Test Driving a New John Deere 7330 Tractor

Chuck Zimmerman

7330 TractorOne of the first things my group got to do when we arrived at the John Deere product launch field site was drive a new 7330 premium cab tractor.

It was hot so the air conditioned cab was a welcome break. We had a John Deere representative in the cab with us just to keep us safe and of course we buckled up. The tractors were equipped with gps receivers and AMS and AutoTrac integrated.

Jen Clark was my co-pilot and she was very cooperative in allowing me to videotape my test drive.

I’m getting ready to head over to the convention center for the next part of our program here in Cincinnati today. I’ll have more posts over the next day or so. Feel free to browse the online photo album which I have had time to add to: John Deere Product Launch Photo Album.

AgWired coverage of the John Deere product launch is sponsored by Precision Pays

John Deere, Tractor, Video

Zimfo Bites

Laura McNamara

  • Novus International, Inc., a leader in the animal health and nutrition industry, have announced that it has broken ground on a new global headquarters facility in the Missouri Research Park in Saint Charles, Missouri (suburban Saint Louis). When completed, the 90,000 square foot facility, a $20 million investment, will consolidate Novus’s headquarters and the Novus International Research Center into a single, flagship global facility. In addition to office space, the building will include 10 research laboratories, a state-of-the-art employee and customer training center, a fitness center, and a library. The building will include a multitude of meeting spaces ranging from large conference rooms to “huddle spaces” for small, private meetings. A coffee bar and lounge will be available for more casual gatherings.
  • Syngenta crop specialists are emphasizing trait rotation as farmers plant more corn-on-corn to keep up with the growing ethanol demand. “We’ve witnessed a historic shift in the Midwest, with total corn acreage increasing by nearly 20 percent over 2006,” says Tracy Mader, marketing manager for Agrisure® Corn Traits, Syngenta. “Many of these new corn acres were planted into last year’s corn crop, which raises the importance of trait rotation to maintain yield potential while optimizing weed and insect control.” Cultivation is currently the only post-emergent control option for volunteer corn in conventional corn hybrids. “Agrisure GT, for example, allows for glyphosate application to control non-GT volunteer corn, while Agrisure CB/LL allows for control of conventional or GT hybrid volunteer corn with LIBERTY® herbicide (glufosinate),” says Mader.
  • This season, Pioneer Hi-Bred will again offer to its customers the Pioneer FITSM (Field Information Tool) mapping system, now integrated with the Pioneer GrowingPoint® website online record keeping system. These innovations can help growers make better management decisions and do a better job of managing their important crop records using a simple and secure online system. These services are available at no charge. The Pioneer FIT mapping system provides growers a harvest summary report including high-quality yield maps for each field with soil type overlays, a farm overview map including a high-resolution aerial image, and a tabular harvest report showing yield statistics for each field. FIT mapping seamlessly integrates with the Pioneer GrowingPoint website recordkeeping system. Growers very easily can keep crop field records and track growth stages on their online maps. Growers also can access their yield maps through the GrowingPoint website.
Zimfo Bytes

John Deere Introduces 9030 Series Tractors

Chuck Zimmerman

9030T TractorHere’s a preview of what we’re going to see and drive today at the John Deere product launch.

John Deere introduces a new line of large, high-horsepower tractors – the 9030 Series. There are eight new tire- and track-equipped models ranging in horsepower from 325 to 530 hp. Also included are models specifically designed for construction job-site scraper applications. These tractors are engineered for big-time field operations and provide cleaner-burning engines and more power, productivity and operator comfort.

The six-cylinder PowerTech Plus engines are designed with four valves per cylinder, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a variable geometry turbo (VGT). The result is a cleaner-burning engine delivering up to a 38 percent torque rise and a 10 percent power bulge to bring more power and performance to the ground while meeting federal emissions standards.

AgWired coverage of the John Deere product launch is sponsored by Precision Pays

John Deere

Media Registering For John Deere Product Launch

Chuck Zimmerman

Media Check InThere are quite a few media representatives attending the John Deere product launch here in Cincinnati. Here’s some of the first to check in this morning.

Besides media there are about an equal number of security analysts attending to see what’s going on with the company and to get a better feel for how agriculture is doing as an industry.

Very shortly we’ll be boarding buses to go out and do some Ride and Drive. They’ll be rotating us in groups through all the equipment on display and then we’ll come back here to the hotel before going to the stage show and dinner tonight at the convention center.

AgWired coverage of the John Deere product launch is sponsored by Precision Pays

John Deere

Leadership By Design in a Historic Location

Chuck Zimmerman

Netherlands Plaza HiltonIt’s John Deere Product launch day. The theme of the event is “Leadership By Design.”

We’ll be getting out into the field later today but we’re staying at the historic Cincinnati Netherland Plaza Hilton. This is a historic landmark and really interesting hotel.

I’m just getting an event photo album started and you can see the first entries here. I’ll be adding to it today and tomorrow.

AgWired coverage of the John Deere product launch is sponsored by Precision Pays

John Deere

She’s Corn Fed

Chuck Zimmerman

Shannon BrownI had not heard of Shannon Brown before tonight but with a song called “Corn Fed” and featuring a green combine and mentioning John Deere while I’m attending the John Deere product launch it had to be a post.

Shannon is an Iowa native and Nashville artist who performed last week at the opening of the VeraSun Charles City, IA ethanol plant.

