The Minnesota Irrigator Program (MIP) is a 3-day course offered to irrigators and irrigation professionals to help you match irrigation with crop water use, improve water use efficiency and reduce water costs.
Topics covered include:
- The soil-plant-water relationship
- Irrigation scheduling for your soil and crops
- How to incorporate nutrient management and irrigation best management practices)
- How to select the right sprinkler packages
- And special topics such as variable rate irrigation and use of remote sensors in irrigation
MIP is one of the requirements for the Irrigation Endorsement to the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). Participants are required to attend all three days of the course to become certified.
Certified education credits (CEUs) are offered for Certified Crop Advisers.
2024 MIP course
This course will be held in person from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, March 6, 13 and 20, at Central Lakes College in Staples.
In addition to learning about the most effective irrigation management practices, completing the MIP is one of the requirements to attain the Irrigation Endorsement of the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program. Certified farms will receive the endorsement with proof of attendance to this program and the adoption of a new irrigation practice or scheduling method on-farm.
Taylor Herbert, Extension educator
therbert@umn.edu or 320-203-6062
Brenda Postels, Extension educator
post0060@umn.edu or 763-370-3268
Vasudha Sharma, Extension irrigation specialist
vasudha@umn.edu or 612-626-4986
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
- Minnesota Area II Potato Research and Promotion Council
- Minnesota Corn Growers Association
- Reinke Irrigation
- Earthscout
- R.D. Offutt Farms
- Central Lakes College