John Deere 2025R Compact Tractor Gets Complete Overhaul

jamie johansenAgribusiness, AgWired Animal, Equipment, Farm Progress Show, John Deere, Livestock

The completely redesigned John Deere 2025R Compact Utility Tractor has a Final Tier 4-compliant diesel engine providing customers with an easy-to-use, versatile machine designed to tackle a variety of jobs. Jon Schebler, product manager for the 2025R series, took us through the specs of the redesigned tractor at the 2017 Farm Progress Show.

“When we think of this kind of tractor, we think about folks who have a small acreage. Maybe they have equine, some livestock and snow removal is a great application for this machine,” Schebler added.

The 2025R comes equipped with TwinTouch™ foot controls, allowing the operator to select speed and direction of travel with the light touch of a toe, reducing operator fatigue and increasing productivity. With the addition of the optional Auto-Throttle, the operator can automatically increase or decrease engine speed while pressing on either of the TwinTouch pedals. The 2025R also features equal forward and reverse ground speed, which, when combined with the TwinTouch pedals, allows for faster direction changes.

Listen to my complete interview with Jon here: Interview with Jon Schebler, John Deere

View John Deere photos here: John Deere at #FPS17 Photo Album

View all our photos from FPS here: 2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

Wisconsin Sends 17,000 lbs. of Cheese to Houston

jamie johansenAg Group, AgWired Animal, Audio, Dairy

Driven by online conversations shortly after Hurrican Harvey, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board’s (WMMB) Social Media Specialist, Lizzy Shultz, wondered how they could help. After a team meeting, the idea became a quick reality. Wisconsin’s cheesemakers were contacted and more than 17,000 pounds of cheese was sent to Houston to help the victims of the hurricane.

“We are deeply saddened by the devastation facing Texas residents in the wake of Hurricane Harvey,” said Suzanne Fanning, WMMB vice president of marketing communications. “Our Wisconsin cheesemakers and dairy farmers are inherently focused on helping others so we offered them a way to get involved.”

The original goal was 200 pounds of cheese, but donors came through with more than 17,000 pounds of smoked string cheese, cheese curds, muenster, Parmesan, classic cheddar and more. The shipment also included 300 pounds of butter all in route to the Houston Food Bank.

Both Lizzy and Suzanne send a huge shout out to the dairy farmers and cheesemakers. They said they are always focused on what they can do to help people and students. The fact that Dairy Farm Families of Wisconsin wanted to fund this project and the cheesemakers willingness to come forward at such a short notice is another testament to the good people in the agricultural community.

You might remember Lizzy as one of our former ZimmComm team members. She often jumped on the agriblogging highway and we are very excited to see her passion and commitment to the agricultural industry shine in her short time at WMMB.

I had the chance to chat with both Lizzy and Suzanne to learn more about their efforts to give back and how excited they were to have so many join the force to help in relief efforts. Listen to our complete chat here: Interview with Suzanne Fanning & Lizzy Schultz, WMMB

Dairy Farmers Launch “Peel Back the Label” Campaign

Jamie JohansenAg Group, Consumers, Dairy, Food, NMPF

America’s dairy farmers launched “Peel Back the Label,” a new campaign to highlight fear-based food labeling and stress the need for truth and transparency in food marketing.

The campaign comes as almost 70% of consumers say they look to front-of-label claims when making food purchasing decisions, and as food manufacturers increasingly utilize “free from” labels – i.e. ”no high fructose corn syrup” or “GMO free” or “hormone-free”– to play on consumers food safety fears and misconceptions.

“America’s dairy farmers strongly support open, honest and transparent engagement with consumers. The deceptive labels and fear-based marketing increasingly used by some food manufacturers damage consumer trust and jeopardize the safe, sustainable farming practices that have enhanced farm productivity over the last 20 years,” said Jim Mulhern, President of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF). “Consumers have a right to both truth and transparency in food labeling. We launched this campaign to help consumers peel back the label on deceptive food marketing in the name of profits.”

Find the complete story here.

Deere 0 Series Baler & Accumulator = Efficiency

jamie johansenAgribusiness, AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, Equipment, Farm Progress Show, Forage, Hay, John Deere

John Deere’s 0 Series Round Balers are the first North American-built round baler precutters with the industry’s first 5-foot precutter baler. The eight models that comprise the new series build upon the popular 9 Series Balers and include several new features that improve hay pickup and overall baling speed and productivity in the field.

During the recent Farm Progress Show, I spoke with Glenn Padgett, Sr. Marketing Rep, John Deere, to take me through the big machine and all its capabilities. “Now we will give our producers the ability to size crop between two and three-inch pieces as they put it into their bale. It’s also going to allow them to eliminate a tough grinding process. Now when they feed their hay, it will reduce mixing time by 75-80% and give cow more palatability at the bale ring,” Padgett said.

In addition, John Deere introduced two models of round bale accumulators to give customers the ability to carry up to two round bales behind the baler while making a third bale in the chamber. The new John Deere A520R and A420R Plus2 Accumulators are fully integrated into the design of the balers and can be used with 6-foot diameter John Deere 7, 8, 9 and 0 Series Round Balers.

Listen to my complete interview with Glenn here:Interview with Glenn Padgett, John Deere

View John Deere photos here: John Deere at #FPS17 Photo Album

View all our photos from FPS here: 2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

USFRA CEO Urges Agriculture to Stand as One

kelly marshallAgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, Farm Progress Show, USFRA

As the nation’s largest outdoor farm show was getting underway last week bringing thousands of agriculture industry people together in Decatur, Illinois, US Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) CEO Randy Krotz sent out an op-ed urging American agriculture to stand together against the threats facing farming and ranching.

“There are times when we in agriculture may not be understanding how serious the threat is.” Krotz said.  “Agriculture has a great story that we haven’t necessary told real well. The message that I want everyone to understand is that agriculture needs to stand together.”

Programs like USFRA need funding to be effective- to get the message into social media or pop culture spaces.  It’s important to keep the programs working together, rather than funding new, splintered groups every time something different comes along.

USFRA has been putting in the effort to share the message in many ways.  They produce 360 degree farm videos, push the concept of the SMART farm, and work through the program Straight Talk to converse with food companies. The movie “Food Evolution” looks at both side of the food story and inserts good science and USFRA is bringing that film to 30 non-agriculture colleges and universities this year.  They also host Food Dialogues– a balanced approach to issues like the conversation happening this Wednesday in Nebraska that will focus on GMOs.

Audio file: Interview with Randy Krotz, USFRA

2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

Animal Ag Bites 9/4

kelly marshallAgWired Animal, Animal Bites

  • Findings from the beef checkoff-funded 2016 National Market Cow and Bull Beef Quality Audit will be shared with media at a web broadcast featuring the study’s principal investigators on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 2 p.m. MT (3 p.m. CT). To register for the webinar, contact Jesse Fulton at jfulton@beef.org for an email invitation.
  • The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s annual College Aggies Online (CAO) scholarship competition begins September 10, 2017 with Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) as its largest supporter.  Sign up through October 1, 2017.
  • The August Dairy Market Report is now available from the National Milk Producers Federation.
  • Gail Lombardino, St. Joseph, Missouri, has joined Angus Media as a member of the print services team.  She began her new role in August.

Northey and Two More Nominated for USDA Posts

AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, Farm Progress Show, usda

Three more nominations for key posts at USDA were made Friday as Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue remains the only Trump nominee approved in the department.

“I’m hoping that the Senate can move very quickly on the ones before them when they get back,” said Perdue during a stop at Farm Progress Show last week. “I need some help and I hope we get it sooner rather than later.”

On Friday, President Trump announced Gregory Ibach as Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP), Bill Northey as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC), and Stephen Vaden as USDA’s General Counsel. They join the previous three nominees announced in July – Steve Censky for Deputy Secretary, and Under Secretaries Ted McKinney for Trade and Foreign Affairs, and Sam Clovis for Research, Education, and Economics.

Audio file: Perdue comments on need for Senate confirmations

It was reported in May that Northey would be nominated for the newly created Farm Production and Conservation mission area to oversee FSA, RMA, and NRCS.

