Spotlight Series
Making Every Drop of Water Count in the Texas High Plains
At Schur Farms in Plainview, Texas, sustainability isn’t just about the bottom line—it’s also a teaching moment for the next generation. Glenn Schur’s son Layton recently graduated college and returned to the family farm, where the Schurs grow cotton, corn, wheat, sorghum, millet and alfalfa. Glenn tells Layton that when it comes to farming, you never know everything. The most important thing is to take advantage of and improve on the tools you have.
For Glenn that means focusing on innovative water conservation techniques to manage freshwater, a vital natural resource in the draught-prone high plains region of Texas. Serving on the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation (TAWC) Producer Management Board, he is committed to exploring and trialing new techniques across his 1,800 acre farm. His operation includes a variety of technologies which allow him to closely monitor the 1,370 acres of land which he irrigates under low-energy precision application (LEPA) center pivots, making sure that every drop of water counts.
Instead of using high-power spray units for irrigation, LEPA systems have small water sprayers hanging down from a large water-carrying pipe above. These sprayers have nozzles very close to the ground that gently spray water onto the crop. Because the nozzle remains close to the soil, LEPA systems lose less water to evaporation than traditional spray-irrigation systems, which allow more than 90 percent of the water pumped to be used by the crop. In addition, this approach to irrigation also saves energy because it requires less power than traditional spray-irrigation systems.
“We have to use the tools that are practical and affordable to our operation to remain sustainable,” Glenn notes. “Innovative farming leads to successful farming.”
Glenn Schur
4th Generation Farmer
Plainview, Texas
“The Fieldprint Platform has helped show me which management practices are the most successful and should be implemented throughout my operation. Technology is expensive, and I want to only use that which will be the most beneficial to me economically.”
Glenn Schur
4th Generation Farmer
Plainview, Texas
For Glenn, one tool that has spurred this innovation is the analysis offered by the Fieldprint® Platform which allowed him to harness the full potential of these irrigation systems. Since some of his LEPA pivots provide more water than others, Glenn relies on his Fieldprint Analysis to decide which crops will benefit the most from additional water.
With the data at his fingertips, he feels empowered to choose the most affordable and efficient conservation efforts to maximize his farm’s sustainability.
“Data from the Fieldprint Platform provided an easy way for me to track what efforts are worth putting the time and money into. I try my best to utilize technologies that aid me in being a sustainable farmer, but they have to prove they’re worth the expense in order for me to continually use them,” shares Glenn.
He focuses on continuous improvement in his irrigation techniques, recording watering patterns, rainfall, fertilizer and seed planted on a test pivot alongside the resulting yield. He hopes to always be improving and learning which approach provides the greatest efficiency in watering. By combining this irrigation scheduling and monitoring with agronomic practices like crop rotation and residue management, he uses less energy to supply water at critical times throughout the growing season. Glenn’s hard work at continuous trialing allows him to improve his yield and save in irrigation costs.
Glenn notes that the FIeldprint Platform also opens doors for him to communicate the success of his conservation practices.
“Most people have no idea where their food and fiber come from, and we can’t expect them to research it on their own,” said Glenn. “It’s our responsibility to tell our sustainability story and show consumers that farmers are the most trusted conservationists on the planet.”
For Glenn, being able to harness data to improve his water usage all comes back to conservation on behalf of his family.
“I am proud of the products we produce and how hard my family and I work to grow our crops,” Glenn says. “I want to leave a legacy of caring for my land and water to provide the best life possible for my family and generations to come.”
“Glenn is an outstanding farmer and leader in the agriculture community. He is passionate about conservation and innovative in his practices, striving to be profitable while using minimum water and tillage.”
Rick Kellison
Project Manager
Texas Alliance for Water Conservation
