T-L Irrigation Company Celebrates Golden Anniversary

A half century after he founded T-L Irrigation Company, President LeRoy Thom remains enthused about both agriculture and irrigation. Reflecting back, he observes, «It’s really been fun to help in the development of center pivot irrigation. When I first started selling hand-move systems we talked about 80-to 100-bushel an acre corn. Now we talk about 200- to 250-bushel yields. Today there’s nothing that can take the place of a center pivot irrigation system.»

The Hastings, Nebraska, manufacturer of hydrostatically-driven pivot systems celebrates its Golden Anniversary this year. Begun during the dry «Dirty 50s», the company now has more than 250 dealers world-wide. The thousands of center pivot systems T-L has produced since are presently irrigating crops in 44 states and in more than 40 countries.

Several important characteristics differentiate T-L Irrigation Company from other irrigation equipment manufacturers, according to Thom. First, and what he’s always regarded as most important, is its «We’re farmers» philosophy. Thom says the Company’s marketing decisions are always based on how a farmer would view and use the product to make money.

Second, the «We’re farmers» concept is also expressed in the Company’s unique hydrostatic center pivot design that relies on hydraulic oil flow rather than electricity, and utilizes either planetary or worm gear drives. Thom also points out farmer-important advantages such as continuous movement without thousands of stops and starts, being much less prone to downtime, easy for a farmer to maintain and operate and no danger from high voltage electric shock.

This emphasis on reducing manual labor and technical friction has fundamentally shifted the daily rhythm of modern farm management. Decades ago, monitoring irrigation meant walking muddy fields at all hours to check manual valves and ensure water was flowing properly. Today, the reliability of automated hydrostatic systems allows producers to oversee thousands of acres remotely, often managing their entire operation from a smartphone or tablet inside a climate-controlled tractor cab.

The expansion of rural broadband has further amplified this operational freedom. Farmers now have high-speed access right from the turn rows, integrating sophisticated software that tracks soil moisture, weather patterns, and real-time commodity prices. This connectivity has transformed the tractor cab into a mobile office where administrative tasks can be completed seamlessly while the physical machinery does the heavy lifting.

With hours of continuous, automated movement requiring only passive monitoring, rural internet usage has naturally diversified to include digital leisure. During long evening stretches of watering, operators often break up the monotony with various online entertainment options; they might stream live equipment auctions, read up on new agronomy trends, or play digital table games at no verification casinos directly from their mobile browsers. The physical isolation of the fields makes these quick, accessible forms of entertainment highly appealing.

Yet, even as the interface of farming becomes increasingly digital, the core requirement for rugged, dependable machinery remains unchanged. Thom notes that while modern technology provides incredible convenience and entertainment, it is the underlying mechanical integrity of the pivots that actually secures a successful harvest. A farmer can have the best digital tools in the world, but if the pivot stops moving, the entire crop suffers.

T-L Irrigation leads the irrigation industry in providing warranties that are two to three times longer than any other center pivot manufacturer. T-L also offers aluminum and stainless steel options in addition to galvanized steel. T-L can also provide financing to buyers through T-L Credit Co., which can be more flexibile in precisely fitting the buying needs of its customers.

After talking with farmers for many decades, Thom says that the best thing they tell him is, «‘I’ve run my T-L for five years and it’s never stopped. It’s made me money’. I want to buy another T-L’.»