John Deere Shows Off Commercial Side at NFMS

John Davis

nfms-13-john-deereWhile it might be the National Farm Machinery Show, there’s no reason why there can’t also be things for the worksite… and even better when that worksite is also an agricultural operation. Larry Foster, a district sales manager for John Deere’s commercial worksite products, told Chuck during an interview at NFMS that they even have traded in their John Deere green for yellow when it comes to their latest skid steer, the Model 332E. But even though it has a construction site feel to it, it’s still good for farmsteads.

“[For dairy and beef operations] sometimes it’s for feed, [sometimes] for cleaning up manure,” Larry said. He added that grain farmers find it handy as a mobile forklift, and those with hay pastures can use a variety of baling attachments as well. “It’s a very useful tool for virtually every farm use operation.”

Larry went on to say this latest E series model features a 100 hp motor, ride control, four setup controls to customize the operator station for the individual user, and an industry-first, three-way switchable controls. “So you can push a button and switch [between the various controls].”

Plus, the new 332E skid steer gives operators some creature comforts, including light controls, just to make the experience the best fit for the owner.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Larry here: Interview with Larry Foster

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show

GROWMARK is a Job Creator

Cindy Zimmerman

gmk-systemThe GROWMARK system continues to do its part to help the economy by creating jobs and they want to make sure they reach all the possible potential candidates for those jobs.

GROWMARK University Relations Recruiter Allison Biggs says they recently made some improvements on the Careers portion of the GROWMARK website to make it easier to find available jobs and internships with a link to Job Search on every page. “The buttons we have added to the main careers page talks about all the different divisions of GROWMARK,” said Allison. Those areas include Accounting & Finance, Agronomy, Communications & Marketing, Energy, Grain, Logistics, Information Technology, and more.

Allison says GROWMARK currently has 234 jobs currently posted. “We have about 7,000 employees system-wide,” she said. “They would be in a variety of areas, either in our corporate office in any of our divisions or in one of our regional companies.” Many of the jobs are seasonal right now, but there are lots of permanent positions listed as well.

Listen to my interview with Allison here: Allison Biggs, GROWMARK

Audio, GROWMARK

National Ag Day Will Celebrate 40th Anniversary

Chuck Zimmerman

National Ag DayHow about a look ahead to spring weather and the celebration of agriculture? A lot of the country is dealing with winter weather right now and we hope everyone is safe during the current storm. But National Ag Day is right around the corner. I’ll be attending once again this year.

Let’s learn what will be going on in Washington, DC this year from Barry Nelson, John Deere, who is Chair of the Agriculture Council of America which oversees the National Ag Day program and has done so since 1973. It’s time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the program.

You can listen to my interview with Barry here: Interview with Barry Nelson
National Ag Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Every year, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture.

You can find the full schedule of activities here. To become a sponsor of National Ag Day please contact Jenny Pickett.

Ag Day, Ag Groups, Audio, John Deere

JCB Intros Telescopic Wheel Loader at NFMS

John Davis

nfms-13-jcbThey’ve been running previous versions in Europe since 1995, but the good folks at JCB decided to show off their latest telescopic wheel loader, the TM320, at the National Farm Machinery Show.

“It’s been a machine that we’ve been thinking about for a little while but have realized now that there’s a significant opportunity to bring it over here,” said Ray Bingley, a general manager for JCB’s agriculture division, explaining the time it’s taken for it to show up on this side of the pond.

But it should be worth the wait. Ray said it has some features very attractive to folks who use tractor-loaders, such as the seating position, but all the benefits of the telescopic with the elevated lift height and load capacity. JCB has also engineered this machine especially for the agricultural environment, as opposed to the demands of a construction site. He added that folks who have used a telescopic are sold on its value to a farm operation.

“The guys who have telescopics will tell you they don’t know how they could run the farm without it!”

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Ray here: Interview with Ray Bingley

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show

It’s Coming!

Melissa Sandfort

IMG_6502This was a picture of the weather radar this morning … can you see the pin? That’s us. And by the time I sat down to write this post, it had started snowing and it’s really coming down. From what I’ve been hearing, it’s a slow-moving storm that dumps anywhere from 8-20 inches, but we’re ready.

The horse has a new bale and water, the skid loader with scoop is at home to plow the driveway, kids are home safe so no one has to drive to pick them up, we bought the last two gallons of milk at the store the other night and the pantry is stocked.

I declare “stay in jammies all day, watch movies and eat junk food day”!

Alas though, I’m working. In my jammies.

Happy snow day! (We need the moisture so as much as I dislike snow, I’m not going to complain. Maybe my son can use his sled he’s had for two years now and only used once.)

