Investment in high-tech equipment pays off with waste reduction

The higher cost of seed and fertilizer has prompted many farmers to seek ways to save money lost through duplication and waste.

The answer, says Joe Brunker, a John Deere AMS consultant at Sloan Implement in Mount Horeb, is high-tech equipment. For example, one system uses global positioning information to automatically shut off fertilizer valves in areas where it has already been applied.

Savings from less waste mean the average payback time for high-tech farm equipment is about two years, he said.

Some of the latest innovations include:

• John Deere sectional swap control: The system uses global positioning to shut off certain valves on sprayers and other equipment when it passes over ground that already has been covered. Brunker said the system has been available as an after-market addition but now is an option on Deere equipment.

• Case IH Precision Hoe 800: Announced last month, the hoe is designed for small-seeded crops such as wheat and is equipped with electronic controls that can link to monitors on Case IH tractors. Farmers can control drill functions and fold back sections of the 50-foot to 70-foot-wide hoe from the tractor cab.

• Real-time kinematic (RTK) global positioning: The GPS devices used by motorists approximate the position of the car. RTK pinpoints the position down to inches, which allows farmers to precisely align fall fertilizer with spring planting.

By MARV BALOUSEK
608-252-6135
mbalousek@madison.com

Deere says to invest over $500 mln in Russia

MOSCOW, July 3 Reuters - U.S. farm machinery maker Deere & Co will invest over $500 million in new projects in Russia in the next few years, the firm said on Friday ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Moscow.

John Deere's president and chief operating officer, Samuel Allen, to become chief executive on Aug 1, will come to Moscow together with a large group of U.S. businessmen as part of Obama's first visit to Russia as president on July 6-8.

The firm said its investments would focus on new joint projects and innovation technologies but did not elaborate.

Russia has turned into one of the world's largest grain exporters in the past decade following a few years of abundant harvests. Deer & Co, the world's largest maker of agricultural machinery, employs about 55,000 people worldwide.

Several Russian machinery makers have run into trouble since late last year after commodities prices fell and demand for their production plummeted while global credit markets remain shut for many Russian borrowers to refinance heavy debts.

More than 500 tractors join annual Iowa joyride

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — More than 500 tractors are joining a three-day joyride around eastern Iowa, an annual 50-mile trek from Dubuque to Dyersville and back.

Organizers say 509 tractors were registered for the 10th anniversary of the Great Eastern Iowa Tractorcade, which began Monday. That's up from the previous high of 450.



The line of orange, blue, yellow, red and green tractors stretched for miles, with most cruising at about 16 mph. Bearing names like John Deere, Ford and Farmall, they stick to local roads and pass tree houses, tire swings, barns and banks along the way.

Tom McClain, who traveled from Phoenix for the ride, says it's like a family reunion. Darold Sindt of Keystone, Iowa, says "tractor people" are a different sort of club.

Information from: Telegraph Herald, http://www.thonline.com

John Deere Upgrades 710J Backhoe

MOLINE, IL- John Deere has added a new PowerTech E 6068 Tier 3 engine to its 710J Backhoe, improving both emissions compliance and power.

John Deere 710J Backhoe

The 710J still provides a dig depth reaching up to 22 feet, 4 inches when extended, and now a PowerTech E 6068 Tier 3 engine will come standard on 710J backhoes beginning in January. The PowerTech engine will provide an increase in horsepower and the same six-cylinder torque as on the previous Tier 2 710Js.
The new 710Js feature net horsepower of 126 hp, compared to the 123 hp on the Tier 2 engines, along with a host of other improvements. For example, the high pressure common rail fuel system provides higher injection pressures, variable timing, and precise control of fuel injection, giving it highly efficient combustion.

Deere has also ensured that daily servicing duties are easy to accomplish. Servicing is all done on the same side and accessed from the ground. There is no need to raise the boom and no tools are necessary to open and tilt the hood, which can be tilted to 90 degrees if needed.

In addition, exterior upgrades to the 710J include a new extended grill frame that comes standard and a side louver that improves airflow to the engine.

