Tuesday August 27 Ag News

UNMC scientist part of global team evaluating CRISPR gene editing methods

A global collaboration – led by two researchers 9,000 miles apart – has evaluated several CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing methods used for routine generation of specific animal models.

Channabasavaiah Gurumurthy, Ph.D., of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Gaetan Burgio, Ph.D., of Australian National University, are corresponding authors on the paper recently published in Genome Biology, which includes 112 other authors from 20 labs around the world.

“Genetic engineering is complex,” Dr. Gurumurthy said. “Our paper analyzed all available methods to determine which offer higher efficiencies in generating complex animal models called conditional knockouts, which ultimately provide greater insight into gene function and disease findings.

“The results are important because custom-engineered conditional knockout animal models are widely used in biomedical research from basic studies to drug development.”

Dr. Gurumurthy is director of the Mouse Genome Engineering Core at UNMC and associate professor of pharmacology and experimental neuroscience. His previous research contributions include a breakthrough in genome engineering termed Easi-CRISPR (Efficient additions with ssDNA inserts-CRISPR). Easi-CRISPR is one of the most efficient technologies that allows scientists to custom-engineer important animal research models much more rapidly and at a significantly lower cost.

In their recent paper, titled “Reproducibility of CRISPR-Cas9 Methods for generation of conditional mouse alleles: a multi-center evaluation,” the global team analyzed the first CRISPR method published six years ago in Cell and compared it with the newer methods including Easi-CRISPR.

Their findings? The Cell paper approach was less than 1% efficient, based on their data from over 50 genes analyzed from 20 laboratories, whereas the Cell study had reported 16% efficiency based on data using just one gene. Easi-CRISPR and the related methods were 10 to 20 times more efficient than the Cell paper approach.

“These results demonstrate the gene editing field has considerably evolved from the past five years to make CRISPR more safe and efficient,” Dr. Burgio said.

Dr. Burgio’s group analyzed the extensive biological data including a process called machine learning, which provides systems the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed.

“Dr. Gurumuthy has nearly singlehandedly developed this technology at UNMC with the support of one of our Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence grants,” said Jennifer Larsen, M.D., vice chancellor for research for UNMC. “This article demonstrated how he continues to bring innovations not only to UNMC but the broader research community. We are proud of his many accomplishments.”

“The progress in Dr. Gurumurthy's research is matched by his innovation and dogged determination,” said Howard Gendelman, M.D., Margaret R. Larson Professor of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine, chair of the UNMC Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience and director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases. “We are proud to call him one of our own.”



TORUS Covers 9,000 Miles Across 5 State for Storm Data

The Nebraska-led TORUS project -- the most ambitious drone-based investigation of severe storms and tornadoes every conducted -- chased supercells for more than 9,000 miles across five states this summer.

The project, led by Nebraska's Adam Houston, features more than 50 scientists and students from four universities. The 2019 team included 13 Huskers -- 10 undergraduates and three graduate students. The $2.5 million study is funded through a $2.4 million, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation with additional support provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The goal of the project is to collect high-resolution data about the formation of storms to improve forecasting for tornadoes and severe weather. Click https://tinyurl.com/yxhjkw94 to learn more.



Bosselman Enterprises, Pearson Fuels share E15, E85 retail experience at ACE conference

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) hosted a diverse mix of ethanol interests in Omaha this month at its 32nd annual conference. Among the speakers were fuel marketers Randy Gard, COO of Bosselman Enterprises, which owns the Nebraska-based Pump & Pantry convenience store chain, and Mike Lewis, co-founder of California-based Pearson Fuels, one of the nation’s largest E85 distributors. Both spoke on the history and “math” associated with selling E15 and flex fuels, including Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credits and Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) and reminded attendees while year-round E15 could eventually move large amounts of ethanol, E85 is already moving massive amounts of ethanol and could move more.

Pearson Fuels supplies nearly 80 percent of E85 locations in California and sales have consistently increased, despite the state’s distance from the Midwest agriculture industry. In fact, the company sells almost twice as much E85 per year as is sold in Minnesota, according to Lewis. He also pointed out Pearson’s gallons didn’t dip when flex fuel volumes dropped in most other markets last year, primarily because California’s LCFS credits give E85 additional price advantages in the marketplace. Lewis expressed concern over the declining number of flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) being made available by automakers and encouraged attendees to get involved in the fight, starting with signing a free, online petition urging automakers to make more FFVs. Pearson has made considerable investment in encouraging state and federal policies to incentivize FFV production, and received good news on that front yesterday, when EPA issued an F factor for MY 2019, and announced it would be making a determination for future years soon. The F factor gives additional credits to automakers based on reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when operating on E85.

Bosselman Enterprises was one of the first marketers to sell E15 and E85 in Nebraska, and once they realized how to monetize RINs, that knowledge helped them quickly gain new market share. Gard said adding E15 and E85 and pricing both competitively has helped the company increase its gallons, customer counts, and average customer spend at its locations. Gard also showed attendees the new “Boss Fuel” brand Bosselman is now using at its Pump & Pantry locations. “It’s a simplification of color, of nomenclature, of buttons, and our approach is ‘Boss Fuel is a superior fuel for the road ahead,’” Gard said. “We’ve increased our sales of E15 tenfold by giving it an identity.”