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

New Holland Attracts Ag, Construction Folks at NFMS

John Davis

nfms-13-nh-skid-steerNew Holland recently announced that it was folding its construction group back into the ag side of the house, so the recent National Farm Machinery Show seemed like the perfect venue for the company to show off some of their equipment capable of filling both roles.

“We have a lot of farmers who have construction equipment, and there’s a lot of contractors who have farms, so it’s a good mix,” explained Barry Newton with New Holland’s construction group. He said this show was the perfect chance to show off their new model 220 skid steer loader. “It will lift 2,200 pounds straight up in the air and walk around with it,” adding it has 68 hp and the quietest cab in the industry.

Barry said they saw lots of folks who have had many skid steers over the years and were really interested in this latest model.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Barry here: Interview with Barry Newton

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, New Holland

New Holland Already Becoming Sprayer Leader

John Davis

nfms-13-new-holland-sprayerNew Holland might be new to the sprayer business, jumping into the arena just a few years ago in 2010, but our friends there are already becoming leaders in the field. During the recent National Farm Machinery Show, sprayer marketing specialist for New Holland, Scott Lauher, told Chuck that their new Guardian self-propelled front boom sprayer already has several advantages over the competition.

“The travel distance on our independent hydraulic suspension system is 20 inches… nearly twice the nearest competitor,” Scott said, adding it has the largest tank size of any self-propelled sprayer, holding up to 1,600 gallons. Its six feet of clearance is also the highest of any sprayer, and that allows growers to get into the field later in the season to do late-season fungicide applications and spread out fertilizer treatments to maximize the effects. Scott said it all comes down to making producers’ bottom lines better. “By being able to use the machine for multiple applications throughout the year, and not having to hire third-party companies to do it for them, it helps them justify the cost of the machine.”

He concluded saying this New Holland sprayer is available at dealers now, so go see your local New Holland supplier to check ’em out for yourself.

You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Scott here: Interview with Scott Lauher

2013 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album


Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC and New Holland Agriculture
Agribusiness, Audio, National Farm Machinery Show, New Holland

Does a New Equipment Warranty Matter?

Talia Goes

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What grade would you give Ag Sec. Vilsack during his first term?”

Our poll results: The majority of you at twenty-nine percent gave Vilsack an A. Twenty-two percent said D; eighteen percent said B; seventeen percent said C; and fourteen percent said F. Since the poll grades were similar across the board we decided to calculate his overall average. On his first term paper Vilsack scored a C+.

zp

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Does warranty influence your decision to purchase new equipment?” When shopping for new equipment there are many factors to consider that may make or break a purchase decision. Is warranty one of the top considerations? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

New Holland, ZimmPoll

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

    Zimfo Bytes

  • American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman presented Rep. Frank Lucas with AFBF’s “Golden Plow” award on Monday during Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Annual Leadership Conference in Oklahoma City.
  • PigCHAMP inc., continues to add to the strengths of its team by welcoming Angie Bowman as Software Development Project Manager and Gordon Becton as Marketing Communications Specialist.
  • According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s quarterly Survey of Agricultural Credit Conditions drought sparked a rush in irrigated farmland sales during the fourth quarter of 2012.
  • Wyffels Hybrids has released a new corn hybrid for the 2014 season.
Zimfo Bytes

Celebrate FFA Week

Jamie Johansen

164408_10151453625740660_34121918_nFFA Week is in full swing as FFA members from across the country take part in activities promoting and past members reminisce about all the opportunities the organization gave them.

The National FFA Organization has been a part of my life since the day I was born. My dad was an ag teacher, so I was raised in the organization. Once I was old enough to zip up my very own FFA jacket I couldn’t wait to take in everything the FFA had to offer. The blue corduroy let a shy girl, who lacked confidence, blossom into a public speaker, leader and advocate for agriculture.

Later in life the National FFA Organization gave me the opportunity to share my passion with my students as a ag teacher. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your students hard work pay off as they walk across the stage to receive their State FFA Degree or an award for a Career Development Event.

Today, the FFA is more to me than just memories. National blue and corn gold bleed through me each day. The FFA Motto of:
Learning to Do
Doing to Learn
Earning to Live
Living to Serve
Is a motto we should all bring into our everyday lives. Everyday is a learning opportunity. Everyday hard work gives us the opportunity to provide for our families. Everyday we should live to serve our friends, family and community.

I was disappointed to find out the video, So God Made An FFA Member, has been removed from YouTube. I hope to get it posted as soon as it is back online.

Education, FFA