Tuesday November 13 Ag News

Limit Feeding Cows With Corn as an Alternative to Hay
Larry Howard, NE Extension Educator, Cuming County

Feed costs make up the largest expense in a cow-calf operation. While hay is often used to feed cows through the winter, current prices make corn a competitive option to feeding hay. Considering corn has a higher energy content than hay, the cost of feeding hay is often higher than corn on a price per pound of energy basis. For example, corn priced at $3.30/bushel ($118/ton) equates to approximately $0.08 per pound of total digestible nutrients (TDN) while hay priced at $100/ton is nearly $0.11 per pound of TDN. 

A study conducted at The Ohio State University evaluated limit-feeding corn as an alternative to hay for mature cows in gestation and early lactation. The results of this study suggest that corn can be limit fed to meet the nutrient requirements of cows without negatively impacting performance, conception rate, or calf weaning weight.

When utilizing a limit fed, grain-based diet, there are several factors producers should take into consideration to help facilitate the success of the program.                     
 1.    Adjust cows to the limit fed diet over a week to ten-day period by gradually increasing the corn and reducing the hay to desired levels. This will help cows transition to the new ration and minimize digestive upsets.
 2.    Provide at least 24 to 30 inches of bunk space per cow. Adequate space is needed to ensure that all cows have an opportunity to eat the limited feed that will be provided.
 3.    Utilize an ionophore to improve feed efficiency and help minimize digestive upsets.
 4.    Divide cows into groups based on age and pecking order, if possible, so that boss cows do not keep younger, more timid cows from getting their share of the ration.
 5.    Realize that cows will act hungry when receiving a limit fed diet, even though the ration is meeting the nutrient needs of the cow. 
 6.    Feed cows at a consistent time each day to help minimize cows displaying discontented behavior.
 7.    Adjust the ration for changes in the cow’s nutrient requirements as needed. The nutrient needs of the cow are highest during late gestation and early lactation. Additionally, cold weather events can increase the energy requirements of the cow.

Depending on current commodity prices and availability, there is opportunity to winter cows using alternative energy sources to hay. Limit feeding a corn-based diet can be a cost effective option for meeting the nutrient requirements of cows. The University of Nebraska has conducted several studies to evaluate limit feeding cows.   For more information, please see the Dry Lot Beef Cow/Calf Enterprise article (https://beef.unl.edu/dry-lot-beef-cowcalf-enterprise). For assistance with evaluating cost differences of feedstuffs, consider using the Feed Cost Cow-Q-Lator (https://beef.unl.edu/dry-lot-beef-cowcalf-enterprise).



PVC Monlthy meeting
Lucas Luckey, Platte Valley Cattlemen President

We will be meeting Monday, November 19th, at Wunderlich’s Catering in Columbus, with Social hour beginning at 6:00 P.M. and the meal at 7:00 P.M. We want to be sure to thank Rosendahl Farms Feed & Seed for sponsoring our social hour and Central Plain Milling sponsoring our meal.

November is our annual cow calf meeting, this year we will be having Jason Warner, Ph.D. a Nutritionist with Great Plains Livestock Consulting Inc., he will be discussing winter stalk grazing programs as well as winter supplementation.

Hope to see you all there!



USDA NASS TO COLLECT 2018 CROP PRODUCTION AND STOCKS DATA

As the 2018 growing season comes to an end, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to gather final year-end crop production numbers and the amount of grain and oilseeds stored on their farms. At the same time, NASS will survey grain facility operators to determine year-end off-farm grain and oilseed stocks.

“These surveys are the largest and most important year-end surveys conducted by NASS,” explained NASS’s Northern Plains Director Dean Groskurth. “They are the basis for the official USDA estimates of production and harvested acres of all major agricultural commodities in the United States and grain and oilseed supplies. Data from the survey will benefit farmers and processors by providing timely and accurate information to help them make crucial year-end business decisions and begin planning for the next growing and marketing season.”

“Responses to the survey will be used in calculating county-level yields which have a direct impact on farmers around the State. USDA’s Farm Service Agency uses the data in administering producer programs such as the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) included in the 2014 Farm Bill, and in determining disaster assistance program calculations,” said Groskurth. “NASS cannot publish a county yield unless it receives enough reports from producers in that county to make a statistically defensible estimate. So, it is very important that producers respond to this survey. In 2017, NASS was unable to publish several large producing counties due to an insufficient number of responses.”

“As required by Federal law, all responses are completely confidential,” Groskurth continued. “We safeguard the privacy of all respondents, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified. Individual responses are also exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.”

Survey results will be published in several reports, including the Crop Production Annual Summary and the quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on January 11. These and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information call the NASS Nebraska Field Office at 800-582-6443.



Five Opportunities for Farmers, Ranchers with Federal Tax Code Changes

Nebraska Farm Bureau is encouraging farmers and ranchers to examine how they could benefit from changes in the federal tax code as the end of the year approaches. In December of 2017, Congress passed, and President Trump signed the most sweeping changes to federal tax code in more than 20 years. Those changes could yield significant benefits to farm and ranch families according to the Nebraska Farm Bureau.

“The adoption of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) helped lower taxes for hardworking Americans. As part of that effort, Nebraska Farm Bureau worked very closely with Nebraska’s Congressional delegation to ensure reforms included improvements in the tax code for farm and ranch families,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president, Nov. 13.

To help farmers and ranchers navigate the changes, Nebraska Farm Bureau has developed a guide entitled “5 Things to Remember: Federal Tax Code Changes for Farmers and Ranchers.” The guide is intended to aid farmers and ranchers as they do tax planning at the end of the year.

“The first thing to note is that there are new tax brackets with lower tax rates across the board. How an individual farmer or rancher will be impacted will be based on how their operation is organized, but most situations will result in a tax reduction,” said Jordan Dux, Nebraska Farm Bureau director of national affairs.

Dux also encouraged farmers and ranchers to make sure they examine the new capital investment rules.

“It’s important to note that the updated tax code increased the maximum deduction that can be taken under the Section 179 small business expensing provision. This provision allows small businesses to deduct capital investment purchases (like a tractor, combine, etc.) from their income taxes. The new law also allows farmers and ranchers to fully and immediately write off business investments for used as well as new purchases. These provisions provide tax reductions and incent capital investment in an individual’s farm or ranch,” said Dux.

The new tax code also doubles the base estate tax exemption from $5 million to $10 million, a win for farmers and ranchers who oppose the “death” tax. The measure also repeals the individual health insurance mandate of the Affordable Care Act (commonly known as Obamacare) by removing the penalty for individuals who do not purchase health insurance, and maintains the deduction of medical expenses for those who itemize deductions.

“While there are several changes, farmers and ranchers will find some of the most important parts of the of updated tax code to be what was maintained from the previous code, specifically the ability for farmers and ranchers to fully deduct their property taxes on agricultural land and business properties, as well as the ability to deduct business interest on loans,” said Dux.

Dux encourages farmers and ranchers to use the guide but says individuals should always consult a tax professional to fully examine how the changes could impact an individual’s farm or ranch operation.

The guide, “5 Things to Remember: Federal Tax Code Changes for Farmers and Ranchers,” is available on the Nebraska Farm Bureau website at www.nefb.org.



Biodiesel Industry Elects New Board Leadership

National Biodiesel Board members voted today to elect their trade association leadership. The board reflects the wide range of member companies in the biodiesel industry from feedstock operations to producers.

“The National Biodiesel Board is the sole organization representing American-made biodiesel’s entire value chain and renewable diesel interests. Our strong team of leaders from all sectors of the industry continue to move this American-made fuel forward," said NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen. “We look forward to continuing our efforts to secure strong markets for America’s Advanced Biofuel and the nearly 64,000 jobs we represent.”

NBB members voted to fill eight board member spots for two-year terms:
    Greg Anderson, Nebraska Soybean Board
    Rob Shaffer, American Soybean Association
    Troy Alberts, Ag Environmental Products
    Jeff Lynn, Illinois Soybean Association
    Tim Keaveney, Lake Erie Biofuels DBA Hero BX
    Mike Rath, Darling Igredients Inc.
    Robert Morton, Newport Biodiesel LLC
    Tom Brooks, Western Dubuque Biodiesel, LLC

Kent Engelbrecht, Ron Heck, Ryan Pederson, Harry Simpson, Paul Soanes, Robert Stobaugh, and Chad Stone continue to serve on the board. 

