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The Fund for Furthering Flexible Irrigation (4FI) and the Merriam Irrigation Education Foundation (MIEF) are non-profit, educational foundations that strive to promote the need, value and concepts of flexible, farmer-controlled irrigation systems.

The essence a flexible irrigation supply is to provide the farmer with management control of the frequency, rate and duration so that he can manage the entire farm program as an integral unit without the restraints created by the usual rigid rotational, water supply system. To the extent that the full potential of a flexible irrigation water supply system can be utilized, the optimum use of water resources, land, labor, weather and crop production will result.

"The engineer must learn to think like an educated farmer."

The Fund for Furthering Flexible Irrigation and the Merriam Irrigation Education Foundation are funded by John L. Merriam and his family. He is Professor Emeritus, California Polytechnic State University and flexible irrigation consultant. Mr. Merriam is recognized world-wide as a leader in the field of surface irrigation. He is a pioneer in the development of on-farm irrigation system evaluation, which shows the necessity of having a flexible, modifiable water supply to permit upgrading all irrigation methods but especially surface methods.

The 4FI is associated in the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering Department of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Members of the irrigation faculty comprise the board of directors. The foundations collaborate with engineers and irrigation professionals on educational projects worldwide.

Site last updated May 2002