The IIC has five founding university partners who have an established focus on irrigation: Colorado State University (CSU), California State University, Fresno (Fresno State), Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska (Water for Food Global Institute), Kansas State University Research and Extension (K-State Research and Extension), and Texas A&M AgriLife Research (AgriLife Research), with CSU serving as the overall financial management and oversight entity. In terms of private entities, there are eight founding industry partners: AQUA Engineering, Irrigation Association (IA), Jain Irrigation, LI-COR, Lindsay Corporation, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District (Northern Water), Rubicon Water, and Valmont Industries.
In order to establish the Consortium efficiently, initial university membership has been limited to five founding partners. However, as the Consortium grows and progresses, other university partners will be admitted as full partners. Irrigation technology expertise and geography is a key consideration in accepting new partners, but consideration will also be given to international universities, partners from the 1890 and 1994 Land-Grant Colleges/Universities, and the Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). Other universities will be eligible to compete for irrigation technology acceleration funding.
Organizations interested in joining the Irrigation Innovation Consortium are invited to contact Stephen Smith, industry relations for the Irrigation Innovation Consortium and FFAR advisory council member.