The board also voted in the the new slate of officers with Kent Engelbrecht returning as chairman, Chad Stone as Vice Chairman, Ryan Pederson as Treasurer and Ron Heck as Secretary.



Dairy Discussions Program to Examine Risk Management and Labor

The Dairy Discussions: Risk Management and Labor Issues program is set for Tuesday, Dec. 4 at the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Sioux County office in Orange City.

Dairy Discussions: Risk Management and Labor Issues grew out of concerns expressed by the Western Iowa Dairy Alliance board as to the hardships of finding qualified labor and keeping employees in a depressed milk market. Discussions will also include consistent labor management and how that relates to cow management, risk management tools and a market update.

Hugo Ramirez, assistant professor and extension dairy specialist at Iowa State, will outline the importance of consistency when handling animals and teaching employees the reasons for specific protocols. He will discuss why farm guidebooks and manuals are especially vital in a tight labor market.

The day’s second topic will be risk management education, especially information on the new United States Department of Agriculture Dairy Revenue Protection program, LGM, contracts and other risk management tools. Ron Mortensen from Dairy Gross Margin LLC will lead the discussion and answer questions.

Bob Naerebout, former executive director of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, will discuss responsible immigration reform. His current role with the Idaho Dairymen’s Association is to lead the IDA in its government affairs and he continues to serve on various national dairy industry boards. Many of those boards’ primary goal is to see responsible immigration reform successfully moved forward. Naerebout currently serves on the executive committees of both the National Immigration Forum and the Agricultural Coalition for Immigration Reform. He is also a committee member of the University of Idaho Latino Advisory Committee and the National Milk Producers Federation Immigration Taskforce. Through his engagements surrounding immigration reform, Naerebout and the IDA have become widely recognized as a leader in the immigration reform debate.

Fred M. Hall, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, will discuss current trends in the milk market and offer useful benchmarks for dairy producers as they evaluate their enterprise.

The day will begin with registration at 9 a.m. at the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office located at 400 Central Avenue Northwest in Orange City, and will conclude around 2 p.m.

There is no registration fee, but pre-registration is required by calling the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office at 712-737-4230. Deadline for registration is noon on Friday, Nov. 30.



National Pork Board and U.S. Meat Export Federation to Partner on Pork 2040

The National Pork Board, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today that they will engage in a foresight-based marketing study called Pork 2040. The study will investigate changing consumer attitudes and trends in developed and emerging U.S. pork export markets in 17 defined countries.

“Previous international marketing studies centered only on quantitative statistics to define demand, production and market access,” said Bill Luckey, chair of the Checkoff’s International Marketing committee and a pork producer from Columbus, Nebraska. “This unique effort will be more comprehensive, investigating the relevant qualitative factors that shape consumer opinion and hence markets. The study will focus on forecasting the pork and pork-product demand landscape over the next several decades to help determine where best to invest our limited Checkoff resources.”

In addition to analyzing linear consumer trends, the Pork 2040 research will assess trends in the development of new production and marketing technologies, as well as in growing environmental concerns and in emerging legal, trade and regulatory regimes around the globe.

“Comprehensive research is vital to our international marketing planning and forecasting in order to stay ahead of the curve,” Luckey said. “We must take proactive steps to market products in both current and emerging markets well into the future.”

China, which has a growing and increasingly urban population base, will be the first country studied through the Pork 2040 lens. A research platform will be developed to enable the U.S. pork industry to design and implement a long-term strategy for U.S. pork consumption in China and to add context to one of the most critical export markets.

“By forecasting where pork and pork product demand is heading in China, the Pork Checkoff and its partners can return value to U.S. pig farmers through a defined and united focus on growing export demand,” said Craig Morris, vice president of international marketing for the Pork Checkoff.

The Emerging Markets Program will provide initial funding for the project. This funding will enable teams of experts to assess consumer trends, attitudes and behaviors that influence China’s food system needs and the subsequent ability to increase U.S. exports into the region.

“Pork 2040 will help decision-makers in business, government and non-profit organizations understand and accommodate the myriad challenges facing our pork industry stakeholders,” Morris said. “Challenges routinely surface from ever-evolving factors that affect the global food system, and we need to be better informed about circumstances potentially within our control and influence.”

Contractors interested in submitting proposals for this market should visit pork.to/2040rfp to download the request for proposals and submit their bid.



26th Cattlemen’s College set to Generate Profits, Enhance Management for Cattlemen, Women

Staying a step ahead in the cattle industry is no small challenge. Cattlemen and women looking to find that extra step will be attending the 2019 Cattlemen’s College in New Orleans, La., Jan. 29-30.

More than a thousand producers are expected to attend the event, sponsored by Zoetis and produced by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. It is being presented in conjunction with the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show.

A highlight of the event will be a Jan. 29 afternoon session that features Dr. Temple Grandin conducting a cattle handling and facility design presentation. A reception will follow that afternoon, with a full slate of concurrent educational sessions to follow the morning of Jan. 30.

Keynote speaker at the Cattlemen’s College Opening General Session Jan. 30 will be Bill Cordingley, managing director and head of the Chicago office of RaboBank Wholesale Banking North America. He will speak on “Greater Expectations, Bigger Opportunities,” touching on the different forces that work together to yield a complex demand story for beef. Beef for the Opening General Session breakfast is being provided by Certified Angus Beef.

Eight Cattlemen’s College session tracks will follow, including business, cattle health, genetics, nutrition, reproduction, grazing management, consumer interest, and industry hot topics. Because many sessions run concurrently, attendees will be able to view videos of missed sessions online following the college.

For the second year, the college begins with a special Producer’s Choice collection of sessions Jan. 29. An online vote conducted prior to the schedule finalization determined that three educational sessions will be offered for a “first look”: Programming Your Cow Herd for Success, Unraveling Secrets of the Rumen, and Practical Management to Reduce Disease Challenges.

Overall, the 2019 Cattlemen’s College will feature an impressive collection of the beef industry’s most talented, experienced people with impressive presentation skills, according to Josh White, NCBA executive director of producer education. He says thought-provoking sessions will also spark discussions that lead to innovation and advancement in what has become a rapidly changing industry.

 “Thousands of cattlemen and women through the years have benefited from their attendance at Cattlemen’s College,” says White. “And, each year we learn a little bit more about what works effectively to get the education delivered. We know our 2019 event will be outstanding; a culmination of a quarter century of providing valuable information that makes the cattle industry the best it can be.”

An education package for the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, which includes a ticket to Cattlemen’s College, is $1,025. Tickets for Cattlemen’s College alone are $300 per person, and require a two-day or full convention registration. Tickets for students are available for $150.

For more information on the 2019 Cattlemen’s College classes and sessions, go to www.convention.beefusa.org/events-meetings/cattlemens-college. 



Bayer Hit by More Lawsuits Over Safety of Roundup Weedkiller

Bayer AG on Tuesday disclosed another jump in the number of lawsuits alleging the German company's recently-acquired weed killers cause cancer in a sign that an issue that has wiped billions off Bayer's market valuation isn't fading away.

Lawsuits from 9,300 plaintiffs were pending at the end of October, compared with 8,700 at the end of August, Bayer said. Plaintiffs claim that Roundup weed killers, which Bayer acquired in its takeover of Monsanto Co., made them ill and that Monsanto knew or should have known of the risks but failed to warn adequately.

Bayer rejects the allegations, arguing there are hundreds of scientific studies and regulatory authorities that demonstrate glyphosate, the compound contained in the weed killers, is safe to use.



NMPF Staff Fights for Farmers as Part of International Dairy Delegation

The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) staff members advocated for fair international standards for U.S. producers and addressed the global effort to combat dairy imitators at the annual International Dairy Federation (IDF) Summit in South Korea last month. The IDF is an association of dairy industries in 50 countries, formed in 1903 to promote sound science and represent dairy businesses before intergovernmental bodies.

During the event, U.S. representatives used committee discussions to push for priorities designed to help dairy producers cope with global challenges, including low prices, trade barriers and unscientific policies related to dairy consumption.

Export markets are an increasingly important destination for U.S. dairy, NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern said. But significant tariff and non-tariff barriers persist that prohibit U.S. farmers from serving global markets to the fullest benefit of the world’s consumers, he said, ranging from retaliatory tariffs against U.S. dairy goods to misuse of geographical indications as a vehicle for unfair trade.

Speaking on a trade-focused panel discussion alongside counterparts from the EU and New Zealand, Mulhern discussed changes in U.S. agricultural trade policy and told the international audience to expect the U.S. to push harder to knock down protectionist trade barriers. “The world’s consumers will benefit from freer and fairer trade in dairy and other agricultural products, and this increased consumer demand will benefit the world’s dairy producers,” he said.

Specific U.S. priorities advocated by NMPF and USDEC included:
-    A more robust approach by IDF to fight unwarranted international policies that seek to limit dairy consumption and affect sales.
-    Ensuring that IDF’s approach to topics in Codex and the World Health Organization (WHO) protects the ability of U.S. dairy farmers and processors to operate safely and sustainably without unneeded and cumbersome regulations.
-    Establishing international standards, including the development of a metric system by IDF for reporting sustainability, to ensure such standards are not written in a way that disadvantages U.S. producers.
-    Working with our international partners to jointly combat the challenge of dairy imitators.



CWT Assists with 3.5 Million Pounds of Cheese, Butter and Whole Milk Powder Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 20 offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture contracts to sell 2.048 million pounds (638 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, 606,271 pounds (275 metric tons) of butter and 879,645 pounds (399 metric tons) of whole milk powder. The product is contracted for delivery in Asia, Central America, the Middle East, North Africa, Oceania and South America for the period from November 2018 through April 2019.

CWT-assisted member cooperative 2018 export sales total 53.777 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 13.842 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 52.823 million pounds of whole milk powder to 36 countries on five continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.2 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program in the long term helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.

October CWT Contracts Move Year-to-Date Total Export Sales to 117 Million Pounds
In October, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) assisted members in securing 41 sales contracts, bringing the year-to-date total export sales to 1.154 billion pounds on a milk equivalent basis. The total is made up of 51.7 million pounds of America-type cheeses, 13.2 million pounds of butter and 51.9 million pounds of whole milk powder.

Looking at October activity only: 32 contracts were secured for 4.2 million pounds of American-type cheese, along with one contract for 275,578 pounds of butter and six contracts for 1.6 million pounds of whole milk powder. The products will go to customers in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, Central America, Oceania and South America, and will be shipped to customers in 12 countries during October 2018 through April 2019.



Field to Market, Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN announce new capability for farmers to quantify stewardship

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture and Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN today announced the forthcoming availability of Field to Market's sustainability metrics within the new Truterra™ Insights Engine from Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN in mid-December. Land O'Lakes is the first partner that will integrate fully with the latest version of Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform released this month.

"We are proud to partner with Land O'Lakes to give farmers even greater choice in assessing the sustainability performance of their management practices and respond to growing interest across the value chain in where and how commodity crops are grown," said Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market. "This collaboration integrates Field to Market's sustainability insights alongside the stewardship and agronomic analysis for which Land O'Lakes WinField United ag-retailer owners are known – helping farmers make decisions that benefit the air, soil, water and their business."

"The addition of Fieldprint Platform sustainability metrics to the Truterra Insights Engine is a key asset supporting the agricultural and food supply chain to utilize Truterra for data-driven insights," said Matt Carstens, senior vice president of Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN. "This work enhances the ability for farmers and ag retailers to bolster their stewardship reporting across many commodities, crops and commitments – and it cements the Truterra Insights Engine as a go-to, farm-to-fork solution for food companies who turn to the Fieldprint Platform to track sustainability results achieved in the field."

Available to both commodity producers and their trusted advisors across the Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN network in mid-December, the common measurement framework offered by Field to Market will offer even greater depth to the Truterra Insights Engine's ability to assist farmers in documenting their stewardship and exploring opportunities for continuous improvement. By utilizing one of the industry's most-accepted sustainability frameworks, the integration of Field to Market's sustainability metrics provides commodity crop producers and the supply chain with a seamless solution for assessing sustainability performance as well as documenting and demonstrating stewardship at the field and landscape level.

With today's announcement, the Fieldprint® Application Programming Interface (API) will connect eight sustainability metrics and associated algorithms from Field to Market's Fieldprint Platform directly to the Truterra Insights Engine, providing farmers with an enhanced tool to assess their management practices against regional, state and national benchmarks for key sustainability indicators.

Land O'Lakes and Field to Market have a history of working closely together to advance on-farm sustainability. Land O'Lakes is a longstanding member of the Alliance. The farmer-owned cooperative serves on both its Board of Directors and Standing Committees.



AGCO Introduces New White Planters 9500VER and 9700VER Precision Planting-ready Toolbars

AGCO Corporation, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, is bringing to market the new 9500VER and 9700VER (Vacuum Electric Ready) Precision Planting-ready toolbars within its White Planters™ line. The new toolbars meet the growing demand for Precision Planting® technology in narrow- and wide-row configurations. The harness-free frame, 9500VER precision-ready toolbar is available in three sizes — 23-row, 15-inch row spacing; 24-row, 20-inch spacing and 24-row, 22-inch spacing. The 9700VER toolbar is available in five sizes — 12-row, with 30-inch, 36-inch, 38-inch or 40-inch row spacing and a 16-row with 30-inch row spacing.

Both the 9500VER and 9700VER toolbars consist of maintenance-free, all cast iron 9000 Series row units, but don’t include the drives or seed meters, so components aren’t duplicated when a White Planter is converted to include the latest Precision Planting components and systems.

“AGCO developed these toolbars so growers can customize a White Planter with the Precision Planting components they want in the row width right for their needs. This is a cost-effective option to converting an existing White Planter which can mean duplicating some components,” says Tom Draper, strategic marketing manager for Seeding and Tillage at AGCO. “Being able to configure the 9500VER and 9700VER toolbars with the exact components and systems they want gives growers tremendous flexibility and potential cost savings.” 

The new 9500VER toolbar is equipped with a durable three-section, flex-and-forward-fold, 7-inch x 7-inch frame; a two-tank, 90-bushel, central-fill seed-delivery system (CFS); hydraulic lift and fold systems and folding marker selection. Two 45-bushel polyethylene hoppers are standard for the CFS on all 9500VER toolbars. The lids are easy to reach from the platform, and the oversized hopper openings make filling more convenient. Gauge wheels with equalizing walking beams, eight 12-ply tires and safety equipment round out the features found on the 9500VER toolbar.

The 9700VER toolbar features durable three-section, flexible, 7-inch x 7-inch hydraulic stack-folding wings and hydraulic fold system. The frame provides consistent toolbar height, maintaining row unit depth control across the width of the planter in varying terrain. Gauge wheels with four 9.5L x 15, 8-ply tires and safety equipment round out the features on this toolbar.

Precision Planting components and technologies to fit individual needs
Both toolbars can be customized to fit the needs of nearly any production system. Add-on options include the Bullseye, WaveVision® and SpeedTube™ seed tubes, the proven and reliable vSet® meter, vDrive® electronic drive system, vDrive Insecticide meters and DeltaForce® hydraulic downforce from Precision Planting.

The vSet meter offers the industry’s most consistent seed singulation plus outstanding reliability for minimal downtime. The vDrive system allows row-by-row seed meter control, providing precise population control around headland curves, saving seed and ensuring ideal plant spacing for optimum yields. The DeltaForce hydraulic downforce control matches field conditions on-the-go to provide consistent seed depth placement for each individual row.

Additional options from Precision Planting available with the 9500VER and 9700VER toolbars are the fully integrated Precision Planting 20|20® monitor and FieldView® data collection and mapping. The 20|20 monitor tracks and displays population, speed, skips, doubles, row unit ride, downforce and ground contact on the go, allowing the operator to adjust to achieve precise seeding and troubleshoot mechanical problems. FieldView is an iPad®-based solution to real-time, high-definition mapping and data collection. It integrates seamlessly with 20|20.