Exhibitors Upbeat Ahead of the Show

With rising grain prices, more farmers seek ways to increase return on investments. Precision agriculture plays a key role at this year's Farm Progress Show. This is apparent at the Precision Planting exhibit, which offers insight on precision agriculture methods, and what works best for certain scenarios.

Using an eight-row planter with eight different units, marketing and communications manager Dustin Blunier says farmers can see how units perform side-by-side. This includes major manufacturers, as well as Precision Planting's own unit. "It's a custom-made bar where we put different units on," he explains, noting it also highlights a monitoring system to check on each unit. "Farmers can look at it as if they were in their own tractor cab."

The exhibit also features five acres of planter performance plots, including one for a population study, down force management, meter calibration, and a comparison of vertical tillage and field cultivator. "We're going to have seminars going on throughout the day," Blunier notes. "We would certainly love to see people out there." In addition, the exhibit will unveil a new product Tuesday morning. "It will be released to coincide with the show."

Visitors will notice the blue and yellow of New Holland's lot, where a number of machines are on site, including sprayers, construction equipment, forage harvesters, and tractors. Marketing specialist Allison Boley says the show is a great opportunity to showcase modern machinery to a wide audience. "We have a pretty decent amount of our high horsepower tractors," she notes.

With 85 to 90 people on the lot during the show, New Holland's exhibit will also provide visitors a chance to check out its technology tent. This is particularly relevant with new innovations in technology and precision agriculture, Boley notes. "There are a lot of good things going on there with our Precision Land Management." she says.

Unverferth's lot also features new grain wagons, with aspects not found on other wagons, says tradeshow manager Trevor Langhals. This is the case with the brand new Brent 57 series, including the 557, 657 and 757. "They have rubber-cushion suspension," he says. They also have spring-assisted chutes with gas-shocked struts, and an exclusive dual-position-door wheel mechanism, among other features. The Q-series, similar to the 57 series but with a push-button operated door, is also showcased.

Despite the year's dry weather, Langhals says tracked wagons, like tracks on machinery, have seen a rise in demand. "The last few years, tracked carts have become more popular," he says, noting their advantages on wet grounds. "Tracks have less compaction than a wheel and tire cart."

J&M is unveiling new grain carts, as well as new 500 unit seed tenders for seed dealers to deliver directly to the customer. J&M and Land Pride are adapting to a rising demand for bulk. "It's getting to where you have to buy in bulk," says tradeshow manager Paul McCuen. "They're geared to bulk. That's where the industry's going and we've got to follow up."

Land Pride's lot also features attachments like seeders and cutters from 12 to 20 feet. Ranging from heavy to light duty, these attachments accommodate a range of farmers as well as other industries, McCuen notes. "We have a full range from the big farmer down to the sundown farmer," he says, adding this includes urban gardens. "Consumer products are always good to fall back on."

For its appeal to smaller farmers and gardeners, McCuen says the lot's location next to Kubota's is a good complement to Land Pride. "Kubota's growing," he notes. "It's a nice alliance, and it's nice to be next to them."