Bottom line: John Deere wants consumers to truly master new products and technologies the company offers. That’s why John Deere’s Ag Managment Solutions has developed its Dealer-Consultant Strategy. The strategy is simple: have an AMS expert available to dealerships nationwide. In some cases its an expert or two. Mark Theuerkauf says the Dealer-Consultant strategy is a unique channel of expertise and is an invaluable too for dealers and customers of AMS products. He says such a support system is necessary for a technology that is still considered relatively new. Mark says there are currently 270 AMS consultants throughout the country.
Chuck interviewed Mark about AMS’s Dealer-Consultant Strategy. You can listen to Chuck’s interview here:
Mark Theuerkauf Interview (5 min. MP3)
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John Deere’s Ag Management Solutions really wants to provide solutions… not just for its customers, but also for its dealers and consultants. That’s why AMS developed its Masters Program. Mark Theuerkauf is with Deere AMS and he says the Masters Program is a program that’s specifically tailored for dealers who want to focus on new AMS products being released to consumers. Theuerkauf says the two and a half day program allows dealers and consultants to experience new products during live demonstrations out in the field. The program is held in Corpus Christi, TX and has grown to more than 400 attendees.
Chuck interviewed Mark about the AMS Masters program. You can listen to Chuck’s interview here: Mark Theuerkauf Interview (5 min. MP3)
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John-Deere just released its latest design in its AutoTrac Universal system. The ATU 200 was shipped out to dealers in March and should now be available to consumers nationwide.
Chuck spoke with John Deere’s Kayla Reynolds about the new ATU upgrade. You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Kayla here, where she talks about the improvements John Deere made with this latest version. Kayla also confirms that ATU 200 is compatible with any AutoTrac system including GreenStar, GreenStar II, StarFire, StarFire 2 or StarFire RTK: Kayla Reynolds Interview (4 min. MP3)
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The On-Farm Network of the Iowa Soybean Association is just that… a network meant to give farmers around the state tried and true information about precision farming technology and tools.
Chuck interviewed Tracy Blackmer, the Director of Research for the Iowa Soybean Association about how On-Farm Network makes maximizing precision ag on the individual farm a community effort. In the picture Tracy is standing next to an Iowa state map showing locations where they’ve conducted projects for the program.
You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Tracy here: Tracy Blackmer (10 min. MP3)
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Farmers are always looking for new ways to increase yield gains. John Deere’s Swath Control Pro for planters is a tool farmers looking for those extra gains might want to consider.
Chuck interviewed Kirk Swihart, John Deere’s Dealer Technical Assistant Supervisor, to see just what this ag toy can do. He also dug up info on what is and what isn’t compatible with the planter aid.
You can listen to Chuck’s interview with Kirk here: Kirk Swihart Interview (4 min. MP3)
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Brent Maddon was the John Deere product development representative on hand at the American Soybean Association/John Deere Ag Management Solutions seminar in Arkansas last week. The event is one of three “Reach for the Stars” presentations being sponsored by John Deere.
Maddon gave a presentation about how farmer’s can use precision technology and where the technology is headed for the future. He says farmers should look to move beyond the Autotrac guidance systems because GPS technology is allowing John Deere to develop more applications for different farming needs. Maddon urges farmers to get a hands-on feel for precision ag technology saying consumers need to use it to fully recognize and appreciate what it can do.
You can listen to Stewart Doan’s interview with Maddon here: Brent Maddon Interview (3 minute MP3)
Don’t forget that this interview is part of our Precision Pays Podcast. Subscribe on your computer and get them automatically using these instructions.
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John Deere is one step closer to providing what Design News calls “the driverless dream.” While the operatorless tractor doesn’t exist yet., Design News describes John Deere’s latest innovation in automated steering systems.
That killer app — an automated tractor — is already capable of turning, shifting gears and seeing through darkness and dust. It can follow a crop line with sub-inch precision in moonlight, can make decisions to raise and lower heavy farming implements on its own and can save thousands of hours and countless dollars for farmers.
And it may one day be capable of doing its job without need of an operator…
Deere, which will release its iTEC Pro automated guidance product this spring, has been a leader in development of autonomous technology. But it’s not alone. Case IH and New Holland have teamed with Trimble, an expert in GPS and optics, to develop automated tractor guidance systems, as well.
Click here to view the entire article.
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John Deere is launching its new 6030 Tractor Series in England next month. The line will debut during January’s New Horizon Tour. The Stackyard News reports the tour will make at stop at the LAMMA Show at Newark on January 16th and 17th, the Royal Welsh Showground on January 22 and 23, and The Dairy Show at the Bath & West Showground on January 30. But that’s not all. The green and yellow will also be featuring new intelligence packages and precision applications.
This special display will also feature the new 7750i self-propelled forager, 5430i self-propelled sprayer and T560 combine, which were launched in 2007, plus the latest John Deere balers and trailed sprayers. The company’s technical and sales staff and local dealer personnel will be on hand to explain the latest technology behind the new machines, which are spearheading John Deere’s equipment range for the 2008 season.
New levels of power, ‘intelligent’ technology and productivity are offered by John Deere’s 7050 Series self-propelled forage harvesters, which includes models from 380 to 690hp. Designed for high capacity harvesting in grass, maize and wholecrop, this latest range continues to use Deere’s unique infinitely variable length of cut (IVLOC) transmission to enable operators to change chop length on the move.
In addition to the basic models, six new i Series machines will be equipped as standard with an integrated ‘intelligent’ package of precision farming technology. This includes the HarvestLab dry matter sensor, GreenStar 2600 display, Harvest Monitor and Harvest Doc software and StarFire iTC receiver with SF2 signal (offering +/-10cm accuracy for yield mapping). The new AutoLOC feature also provides automatic adjustment of the length of cut depending on the dry matter content of the crop being harvested, based on settings programmed in by the operator on the in-cab GreenStar display.
Click here to view the entire article.
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At the just completed World Dairy Expo one of the exhibitors was Chuck Endres, Mid-State Equipment. He told me that dairy producers are looking at precision agriculture equipment to help them become more efficient.
When it comes to precision equipment he says the biggest benefit to dairy producers is dealing with moisture when making haylage. He says the equipment they’re selling includes moisture sensing and yield monitoring on their John Deere Choppers. This not only allows the producer to quickly and easily measure moisture content but saves the time of having to run loads to a scale.
I asked him how this will return the investment and he says it could mean the difference between having spoilage and turning cows off feed and that’s a cost no producer wants to deal with.
Listen to my interview with Chuck here: Interview with Chuck Endres (MP3)
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The Senior Vice President, Agricultural Marketing - North America, Australia & Asia, for John Deere is Doug DeVries. Doug came out on stage at the product launch in Cincinnati to thank the dealers who work directly with the customers.
In my interview with Doug he says this is the widest range of products they’ve ever brought to the market at once. He says it covers all areas and types of customers and is the culmination of a lot of R&D work. He comments on the growth in precision agriculture and says they see no change in the continued growth in this category of equipment.
You can listen to my interview with Doug here: Doug DeVries Interview (2:00 min mp3)
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