University of Georgia
UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences C.M. Stripling Irrigation Research Park
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Our Work and Priorities

The University of Georgia created the Stripling Irrigation Research Park (SIRP) to be an innovative irrigation research and education center. The park is an easily accessible facility to offer assistance for farmers in irrigation management as well as to provide general information to the public regarding the role of water in the regional economy.

Scientists, engineers, and extension specialists collaborate with the staff and administration of the park to define crop water needs and improve food, feed, and fiber production using efficient irrigation methods. Industry partners are able to test equipment and water conservation strategies for Georgia under the objective eye of the college’s researchers. SIRP provides educational opportunities and demonstrations for farmers, irrigation companies, as well as students in local technical colleges and universities. Additionally, we often collaborate with the local Mitchell County Extension Office staff. 

Agricultural water conservation is at the forefront of topics in southwest Georgia with the increasing frequency of drought periods and increasing water demands throughout the Apalachicola – Chattahoochee – Flint (ACF) River Basin. Thus, the mission of the Stripling Park has included conservation ideals since its inception. With the ongoing “water wars” over water flow and demand in the ACF River Basin, maximizing efficiency and conservation efforts in this region has become a priority.

About us


We investigate the latest production and technological practices, striving for producer profitability and sustainability.
Research and Education Centers (RECs) are hubs for innovation and discovery that address the most critical issues facing agricultural production throughout the state. Ultimately, our findings are shared with stakeholders through the extension and outreach efforts of the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Agricultural Research Centers in Georgia Find your local county Extension Office

CAES News

Planted three years ago during the pandemic, the University of Georgia’s Heritage Apple Orchard is starting to bear fruit and spark interest in the state’s agricultural history. Its 139 varieties hail from a time when Georgia was a major player in the country’s apple industry. (Photo by Michael Terrazas) CAES News
Taste of history: UGA Heritage Apple Orchard now bearing fruit 10/17/24
On a fine day at the University of Georgia Heritage Apple Orchard, you can see the fringing peaks of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest rising around like a hedgerow, guarding against whatever forces might encroach. When Stephen Mihm looks over the tops of the 275-odd dwarf apple trees that constitute the orchard, he sees more than a pretty view of the Appalachian foothills. He sees clear into Georgia’s past.
Georgia is consistently one of the top five states to use the H-2A visa program and depends on H-2A workers for 60% of agricultural jobs. CAES News
Journey to work 10/14/24
On a farm in southwest Georgia, the rising sun is just beginning to shine upon acres of lush fall crops growing in neat rows. Migrant workers are hunched over, quickly picking the dew-covered leafy greens destined for grocery stores throughout the country. At the end of a hard day, they head home to a shared house that has been provided to them for the duration of their employment. The next morning, they will wake and return to the fields for another day of work in the elements and finish with a shared evening in the communal housing.
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CAES Events

Come be a part of the Georgia H.E.R.D. Program in Calhoun! Winter born heifers eligible: Dec 1, 2023 - Feb 29, 2024. Deadline to enter: November 1st, 2024  
Nov 01
8:00AM - 5:00PM Entry Deadline - Calhoun H.E.R.D. Program