Blue Delta Dealers Specialize in Customer Service

Cindy ZimmermanAg Leader, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show

Earlier this month, Chuck told you about Ag Leader’s Blue Delta Dealer Network announced at the Iowa Power Farming Show. I had the opportunity to talk with one of these elite dealers and two of his satisfied customers at the National Farm Machinery Show.

nfmsRick Hoeing is with Jacobi Sales of Seymour, Indiana and he is one of only a handful of dealers nationwide who have graduated thus far from the new Ag Leader Academy to become the very first Blue Delta Dealers. I asked him why it was important for him to go through the in-depth training it required to receive that designation.

“The Ag Leader Blue Delta Dealer Network is definitely a very important part of the precision ag industry which is very dependent on service to the customer,” Rick said. “As precision ag as an industry goes, it’s in constant change, almost seasonal change. To be able to gain hands-on experience well before we have a product in place in the field is a huge asset.”

“The customer is going to buy a product that he knows he has quality service for,” Rick added.

nfmsTwo of Rick’s customers, Justin Gelfius (left) and Steve Bennett, were with him at the Ag Leader exhibit and I got a chance to ask them what was so special about a Blue Delta Dealer. “They’re always just a phone call away and normally over the phone they can diagnose your problem and get you going again,” Steve said. “Rick’s been great to work with,” Justin added. “It’s really nice to stick with somebody that you can know and trust with regard to technical support and Rick is very good with all the new equipment and technology.”

Steve and Justin actually use precision technology on their commercial tomato operation in southern Indiana, using it for everything from spraying and setting tomatoes to cultivating and picking tomatoes.

Listen to my interviews with Rick, Steve and Justin here:

Championship Tractor Pull at NFMS

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, National Farm Machinery Show, Video

One of the great things about the National Farm Machinery Show is the Championship Tractor Pull … the largest, oldest and most prestigious indoor tractor pull, according to Corinne Fetter, Director of Expositions for the Kentucky State Fair Board.

“This is the 42nd year for the tractor pull and the 45th year for the National Farm Machinery Show, and so the two have worked together for quite a while now. And we feel they complement each other rather well,” said Corinne during an interview on the last day of the event last weekend.

She says for the men and women who compete in the tractor pull that it is truly a labor of love, that takes a lot of time, effort and money to get the kind of performance and down-to-your-toes rumble and roar that these machines produce. But she also credits the crews who get the track ready to give the pullers a world class area to put their machines through their paces. And she says none of this would be possible without the fans. “For some of them, this is their vacation every year,” she says. “And I can tell you, there are plenty of red fans, and there are plenty of green fans.” And plenty who are just color blind!

Listen to ZimmComm reporter John Davis’ interview with Corinne in the audio player below and enjoy short video clip of a few of the pulls here:

Benefits of Leasing Precision Farming Equipment

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Equipment, Financing, Insights Weekly

Insights WeeklyYou’ve read, perhaps talked to neighbors, or maybe you’ve learned first hand that many tools of precision agriculture pay for themselves—maybe in one year, maybe three. But perhaps you’re thinking you can’t swing that $5,000 or $15,000 payment right now in order to start saving input costs with this technology.

To that end, some companies are making it simple and easy to lease equipment. Yesterday I spoke with Troy Jaros with Lease Consultants, Des Moines, Ia., to learn why some growers are leasing precision technology. “Basically, some growers value this type of payment option over time because it fits with how they recoup benefits from the equipment over time. And they can make a larger investment in multiple technologies that can multiply their input cost savings.”

Jaros, who handles all leasing for Ag Leader Technology, says the leasing option has truly helped operations move forward more quickly with technology adoption. “For example, one grower was going to add precision technology to two pieces of equipment because that’s what his cash budget allowed. But once the dealer offered the leasing option in annual payments over time, he decided he could afford to equip his sprayer and anhydrous rig, too. It allowed the customer to do his entire project in one year,” he says.

Jaros says they get very positive feedback from Ag Leader customers who cite simplicity and ease of approval as key selling points. “We have a simple two-page lease form, we offer quick approval, we don’t force our own insurance on customers, we give a 6% prepayment discount instead of early prepayment penalty, customers can choose their buyout amount, and we will finance 100% without down payment.”

For growers thinking about leasing, Jaros offers these benefits to consider:
• Leasing improves your cash flow. “New equipment either saves money on current expenses or increases income. Either way a lease allows the equipment to earn its keep as payments are made.”
• It preserves your bank or primary lender credit line. “As bankers have tightened their credit door, some growers opt to save their bank for, say, land purchases and taxes—not equipment.”
• Payment plans may overcome budgetary restrictions. “Particularly in large farming corporations, a manager may have authority to obligate for operating expenses, but they may be unable to approve capital expenditures”.
• Keep equipment up to date. “Upgrade to most current equipment as needs change or technology improves.”
• It simplifies accounting. You don’t have depreciation schedules.
• “We provide 100% financing. No need to put 10% down, and the customer determines when payments start.”

If you want to explore this option for your operation, you can start by contacting your local Ag Leader dealer.

