Visitors From 59 Countries Attend IA Show

A view from the expo floor at the 25th International Irrigation Show in Tampa, Fla. in November. The three-day show, the largest gathering of irrigation equipment and services in the world, included more than 300 exhibitors and drew attendees from 59 countries.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - The 25th International Irrigation Show in Tampa, Fla., drew 2,638 buyer attendees, the highest number since the show was in Phoenix in 2000, the Irrigation Association announced.

International visitors from 59 countries accounted for 12 percent of the total attendance, with the largest contingents coming from Canada, Mexico, Israel, Chile and Vietnam.

The show was in its second year in the Department of Commerce International Buyer Program. The IA and commerce officials worked together to bring international delegations from Vietnam, Peru, Australia, Mexico, Honduras and Uruguay.

Education courses and Certification exams were near capacity with total attendance in the full slate of classes at 811. Certification administered 279 exams, a 22 percent increase over 2003.

Of the attendees who specified, nearly 30 percent identified themselves as contractors/consultants. The show, Nov. 14-16, included more than 325 exhibitor booths, a New Products Contest and technical presentations on topics for turf/landscape and agriculture.

Smart Water Applications Technology, known as SWAT, held a session to provide an update on smart controller tests and to begin a discussion about how the test results would be reported. The committee is also establishing test protocols for soil moisture sensors and developing a marketing program to gain acceptance for new water-saving irrigation technology.

Preparations are underway for the 26th International Irrigation Show in Phoenix Nov. 6 through 8, 2005. Education classes will run Nov. 3 through 8.