LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ Competitors in Nebraska's center pivot irrigation system industry are joining the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for workshops on how to conserve water.

Valmont Irrigation of Valley, Reinke Manufacturing of Deshler, T-L Irrigation of Hastings and Lindsay Corporation of Lindsay will work with UNL and their dealers to hold the sessions for customers.

UNL's Ron Yoder says the sessions will be offered statewide, but will target center pivot operators in the Republican River Valley in southern Nebraska and the central Platte River area in central Nebraska.

The sessions begin in late November and will run through late February.

Yoder says ``evidence is pretty strong'' that irrigators often use more water than crops need.