The Trump administration hit the ground running at the start of the new presidency, and with recent legislations and promises, many in the industry are uncertain about what the future holds.
As a result, the Irrigation Association (IA) hosted its Post-Election Webinar Series, a three-part educational event to answer industry questions and give insights into what the association is seeing with the new administration.
“The past few months have underscored the importance of staying proactive and engaged as legislative and regulatory landscapes evolve at both the federal and state levels,” says Nathan Bowen, vice president of policy and industry advancement for the IA. “From trade and labor policies directly impacting irrigation businesses to state requirements for irrigation products, a host of policy issues are shaping the future of the irrigation industry. A major takeaway is that informed, local-level advocacy is more important than ever to ensure the industry’s voice is heard in shaping policy that impacts the irrigation industry.”
The most recent webinar, “100 Days In: Trump’s Return and What It Means for Irrigation,” was hosted April 29 by Bowen; Andrew Morris, IA associate director, technical and regulatory affairs; and Luke Reynolds, IA associate director, government and public affairs. Key topics covered included tariff uncertainty, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) updates and hirings, labor challenges, the IA’s involvement in policy making and more.
“We want the irrigation industry to have a clear understanding of how policy shifts are affecting the industry — and how those changes connect back to irrigation businesses,” Bowen says. “We want them to see the concrete work the Irrigation Association is doing to advocate for the industry at every level. These webinars are about keeping stakeholders informed, showing where and how IA is making an impact and motivating industry leaders to engage alongside us.”
The webinar series engaged with attendees, asking for concerns, questions and feedback on what their biggest challenges are. One poll in particular asked for attendees’ outlook on the remainder of 2025, with the results showing:
- 0 percent were very optimistic
- 44 percent were somewhat optimistic
- 11 percent were neutral
- 19 percent were somewhat pessimistic
- 26 percent were very pessimistic
Another poll asked attendees to choose from a word bank on which issues regarding the new administration concerned them the most, with the top answers being tariffs, labor and overall uncertainty.
All webinars are available for free on the IA’s Irrigation Advocacy Insights webpage, including the first two, “Post-Election Impact: What’s Next for the Irrigation Industry” and “State Spotlight: Legislative Trends Impacting Irrigation.”
And advocacy was the name of the game throughout the series, as Bowen, Reynolds and Morris emphasized the importance of getting involved and making the industry’s voices heard. The three of them agreed that new presidential staffing, such as the NRCS Chief Aubrey Bettencourt, and further networking opportunities can lead to more conversations between the industry and policymakers — a positive under the new administration, according to Bowen.
For irrigation pros to get their voices heard, the IA recommends attending industry events, staying informed and joining local grassroots efforts to strengthen collective influence.
“If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu. It’s a cliché, but it’s absolutely true,” Bowen says. “Staying informed is about awareness, yes, but it’s also about empowering professionals to get engaged, to see themselves as changemakers within the industry and to influence the very agencies and policies that shape their future. That’s why we host these kinds of programs: to inform, to engage and to build a stronger, more active voice for irrigation.”