AutoFarm ParaDyme RTK ReadyConnect Simplify CORS Network

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Equipment, GPS, Guidance, Satellite

AutoFarm’s new ParaDyme precision farming system comes complete with an integrated cellular modem for RTK accuracy with no base station when using the company’s unique, optional RTK ReadyConnect service.

RTK ReadyConnect allows ParaDyme users to access their state DOT CORS Network and receive RTK GPS accuracy without the expense of a base station, or without subscribing to an RTK tower network.

“AutoFarm’s RTK ReadyConnect service features totally factory integrated hardware which eliminates the hassle and expense of adding wireless. There’s no integration guesswork. No compatibility issues between devices. No boxes to add, cables to run, or antennas to mount. The service can be activated in minutes and when activated, it automatically finds the best signal available,” says AutoFarm Marketing Director, Deane Malott.

Because the system is factory integrated, and works with over 50 wireless partners across North America, it offers excellent flexibility. The customer can activate RTK only when needed and for the duration of time needed. AutoFarm has also just announced RTK ReadyConnect bundles that give the grower choices of 1-month, 4-month or 10-month activation. Because it is using multiple CDMA carriers, the ParaDyme system automatically and continuously picks the best available network as the vehicle operates in the field. In many areas, farms are covered by multiple carriers which means the ParaDyme system is less likely to lose signal.

Malott adds, “With optional RTK ReadyConnect, ParaDyme provides affordable access to subscription RTK networks that allow the grower to pick the duration that best matches his field operations, without having to get locked into a multi-year wireless contract.”

The ParaDyme system is the industry’s first single system solution to everything precision ag: planter control, application control, yield monitoring, data logging and management, plus hands-free GPS steering via WAAS, EGNOS, OmniSTAR HP/XP, and RTK. It is also GLONASS ready.  With factory integrated wireless, ParaDyme also offers a Remote Real-Time Service connection to the dealer in addition to the optional RTK ReadyConnect service.

For more information on the AutoFarm ParaDyme and RTK ReadyConnect, visit www.gpsfarm.com.

Topcon Offers New AutoSteer System

Kurt LawtonCompany Announcement, Equipment, Guidance

Topcon Precision Agriculture introduces a new advanced autosteering system and new electric steering kits for tractors.

System 250 autosteering application combines multi-constellation and combination receiver/controller features of the AGI-3 with the all-in-one control features of Topcon’s X20 console.

A wide range of off-road vehicles are supported for this autosteering system, utilizing either direct interface through CANbus or ISObus, or the high-performance AES-25 Electric Steering. The system is designed specifically for parallel autosteering operations.

The X20 console provides farming operators with technological tools to combat the increasing cost of fuel, chemicals and fertilizers and the need to ensure improved  environmental control. It is a completely integrated controller with modular extensions designed to control every aspect of agricultural system management including, spraying, seeding, spreading, fertilizing, autosection control, variable rate control and the all new CropSpec crop canopy sensor.

Topcon Precision Agriculture also released six new AES-25 electric steering kits. The new kits “maximize electric steering performance in a variety of farm vehicles,” according to Rod Haarberg, North American sales manager.

The new kits are available for standard row crop tractors, articulating tractors, track tractors, sprayers, combines and windrowers.

Available kits include: CIH, Fendt, John Deere, New Holland, Buhler, RoGator, Gleaner, and MacDon

Orders are now being accepted for the new system.

The Move to Reduce Monitor/Controller Cab Clutter

Kurt LawtonAg Leader, Displays, Equipment, Fertilizer, Guidance, Harvesting, Insights Weekly, Planting, Spraying

Insights WeeklyThe fight for space in the tractor/sprayer/combine cab continues, especially as more and more precision farming capabilities are added to an operation.

Clutter has happened for a variety of reasons. From anxious early adopter growers buying numerous early controllers, to anxious dealers selling the latest equipment without regard to grower needs, to growers not thinking about longer term needs.

Paul Bruns, who runs a precision agriculture company called Precision Consulting Services in Canby, Minn., says cab clutter consolidation is a huge topic of conversation right now. “I’ve got a lot of customers looking into moving their planter monitor display, lightbar, variable-rate controller and more—consolidating them into one screen. This can be done, but you need to do your research to learn what monitors can and cannot do, or find a trusted, reliable dealer/consultant who knows a lot of equipment,” he says.

“With the new age of monitors, you’ll be hard pressed to find a display for less than $5000. So it pays to really think what types of applications you may want to do in the future. For example, I was recently installing a boom shutoff system for a grower, and he happened to say ‘I’d really like to consider putting clutches on the planter’ so I stopped and told him we may want to go in a different direction, especially if you may want to vary the rates down the road,” he says.

Bruns, An Ag Leader and Trimble dealer who has grown his business because he does help growers to think and plan ahead, saves money in the long run for his clients. “As in this case, it was better to spend $1,000 or $2,000 more today, than have to spend an additional $5000 down the road.” He says there’s not enough consultative selling going on among retailers to learn a grower’s long-term plans, or to help them with those decisions. “Some just sell what the grower wants today.”