Suppliers at Pa. Farm Show say business thrives

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The nation's battered economy may have taken a toll on car sales and the housing market, but John Deere Toys are still a pretty hot commodity at Valley Ag & Turf.

"We still have things to deliver yet that were ordered from last year," said Harold Lenker, a salesman for the dealership in rural Halifax, about 10 miles north of Harrisburg. "The pipeline isn't empty yet, and the ag business is actually pretty decent at the end of the year. I had more people spending more money than they did in a long time."

The dealership is among 270 commercial exhibitors showing off their wares at this week's Pennsylvania Farm Show — more to educate the general public than to drum up business. The show continues through Saturday.

As throngs circulated among gleaming tractors, front-end loaders and horse trailers, company officials said 2008 generally brought sales as good as the previous year, if not better.

The Hoober Inc. display featured a towering red Case IH tractor that weighs more than seven tons and carries a price tag exceeding $142,000. Gary Hauseman, a salesman for the Intercourse-based dealer, said 2008 sales were up 10 percent to 15 percent from the previous year.

"2008 was a very strong year in the agriculture industry, some of that because of commodity prices, a lot of pent-up demand over the years, purchases that weren't being made because markets were tight," Hauseman said.

The outlook for 2009 is less certain, however.

Lenker's comments reflected Deere & Co.'s strong performance in sales of agriculture equipment for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, the most recent financial results available. Sales rose 43 percent in the fourth quarter and 37 percent over the year.

Deere forecasts that its farm-machinery sales in the U.S. and Canada will grow by about 5 percent for 2009, fueled by increases in tractors and combines. It is expecting lower sales of cotton equipment, small tractors and equipment commonly used by livestock producers.

Jeff Altmeyer, sales manager of Altmeyer's Western Wear & Trailer Sales Inc. in Kittanning, said his business ended 2008 with horse trailer sales that were "pretty close" to the previous year. Brisk sales in the first half of the year were offset by a decline in the fall as the national economy weakened, Altmeyer said.

Altmeyer said he is approaching 2009 with caution. His offerings at the Farm Show ranged from basic utility trailers at around $5,000 to a fancy recreational trailer boasting living quarters and a flat-screen TV for more than $60,000.

"As things pick up, we'll deepen our inventory but kind of play it one month at a time," he said.

Owners of more specialized farm businesses also saw a fairly prosperous 2008. Among them was Zartman Farms in Ephrata, which makes cow mattresses from recycled rubber tires.

"'08 was a pretty good year," Tom Zartman said. "That'll fluctuate with the dollars a dairy farmer has available to try and improve his farm."

Despite a recent drop in milk prices, Zartman said he is still busy processing orders.

"We're already booked for all of this winter, until springtime," Zartman said.

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On the Net:

Pennsylvania Farm Show: http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us

PLAY PLOWING

Jonathon Bird/News Herald

Gabriel Howell, 5, uses a small John Deere pedal tractor to plow the snow from the walks in front of a home on Second Street as his sister, Lilliana Howell, 4, prepares a snowball to throw at him Wednesday.

Michigan wind farm completed

UBLY, Mich. — Construction of Michigan’s largest commercial-scale wind farm near Ubly, has been successfully completed, despite the complexities of the project.

John Deere Renewables, a national leader in wind energy development, and Consumers Energy, the utility purchasing the power, announced Michigan Wind 1 went into commercial operation Dec. 16.

Plans to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony are underway, and details will be forthcoming.

Michigan Wind 1 is part of the former Noble Thumb Windpark, which John Deere Renewables acquired from Noble Environmental Power in October.

Project

The project consists of 46 GE SLE wind turbines and has a total capacity of 69 megawatts, which produces enough electricity to power approximately 20,000 homes.

Consumers Energy will be purchasing the power produced by Michigan Wind 1.

Michigan Wind 1 is one of two wind farm projects by John Deere Renewables in northeast Michigan, with two additional wind projects under development.

John Deere Renewables was also the first to develop a commercial-scale wind project in Michigan.

The Harvest 1 project is located in Huron County, between the communities of Pigeon and Elkton.

It consists of 32 turbines with a total capacity of 53 megawatts, which can produce enough electricity to power more than 15,000 homes.