You can watch the video of the title track to her album here. It’s a good country rocking tune and I’m just betting we’ll be hearing it played at a lot of ag events in the future.

As her bio says, “Corn Fed is truly Brown’s musical autobiography, a sonic sketch of the sojourn she has experienced as her dream has taken her from a small town in Iowa to Music City USA.”

Audio, Corn

Kicking Off The John Deere Product Launch

Chuck Zimmerman

John Deere ReceptionThe ag media were welcomed to Cincinnati this evening by John Deere in advance of their big product launch which will be kicked off tomorrow.

Yours truly will be on hand as we go out in the field and test drive some new green equipment. I don’t have details yet but according to Barry Nelson, public relations manager for John Deere this will be one of the biggest product launches for the company in recent history. I asked him if he was comfortable having us media types driving their equipment and he assured me that there will be certified John Deere people with us at all times.

Barry also says that besides ag media there will be some attending from Wall Street since investors have noticed how well many companies in agriculture are doing lately including John Deere. You can listen to my kick off interview with Barry here: launch-07-nelson.mp3

AgWired coverage of the John Deere product launch is sponsored by Precision Pays

Agribusiness, Audio, John Deere, Tractor

Susan Milius Receive Plant Pathology Journalism Award

Chuck Zimmerman

Susan Milius Receives AwardHere’s Susan Milius, Science News, receiving an award from Doug Jardine, director of the APS Office of Public Relations and Outreach. Thanks to Amy Steigman for sending the picture.

The American Phytopathological Society (APS) named Susan Milius, Science News, the recipient of the 2007 Plant Pathology Journalism Award. The APS Plant Pathology Journalism Award, sponsored by the APS Office of Public Relations and Outreach (OPRO), recognizes outstanding achievement in increasing public awareness, knowledge, and understanding of plant pathology.

Milius was selected for her article entitled “They’re All Part Fungus” that appeared in the April 15, 2006 edition of Science News. In this article, Milius provided an insightful look into how fungi and microorganisms interact with plants and the outcomes of these interactions. “I’m quite tickled and very grateful to APS,” Milius said. “There’s fascinating material in the diseases and creatures that prey on plants and the way plants fight back,” she said.

Milius received the award during the society’s annual meeting that was held jointly with the Society of Nematologists (SON), July 28–August 1, 2007 in San Diego, Calif.

You can find out more information about the award online. They’ll be accepting nominations again in January, 2008.

Ag Groups, Publication

Wielding The Golden ZimmComm Microphone

Chuck Zimmerman

Me Interviewing Dr. Fred BelowI think this will be the last post from last week’s Syngenta Learning Centers field day. Hey, the agriblogger doesn’t always have his picture taken. Thanks to Tom Steever, Brownfield Network.

Actually I had to post a picture of the Golden ZimmComm Microphone. It’s very popular these days. In fact, Cindy has to borrow it to take to an event later this week because the client specifically requested this microphone. I can guarantee you that she’ll sound better on this mike than I do.

If you’d like the Golden ZimmComm Microphone to visit your event please let me know. BTW. I’m interviewing Dr. Fred Below in the picture.

Syngenta

Zimfo Bites

Laura McNamara

  • Exports of U.S. beef continue to increase, thanks in part to promotions funded by U.S. beef producers through the Beef Checkoff Program. These efforts are coordinated on behalf of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) and state beef councils by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). For the Beef Board’s fiscal year ending Sept. 30, more than $4.8 million in national checkoff funds is budgeted for foreign marketing. “More than 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside of U.S. borders,” said CBB Chairman Ken Stielow, a producer from Russell, Kansas. “That’s why exports are key to the future of the U.S. beef industry. We need to assure that consumers around the world know about the high quality and excellent value of U.S. beef.”
  • Research conducted by the University of Illinois shows that Pioneer® brand corn hybrids with Herculex® XTRA traits were significantly better at protecting corn roots than hybrids with the YieldGard® VT Triple trait under very high rootworm pressure. In University of Illinois trials in 2006 and 2007, Pioneer hybrids with the Herculex XTRA trait showed consistent, excellent protection against corn rootworm. “Pioneer hybrids with the Herculex XTRA trait provide proven, excellent protection to corn roots. Growers can plant hybrids with the Herculex XTRA trait and feel confident that this will protect corn roots, regardless of the level of rootworm pressure,” Vice President and General Manager and President of Pioneer Dean Oestreich said. The University of Illinois results match other studies conducted this season by Pioneer Agronomy Sciences across 16 locations throughout the Corn Belt, showing Pioneer hybrids with the Herculex XTRA trait consistently provide excellent rootworm control in all pressure levels better than or equal to other in-plant corn rootworm traits.
  • Mycogen Seeds is pleased to announce details of its 2008 Financing Program, available to its customers for the 2008 growing season. In collaboration with Rabo AgriFinance, Mycogen Seeds offers simple and flexible financing options for agricultural inputs and convenient credit to finance seed purchases. Customers who take advantage of the Mycogen Seeds Financing Program can receive zero percent interest plus a 2 percent discount that will be paid directly to the grower. All orders must be placed by Nov. 15, 2007, to be eligible for this discount. “Mycogen Seeds is excited to offer the Mycogen Seeds Financing Program and additional incentives to growers who will be using our products in 2008,” says Keith Porter, Marketing Specialist for Mycogen Seeds. “Growers can purchase early with confidence as we are committed to providing total solutions that will enhance their crop’s performance and their productivity.”
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