Knowing the agronomic side (he also writes fertilizer prescriptions), along with his ability to service most equipment on the precision ag market—as well as sell seed for Pioneer—gives Bruns a broad perspective. “The challenge is finding the best fit for every grower, as well as advising them on what’s going to deliver ROI,” he says.

“One of the reasons I have sold many Insight monitors is because they work with all colors of equipment, and they can handle all the functions a grower needs. Ag Leader has kind of been the ISOBUS before there was ISOBUS. And now with their Integra monitor—those types of touch screen monitors offer more flexibility for future features and benefits that can be added—so you don’t have to keep changing displays,” he adds. (Click on ‘Display Comparison Chart’ under SeedCommand )

Bruns thinks we’re starting to turn the corner on getting closer to a day when the ISOBUS theory becomes a much greater reality of compliance between systems. “Deere talks about reverse compatibility with their 2600 monitor to be able to drive a red tractor that is auto pilot ready. Same thing with Trimble or Case, so they can plug in and run a John Deere AutoTrac, for example,” he says. “We’re going to start seeing more and more of this, which will also help get rid of cab clutter, and add simplicity for the grower.”

For more information:
North American ISOBUS Implementation Task Force

Ag Leader Technology Sensor Pays Off

Cindy ZimmermanAg Leader, Audio, Equipment, Video

nfmsAg Leader Technology was demonstrating how the OptRx™ Crop Sensor System works at the National Farm Machinery Show this week in Louisville.

The OptRx crop sensor system measures and records data about a crop in real-time using the reflectance of light shined on the growing crop. “The biggest use for this is for variable rate nitrogen application on the go,” Ag Leader’s Roger Zielke told me, which helps farmers put exactly the right amount of fertilizer in the right spot.

That helps growers get a good return on their investment. “We ran this in quite a few fields in 2008 and 2009 and we compared to their flat rate that they would have done and we saw a big yield increase from what the sensor prescribed compared to the farmer and that has ranged from $20 all the way up to $100 – the average is about $20-30 per acre,” Roger said. “This could turn out to be one of the higher return on investment products that we’ve ever had since nitrogen has such a huge effect on yield in corn and other grass-type crops.”

You can watch a video showing how the OptRx™ Crop Sensor System works here and listen or download just the audio portion below.

What’s NUE from John Deere

Cindy ZimmermanAudio, Equipment, John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show

nfmsWhat is NUE from John Deere at the 2010 National Farm Machinery Show is Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency – a precision improvement for nutrient application.

I talked to Dave Wendt with John Deere, who was demonstrating the new addition to the 2510 high speed nutrient applicators. “This machine is a 23 row model, set up on 30 inch spacing to not only side dress, but to run in fall or spring pre-plant.”

The machine folds up into a nice 18 foot package for on-road transport, but the really cool thing that Dave was demonstrating was how it hooks up to the PitStop Pro tendering system to help customers quickly and efficiently change anhydrous ammonia tanks without leaving the cab of the tractor.

“Today, to hook and unhook anhydrous tanks manually might take 10-12 minutes,” Dave said. “With the PitStop System, we’re looking at about a minute and a half to two minutes.” The system is controlled through the same GS2 display in the cab that runs the AutoTrac or rate controller.

Listen to or download my interview with Dave in the player below and watch a demo video here:

National Farm Machinery Show Underway

Cindy ZimmermanAg Leader, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show

nfmsA blanket of snow greeted attendees of the 2010 National Farm Machinery Show today – but since it fell yesterday, everything is going off as planned and the show is just as big as ever.

nfmsHarold Workman, president and CEO of the Kentucky Exposition Center which handles the big show, emphasized that it’s business as usual for the four day show. “We got some pretty northern weather here with 6-8 inches of snow that came in yesterday,” he said. “But the interstates are clear, we got the parking lots cleared off, and a lot of people are coming in to the show.”

This is the 45th year for the show which Harold said started in one little corner of one of their wings and grown to more than 800 exhibitors filling over 1.2 million square feet of blessedly indoor space. “It really has become an icon – kind of a barometer for the agribusiness industry,” he said. Attendance is normally right around 300,000 for all four days of the show, including the Championship Tractor Pull sponsored by Syngenta. That event is just a few years younger than the NFMS and is always a sell out.

Our Precision.AgWired.com sponsor Ag Leader Technology is here and we will be visiting with them about what is new this week.

Listen to or download my interview with Harold Workman in the player below:

Use SMS To Move Guidelines

Chuck ZimmermanAg Leader, IA Power Farming Show, Software

While I was in the Ag Leader Technology booth at the Iowa Power Farming Show last week I spoke with Michael Vos, SMS Sales Manager. Our topic was using SMS software to create and move guidance lines for different types of precision farming equipment.

He says that growers ask a lot of questions about creating guidance lines in one display and moving them to another w/out having to recreate them. This can be a challenge in precision ag equipment that is all the same brand, or many different displays/brands. He says SMS has the ability to store these guidance lines and import them to many brands of precision farming equipment.

You can watch my interview with Michael or listen to it below:

Iowa Power Farming Show Photo Album