, including dramatically less water for our farms and communities and increased fires in both urban and rural areas,” said Governor Brown. “I’ve declared this emergency and I’m calling all Californians to conserve water in every way possible.”
In the State of Emergency declaration, Governor Brown directed state officials to assist farmers and communities that are economically impacted by dry conditions and to ensure the state can respond if Californians face drinking water shortages. The governor also directed state agencies to use less water and hire more firefighters and initiated a greatly expanded water conservation public awareness campaign.
Continue readingWater Professionals Gather to Discuss California Drought, Water & Energy Efficiency
Water professionals from around the state are preparing to meet in Sacramento to discuss the future of efficient water and energy use in California, but many are now focusing on an immediate future threatened by drought.
As a result, California Irrigation Institute conference organizers have secured recently appointed Deputy Drought Manager Jeanine Jones to provide an update during Friday’s luncheon regarding what the state of California intends to do. This bonus presentation has become a draw for many registering attendees at the 52nd annual conference of agricultural, urban and environmental water experts.
Continue readingVeteran Attends Sustainable Agriculture Training Program with the Help of Toro Grant
Brock N. Selman is currently transitioning out of the military after five years of honorable service and two tours to Afghanistan. With hopes of creating a future in farming, Brock turned to the Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training (VSAT) program, that trains veterans in not only sustainable agriculture, but also business planning.
According to Brock, “I envision a farm where not only high quality organic food is produced, but also a learning center for the young and old, alike. A place where field trips can teach children where food comes — from and how it’s grown, as well as teaching adults about healthier alternatives to fast food and prepackaged meals at the grocery store.”
Continue readingCalifornia Irrigation Institute Conference
On January 23 & 24, the California Irrigation Institute (CII) will be presenting its 2014 conference on “Building a Water and Energy Efficient California.” The conference is the CII’s 52nd annual conference and is a great place to join colleagues, speakers, and exhibitors as we look to improve California’s water and energy efficiency. To register or learn more, visit caii.org.
