AgWired

I finally got to tour the Monsanto exhibit last night. All I can say is “wow.” It’s got to be the coolest exhibit I’ve seen at this show. I know they’re my sponsor but you’d have to see it to believe it.

It’s kind of like an EPCOT exhibit at DisneyWorld. We started out in an air-conditioned room with our tour guide giving us the background. Then Monsanto’s Chief Technology Officer, Rob Fraley, (pictured) gave us a tour through plots of corn, soybeans, alfalfa and cotton that are all neatly labelled with informative signs. Yes, cotton growing here in Iowa. They have all of their current and some future products on display! It’s all certified by USDA too.

This is just an awesome display. They told us prior to the tour that by the end of the show they’ll have had more farmers tour and see their technology than go through their Chesterfield research facility near St. Louis in a year. That’s impressive.

I interviewed Rob Fraley after our tour and asked him to describe what they have on display. He also talks about what it’s like to be the CTO for a company like Monsanto. He describes where the company and industry is at in the biotechnology arena as similar to where we were at with computers in the 1960’s. In other words, we haven’t even scratched the surface yet on what’s possible.

You can listen to my interview with Rob Fraley here: Rob Fraley Interview (4 min. MP3)

I’ve decided that I’m going to return my little video camera I brought out here but I did use it last night while Rob was giving us a tourn. You can watch it here: Monsanto Exhibit Tour (2 min WMV)

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Monsanto:

With all the new technologies out, many of the people who come to the Farm Progress Show come to see the field demonstrations.

On Tuesday, the demonstrations were canceled due to all the rain but they started up yesterday in full force! I was able to see the combines harvest the corn; it was really nice to see the operation set up for the public to watch the demonstrations. All the combines all line up along the right side of the field and it is all roped off so people can watch them slowly. A combine runs about every 3-4 minutes so you are able to see each combine by itself.

With the media pass I have, I was able to ride in one of the combines. Amazing, how nice the combines are in the inside; way nicer than most cars I’ve ridden in! There was a rider seat next to the driver I got to sit in so I got the chance to watch the computer controlling the combine and be up close with the operation.

I was able to ride in a CAT Lexion combine, and Jeff Gray was the driver. Jeff Gray works for Claas and has for many years. I was able to do a short interview with him about his job and what he does. Also, I have a short video of the process of the combine harvesting the corn.

If I could recommend anything here at the Farm Progress Show, I would go see the demonstrations. The tractors/combines are enormous! It is amazing to see how the style, functions, and over quality changes over time.

Listen to my interview with Jeff Gray here: Jeff Gray (1 min. MP3)

Here’s the video: Harvesting Corn (2 min WMV)

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Monsanto: