Smart Farming Powered by Cal.net – Terranova Ranch Case Study

In partnership with Cal.net and Emergent Connext, Terranova Ranch, a 6,000-acre diversified farming operation in California’s San Joaquin Valley, proved how smart farming technology and rural broadband connectivity can transform water management and profitability.

Using Cal.net’s high-speed wireless internet and LoRaWAN-based precision irrigation technology, Terranova Ranch automated its irrigation system across 400 acres of processing tomatoes.Within the first year, the results spoke for themselves:

• 34% reduction in water use, saving 136 acre-feet of groundwater and $22,420 annually.
• $61,000+ in total operational savings, including lower labor and vehicle costs.
• Positive ROI achieved in Year 3, with profitability projected to exceed $75,000 by Year 5.

Before automation, irrigation required manual valve activation twice daily, a time-consuming process that often led to over-watering. With Cal.net’s reliable internet connectivity and Emergent’s IoT-driven control software, Terranova’s team can now remotely schedule, monitor, and adjust irrigation in real time, ensuring optimal water use and plant health.

This technology directly supports California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) by showing how smart irrigation helps farmers reduce groundwater use while maintaining yield and crop quality.Terranova Ranch now plans to expand automation from 8 to 30 fields, proving that digital transformation in agriculture is not just possible it’s profitable, sustainable, and scalable.

“Water is one of our key economic drivers here on the farm. Anytime we can be more efficient, it benefits us in the long term.”
—Don Cameron, VP, Terranova Ranch

Cal.net’s AgTech Connectivity Solutions empower growers to:

• Automate irrigation and fertigation systems
• Cut water and energy costs
• Comply with SGMA and sustainability mandates
• Boost crop yields through data-driven precision farming

Cal.net delivers the rural broadband and IoT infrastructure that makes smart agriculture work, helping California growers like Terranova Ranch lead the future of sustainable farming technology.