The 2025 Master Irrigator Program participants in Georgia graduate at an event in Tifton, Ga.
Master Irrigator programs in Mississippi and Georgia are continuing to grow and equip growers with the latest tools for irrigation management. The program provides comprehensive education and resources for farmers to improve irrigation efficiency and water conservation.
“We’ve truly seen how this program has significantly enhanced participants’ knowledge of the tools available to implement irrigation best management practices,” says Jason Mallard, University of Georgia area water agent. “Farmers are now making data-driven decisions and have a better understanding of soil type and crop-specific water demands throughout the season.”
The 2025 Master Irrigator Program participants in Georgia graduate at an event in Soperton, Ga.
The Master Irrigator Program addresses critical issues in irrigation management, equipping participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt best practices and advanced technologies. The program is designed to provide advanced training on irrigation water management (IWM) practices, soil health, agronomics, irrigation scheduling, irrigation systems and equipment maintenance, economics of irrigated agriculture and policy and management.
The Mississippi program offers a mix of online classes and in-person training. The program consists of online modules, classroom trainings, peer-to-peer exchange among participants and instructors, and field demonstrations. Online modules and classroom trainings are conducted by Mississippi State University Extension specialists and other individuals with specialized experience in each of the topics.
Forty-one individuals graduated from the Mississippi Master Irrigator Program in February 2026.
The Mississippi Master Irrigator program starts in October when the online modules are open, and participants have until Jan. 31 to complete them. The in-person session is held in February. In 2026, 41 people completed the class.
The UGA Extension Ag Water Team is currently in their fourth year of the Georgia Master Irrigator Program. Nearly 60 individuals have graduated from the program in Georgia. Participants attend two irrigation efficiency meetings and use a soil moisture sensor throughout the growing season to aid in irrigation scheduling. Participants are assisted by their County Agent and members of the Ag Water team in installing, reading and interpreting the data that comes from the soil moisture sensors during the growing season.
For more information on the Mississippi program contact Dillon Russell at dar335@msstate.edu or the MSU Extension website. Farmers interested in the Georgia program should contact their local county Extension agent to sign up in January 2027 for next year’s program.
By Joy Crosby