Spotlight Series
Maximizing Irrigation Efficiency in the South Plains of Texas
For Lloyd Arthur, farming cotton in the South Plains of Texas, discussing sustainability always comes back to the timing of the rains. “We’re basically farming in what is sometimes a desert,” says Lloyd. “We got 13 inches of rain this September—but in 2011, we only had 5 total. You have to look at conservation as a priority. We’re not blessed with surface water here in Texas, and you have to be conscious of your resources.”
Lloyd, a 5th generation farmer, operates 2,000 acres on Arthur Farms, growing mainly cotton as well as grain sorghum and wheat as a cover crop. “Our water is limited since we’re in a declining aquifer,” says Lloyd, “So we’re always trying to utilize that water more efficiently and be better stewards with it.”
Lloyd puts in place a number of conservation practices and irrigation technologies to maximize the efficiency of the water he uses on his farm, from soil moisture probes to variable rate irrigation. “It was always a pet peeve of mine watching the pivot cross a turn row,” says Lloyd, describing how his old irrigation systems would continue watering at the edge of the field, wasting his most precious resource. “We used to be putting the same amount of water even where there’s no crop growing. Now with variable rate irrigation, I can control how much water is being applied and ultimately use my water more efficiently.”
Lloyd was introduced to Field to Market through his participation in the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation (TAWC) Cotton Fieldprint Project, where the meticulous data he collects regarding his management practices is entered into the Fieldprint Platform and produces an analysis which helps Lloyd understand opportunities to improve his management practices to save water and money.
Lloyd was introduced to Field to Market through his participation in the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation (TAWC) Cotton Fieldprint Project, where the meticulous data he collects regarding his management practices is entered into the Fieldprint Platform and produces an analysis which helps Lloyd understand opportunities to improve his management practices to save water and money.
Lloyd Arthur
5th Generation Farmer
Ralls, Texas
“What we’re doing now may not work 5 years from now. We have to keep evolving and working on it and seeing what best fits practices. Like with the rain, no two years are alike—all you can do is to keep going back with the data and see what works.”
Lloyd Arthur
5th Generation Farmer
Ralls, TX
“My wife gets on me sometimes—you’ve got all this data, no what are you going to do with it?” Lloyd laughs. “I guess I overanalyze things. But for me to be more efficient with my resources, I have to use the data to learn what’s working.”
One thing Lloyd has learned using this data is it sometimes pays to slow down. “I found out by analyzing data from moisture probes that slowing down an irrigation pivot to the slowest I’ve ever done—it takes 8 days to go all the way around and water the same plant it started on—is actually the most efficient.” Using data analysis, Lloyd is able to pinpoint these opportunities for improvement, allowing him to invest his most limited resource only where needed.
Lloyd knows that the value in data is not just in learning how to maximize efficiency of his operation, but also sharing his conservation story downstream to supply chain partners, or even to non-operating landlords who benefit from understanding the numbers behind his conservation decisions. “I’ve been told, nowadays you’ve got to tell your story as a farmer,” says Lloyd, who operates a Twitter account where he shares cotton industry news and updates from the farm. “There’s folks who live in the nearest town to me, that have agriculture all the way around them but have never stepped foot on a farm. People are hungry for that information—they want to know where their food and fiber comes from.”
Asked about the 6th generation of Arthur farmers, Lloyd describes four children with keen interests and degrees in agriculture, though none have come back to the farm yet. “I was born and raised on a farm, and when I graduated high school—I told my dad I’d never farm. Well, my dad didn’t say a word, and look where I’m at now,” says Lloyd, “Will some of my kids come back? Maybe next year or maybe never. The next generation has more going for them today, but they also have even more challenges facing them.”
For Lloyd, the question of efficiency and technology has never been more relevant than for the next generation. “What we’re doing now may not work 5 years from now,” he says. “We have to keep evolving and working on it and seeing what best fits practices. Like with the rain, no two years are alike—all you can do is to keep going back with the data and see what works.”
"I admire Lloyd’s commitment to stewarding his land and water resources. Lloyd has been willing to try new technology on all fronts to help achieve a conservation mindset to his operation. Lloyd enjoys sharing his story and mentoring to his neighbors to carry on the message of conservation."
Jeff Miller
Owner
Forefront Agronomy
