Farmers who are considering growing miscanthus as a bioenergy feedstock now have a tool to make it easier. After years of collaboration and research, a miscanthus rhizome regeneration harvester and planter system has been developed. The unveiling took place during the Bioenergy Feedstocks Symposium held at the University of Illinois (U of I). Typically, miscanthus is a labor-intensive crop requiring …
Case IH Features “Efficiency” During AG CONNECT
I spent quite a bit of time in the Case IH booth during AG CONNECT Expo last week – AgriTalk broadcast live one day and the next AgDay TV taped its show. However, my education didn’t end there. I spent a few minutes learning about Case IH’s dedication to helping farmers gain more efficiency from John Bohnker. “A lot of …
Hemisphere GPS Launches G100 During AG CONNECT
Last week during the AG CONNECT Expo in Orlando, Florida, Hemisphere GPS launched the G100 all-in-one steering and guidance system for auto-steer ready agricultural vehicles. I caught up with Dwayne Hildebrandt, the Sales Manager for North America, during the event to learn more about their new product which is best suited for strip till or row crop farmers. The EDrive …
NAEDA: an AG CONNECT Association to Know
There were several international manufacturing equipment associations on hand at the AG CONNECT Expo including the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA), one of the show sponsors. I sat down with Michael Williams, the Vice President of Government Relations, to learn more about what his association does. This 110 year-old association has more than 5,000 members in the U.S. as …
McCormick Deems AG CONNECT Expo a Huge Success
There were many tractors and loaders filling the McCormick booth during AG CONNECT Expo, and each year about 80 percent of the company’s sales are international. Yet the success of the company wasn’t what was really exciting for Rodney Miller, the CEO. It was the success of the first AG CONNECT Expo. Miller was involved in the 18 months of …
Claas’s Orbis 900 Wins AE50 Award at AG CONNECT
For the sixth year in a row, Claas of America, based in Omaha, Neb. has won several AE50 awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) that honors ground breaking industry innovation. The company’s new technology, the Orbis 900, mounts in front of the forage harvester. The advantage is capacity – the width of the head now …
Valmont Wins Two AE50 Awards During AG CONNECT
Valmont Industries took home two AE50 awards during the AG CONNECT Expo last week including one for its Base Station 2 with soil moisture monitor. Michele Stolte, with Valmont Industries, explained that with this system you can use the irrometer and then that information can be reported through their base stations and accessed at home. This aids the grower in …
Best Bioenergy Feedstocks Highlighted at AG CONNECT
The Bioenergy Feedstocks session was a good value during the AG CONNECT Expo last week in Orlando, Fla. There were three main topics: winter and double crops, perennial energy grasses and the types of public policy needed to ensure second generation biofuels. Dr. Tom Richard, Associate Professor with Pennsylvania State University, kicked off the session discussing the agricultural value of …
Satshot Offers AG CONNECT Attendees Online GIS System
During the AG CONNECT Expo last week, I spoke with Nathan Faleide, sales and marketing for Satshot. The company offers a GIS online system for the agricultural industry that handles and manages satellite imagery and other data for use in variable rate technology with a fertilization, seed and chemical all-in-one online mapping system. The system can be managed from anywhere …
Brazil Shows Strong Presence During AG CONNECT Expo
I had a chance to sit down with Alida Bellandi, the Director of International Marketing for the Brazilian Association of Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers (ABIMAQ) during the AG CONNECT Expo. Bellandi’s organization was here to participate in the AgriEvolution Forum, a forum that is promoting a dialogue between the associations of manufacturing around the world. The first forum was in …