During an interview at Farm Progress Show two days before he was officially nominated, Northey said he hoped the Senate approval process will move forward soon. “It’s been a slow process,” said Northey. “Hopefully there will be three more here pretty soon.”

Northey is a farmer from Spirit Lake, Iowa who has served as Iowa ag secretary for three terms and is a former president of the National Corn Growers Association. Greg Ibach has been Nebraska’s Director of Agriculture since 2005, and Vaden has been serving as Acting General Counsel at USDA since March.

Audio file: Northey comments on need for Senate confirmations

2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

USDA Allows Dairy Farmers to Opt Out of Program

AFBF, AgWired Animal, Dairy, Government, usda

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced that, starting today, dairy producers can enroll for 2018 coverage in the Margin Protection Program – or opt out, a new option granted by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.

To opt out, a producer should not sign up during the annual registration period. By opting out, a producer would not receive any MPP-Dairy benefits if payments are triggered for 2018. Full details will be included in a subsequent Federal Register Notice. The decision would be for 2018 only and is not retroactive.

National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) CEO Jim Mulhern called the news “a welcome development, in that it acknowledges the widespread dissatisfaction among farmers enrolled in the program. Simply put, the way the program was enacted in the 2014 Farm Bill, it does not meet the needs of America’s dairy farmers today, and declining participation levels amply illustrate farmers’ disenchantment with the MPP. Farmers who choose to opt out of the MPP will then be able to enroll in the Livestock Gross Margin program for 2018.”

The American Farm Bureau Federation was also pleased with the action. “Dairy farmers need access to effective risk management tools,” said AFBF president Zippy Duvall. “Approximately 24,000 dairy farms, representing 80 percent of the U.S. milk supply, are currently enrolled in the program, however, this year only 2 percent of the milk enrolled participated at levels above the basic coverage option. The low participation rate is due to the poor performance of MPP in providing a viable safety net to dairy farmers.”

House Ag Committee at #FPS17

AgWired Animal, AgWired Energy, AgWired Precision, Audio, farm bill, Farm Policy, Farm Progress Show, Government

LtoR: Reps. Glenn Thompson, Mike Bost, Mike Conaway, Darin LaHood, Collin Peterson, Cheri Bustos, Rodney Davis

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX), Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) and members of the committee hosted a farm bill listening session at the Farm Progress Show Thursday in Decatur, Illinois. It was the fifth such session the committee has held so far.

“This was a terrific listening session that will benefit us as we write the next farm bill,” said Chairman Conaway at a press conference following the session.

“Today’s listening session was a continuation of the Agriculture Committee’s efforts to hear directly from the varied interests, across all regions of the country, who are impacted by the farm bill,” said Ranking Member Peterson.

Others who took part in the listening session were Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania, and Illinois Representatives Mike Bost, Darin LaHood, Cheri Bustos, and Rodney Davis.

House Ag Committee presser

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience

Versatility, Durability & Comfort from John Deere Gators

jamie johansenAgribusiness, AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, Equipment, Farm Progress Show, John Deere

John Deere hosted ag media during the 2017 Farm Progress Show to give us a chance to get behind the wheel of their new Gator utility vehicles, highlighting a redesigned cab, three-wide seating, and heating and A/C.

Designed for customers who need all-day comfort with off-road terrain capability in all seasons, John Deere introduced the new gas-powered Gator XUV835 and diesel-powered Gator XUV865 Utility Vehicles. Chuck spoke with Michael Prada, a John Deere product engineer, who is the man behind this redesigned cab.

“We listened to our customers and realized they wanted to have three passengers, so we made it wider. In addition, we have a full cab built by John Deere including the doors and windshield rear panel. It also has HVAC which is a big step forward. We took a lot of time to develop the ceiling of the vehicles to make sure the performance of the air conditioning and heat is best in class,” said Prada.

Listen here to get the full scoop: Interview with Michael Prada, John Deere

Deere also introduced the gas-powered Gator HPX615E and the diesel-powered Gator HPX815E models that offer four-wheel drive for improved terrain capability and superior payload, cargo capacity, towing and overall stability.

Jamie was able to test drive the fully-loaded gas-powered Gator XUV835 and was a big fan of the power steering, A/C and adjustable seats. Join her for the ride.

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience