Shandong Jintain’s Drafted National Standard GB/T 40119-2021 Takes Effect, Setting New Benchmark for RF Card Irrigation Controllers

A landmark national standard in agricultural water-saving irrigation has officially taken effect, setting a unified technical framework for radio frequency card-based intelligent irrigation systems across China. GB/T 40119-2021, “General technical specifications for RF tag irrigation intelligent control system,” was released on May 21, 2021, and began official implementation on December 1, 2021. Shandong Jintian Water Conservancy Technology Co., Ltd. serves as a primary drafting organization behind this influential national standard.

National Recognition for Irrigation Intelligence

The standard was jointly issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the National Standardization Administration and is administered under the China Machinery Industry Federation. It is overseen by the National Agricultural Machinery Standardization Technical Committee (SAC/TC201) and executed by its Subcommittee on Irrigation and Drainage Equipment and Systems (TC201/SC4). 

GB/T 40119-2021 establishes comprehensive technical requirements for RF tag-based intelligent irrigation control systems. The standard defines the fundamental architecture of such systems, which consist of six core components: the RF card itself, the RF control unit, the irrigation execution unit, the wireless transmission unit, the monitoring unit, and the management unit. 

The document further sets forth specifications for basic system requirements, information acquisition, wireless transmission capabilities, and irrigation management functions, alongside provisions for proper installation, acceptance procedures, and ongoing operation and maintenance. 

A Pioneer Becomes a Standard-Setter

Shandong Jintian’s role as a primary drafting organization is no accident. The company has a deep history of innovation in this field dating back to 2002, when it was first established. By 2003, Shandong Jintian had already begun applying high-frequency smart card control technology to agricultural water-saving irrigation. It became the first enterprise in China to develop and produce the “enclosure-free RF card irrigation controller” and pioneered the “enclosure-free RF card controller irrigation model” for well irrigation in Shandong Province. 

This pioneering work laid a strong technical foundation. Before the national standard was developed, Shandong Jintian had already been invited to serve as a primary drafting organization for Shandong Province’s local standard, DB37/T 2733-2015, which bore the same title. Drawing on nearly two decades of hands-on experience in designing, manufacturing, and deploying RF card-based irrigation systems, the company played a leading role in shaping both the provincial and national technical specifications.

The drafting process for GB/T 40119-2021 involved an impressive coalition of leading research institutes and enterprises. Shandong Jintian was joined by the Shandong Institute of Industrial Technology, the Shandong Institute of Standardization, the Shandong Provincial Academy of Agricultural Machinery Science, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Mechanization Sciences, Shandong Hemei Xinyi Technology Innovation Co., Ltd., and Shandong Laiyi Information Industry Joint-Stock Company. The team of principal drafters included 12 experts: An Jie, Wang Huitao, Wang Yongjian, Tian Jinfeng, Zhang Xiansheng, Li Xiao, Lu Ningjiang, Zhao Liwei, Liu Ning, Tian Zhong, Sun Hongmei, and Zhang Huajian. 

Raising the Bar for Smart Irrigation

The implementation of this national standard marks a significant step forward in the standardization of agricultural irrigation technology across China. By establishing unified technical requirements for system architecture, performance parameters, installation protocols, and ongoing maintenance, the document helps ensure interoperability, reliability, and long-term consistency across products and systems from different manufacturers.

Under the standard’s specifications, the RF control unit must support nine core functions, including intelligent user identification, balance alerts, and anomaly detection. The irrigation execution unit must feature phase-loss protection and support integrated water-fertilizer operations. The wireless transmission unit must be compatible with 5G network communication protocols, and the entire system must be capable of operating in temperatures ranging from -30℃ to 70℃. The RF card itself must operate at a frequency of 13.56MHz with a tolerance of ±7kHz and maintain an effective read/write distance of 2.5–10 cm. 

A Longstanding Leader in Agricultural Water Conservation

The national standard’s effective implementation is particularly timely as China continues to prioritize water conservation in agriculture. Agriculture accounts for more than half of the nation’s total water consumption, yet water use efficiency has long remained a challenge. Shandong Jintian has been at the forefront of addressing this issue for more than two decades.

Today, the company operates from the “Water-Saving Irrigation Equipment Industrial Park” in Laiwu High-tech Zone, Jinan City, Shandong Province. It maintains a registered capital of RMB 30 million, boasts 6,000 square meters of standardized workshops, and houses a precision agriculture intelligent greenhouse experiment center.

Shandong Jintian holds three invention patents and 24 software copyrights dedicated to agricultural and water conservancy irrigation services, with 54 total patents successfully applied for since its founding. The company has participated in more than 300 domestic bidding projects for high-standard farmland construction, comprehensive agricultural water pricing reform, groundwater over-extraction management, and intelligent irrigation control.

Widespread Adoption Across China

The impact of Shandong Jintian’s technology can be seen across China. Its products have been deployed in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Hebei, Hubei, Jiangsu, the three northeastern provinces, and more than 60 counties and districts within Shandong Province alone. Nationwide, nearly 4,000 villages and over 700,000 water users rely on Shandong Jintian’s equipment for their daily irrigation needs. 

Among the company’s flagship products is the “Smart Water Price Processor” series, which supports water rights management and progressive pricing control—technologies that have proven instrumental in helping agricultural water pricing reform policies achieve tangible on-the-ground results. 

Recognition and Awards

Shandong Jintian’s contributions have earned widespread recognition. The company has been designated a national high-tech enterprise and a provincial-level “One Enterprise, One Technology” R&D center. Its products have been included in the “National Water Conservancy System Outstanding Product Bidding Key Recommendation Catalog” and have received “Water Conservancy Advanced Practical Technology Promotion Certificates” from the Ministry of Water Resources. The company has also been honored with the “Provincial Contract-Abiding and Credit-Worth Enterprise” award from Shandong quality inspection authorities, and “Science and Technology Innovation Advanced Enterprise” and “Excellent Innovation and Entrepreneurship Enterprise” awards from Laiwu National High-tech Zone. 

Continuing to Innovate

The company’s sixth-generation product, a “Wireless Communication Terminal Remote Intelligent Irrigation Control Device,” has received a national invention patent and is recognized as filling a domestic technological gap at a leading domestic level. In 2020, CCTV’s Ingenuity program featured the company’s products in a documentary titled “In the Field of Hope,” which aired on the CCTV Discovery Channel. 

Looking ahead, Shandong Jintian remains dedicated to advancing smart water conservancy, intelligent agriculture, and IoT-based control technologies. As the company continues to develop next-generation solutions for water-saving irrigation, its foundational role in drafting both local and national standards ensures that its expertise will continue to shape the industry for years to come.

About Shandong Jintian Water Conservancy Technology Co., Ltd.

Founded in November 2002, Shandong Jintian Water Conservancy Technology Co., Ltd. is a national high-tech enterprise specializing in the R&D, production, and sales of water-saving irrigation equipment. The company serves as a primary drafting organization for China National Standard GB/T 40119-2021 and has pioneered multiple innovations in RF card-based irrigation controllers, smart water price processors, and integrated water-fertilizer systems. With 23 years of industry experience, Shandong Jintian has participated in over 300 domestic irrigation projects and serves more than 700,000 water users across nearly 4,000 villages nationwide. The company is committed to supporting global water-saving efforts through the Belt and Road Initiative, offering OEM and customized solutions to international partners.