While advances in computerized irrigation began taking shape in the 1990s, they were taken to the next level in the 2000s.
"It was definitely a decade driven by innovation,” said Reece Andrews, product manger for FieldNET and Zimmatic Controls. “Think about it – when the decade began, all you could do with a cell phone was make a call. But, in the few years that followed, flip phones evolved into smart phones that enabled the precision technologies that changed the way farmers work.”
Among the innovations that took shape during the 2000s was award-winning FieldNET® technology. Launched in 2004, FieldNET initially provided growers with web-based monitoring and basic control for any pivot. In 2007, the technology was enhanced to offer full cloud-based remote monitoring and control.
"FieldNET was, and continues to be, a game changer for irrigators,” Andrews said. “Since it’s launch, we have continuously enhanced features and extended its capabilities to more growers around the world. It can now be installed on almost any brand of electric pivot – delivering real time information, so growers can see exactly what their pivots are doing and control them quickly and easily.”
On the heels of the FieldNET launch came other game-changing innovations including FieldPLUS, an articulated pivot system that allows irrigators to “bend” their pivot around obstacles and Precision Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI).