ACE senior vice president Ron Lamberty moderated the discussion, saying the two companies were excellent examples of ACE’s marketer-to-marketer approach of sharing success stories like Lewis’ and Gard’s with their peers at trade shows, workshops, and the flexfuelforward.com website. “The best way to increase the volume we sell is by going to retailers who have already done it and asking them to share their strategies with their peers,” Lamberty said. “Bosselman has jumped from selling around 50,000 gallons of E15 per month to around 500,000, and Pearson Fuels has increased by a little less than a million gallons of E85 per year to almost 30 million now. These retailers are selling a lot more of our product than they were only a few years ago, and we’re sharing their success stories with interested retailers nationwide, so they can sell more ethanol, too.”

Lamberty will join Gard in Kearney, Nebraska, this week to provide the keynote address at a Nebraska Ethanol Board hosted fuel retailer training to educate them about selling E15 and higher ethanol blends.



Midwest States Seek to Fix Missouri River Flood Bottlenecks

(AP) -- After a year of devastating flooding, several Midwestern states are joining together to try to identify bottlenecks along the Missouri River that can cause waters to back up and worsen flooding in certain areas.

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska submitted a study proposal Tuesday to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages dams and helps design many of the major levees in the Missouri River basin, said Dru Buntin, deputy director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The analysis, which could take up to six months to complete, would identify constriction points such as levees, roads or bridge embankments that can increase the river's chances of flooding. Federal, state and local officials then could come up with alternatives as part of a regional approach to reducing the damage from future floods, Buntin said.

"We're not going to go back to the years in the past, where all of the sudden once the flood's over we go back to the same practices, the same ways that we have always done things," Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said. "It's time to make changes."

The plan was announced at the first meeting of a Missouri flood recovery task force. Other states and cities also are rethinking the way they rebuild from floods, which some experts contend are becoming more likely due to climate change. Some officials from Midwestern states also have blamed the Corps' river management practices for contributing to the floods.

The Missouri meeting was attended by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers leaders from district offices in Kansas City, St. Louis, Omaha, Nebraska, and Rock Island, Illinois.

Col. John Hudson, commander of the Corp's Omaha District, cautioned that fixing pinch points along the river is not a long-term solution because new problem spots could emerge elsewhere. The bigger challenge, he said, is the overall care and capacity of the Missouri River system, which includes six major dams in South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana.

The Corps has estimated that it could cost more than $1 billion to repair levees damaged by this year's flooding in the Missouri River basin. Flooding and severe storms have caused an estimated $1.2 billion of additional damage to public infrastructure in about two dozen states, according to an Associated Press analysis.

Those figures don't include damage to homes, businesses and farms. In Missouri alone, an estimated 1.2 million acres (0.49 million hectares) of farmland were flooded and more than $100 million of crop insurance already has been paid to more than 12,000 claimants, federal and state officials said Tuesday.

Officials hoping to fix flood bottlenecks pointed to Iowa Highway 2 as one example. The four-lane road was flooded and washed out along its approach to a Missouri River bridge that connects with Nebraska. Highway engineers say part of the problem rests with a levee that juts closer to the river at that point, creating a narrow passageway for raging floodwaters.

The Iowa Department of Transportation has approved a $34 million project to re-align the levee and build a pair of 1,000-foot-long (305-meter-long) bridges before the road reaches the main Missouri River bridge. By widening the path for flood waters, studies indicate the upstream water level could drop by as much as 1 foot during a major flood, said Charlie Purcell, director of the project delivery division at the Iowa Department of Transportation.

"It basically reduces the amount of water that kind of piles up upstream of the bridge location," Purcell said. "It will lessen the likelihood of levee overtopping."



Iowa Manure Applicator Certification Program Continues to Train Applicators, Protect Resources

Now in its 21st year, the Iowa manure applicator certification program continues to train and certify the state’s manure applicators on the best ways of handling, hauling and applying livestock manure.

Three programs were offered this year, in partnership with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Nearly 1,300 confinement site applicators attended the Confinement Site Manure Applicator Certification trainings, required for producers who have more than 500 animals in confinement. Currently, there are more than 1,960 certified confinement applicators in Iowa.

Some 2,218 commercial applicators attended the Commercial Manure Applicator Certification workshops. There are currently 605 certified commercial manure applicator businesses in Iowa, compared to 562 last year.

The Dry Manure Application Certification workshops drew 120 applicators during five workshops held in February.

The certifications are part of the requirements of Iowa legislation passed in 1998, intended to educate, train and certify the state’s manure applicators about the best ways to handle, haul and apply livestock manure.

Dan Andersen, assistant professor and extension agriculture engineering specialist at Iowa State, said the program continues to evolve, with new training opportunities and a focus on practical, hands-on lessons that benefit farmers and protect resources.

“The manure applicator certification program offers a lot of value to our state,” Andersen said. “I think we’re doing a good job of managing manure as a resource, but there’s always room for improvement.”

In recent years, Andersen and the other Iowa State staff involved have tried to make the training more farmer-inclusive, in ways that include their own experiences and concerns, and provide more “peer-to-peer learning opportunities.”

The cost for the commercial applicator certification is $200, and the cost for the confinement site applicator certification is $100.

Andersen said that while some applicators may see the certification as a burden, most understand it helps to keep them current and in compliance with the latest practices.

“Most of them do see the value in the program and certification,” he said. “I think they understand that we have to do things right.”

Next year’s in-person training will be held in January and February, with video and online opportunities year-round.

More information about the program and nutrient management is available on ISU Extension and Outreach’s Iowa Manure Management Action Group website.

Additional partners include the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Beef Center, Iowa Pork Industry Center, Iowa Commercial Nutrient Applicators Association, Iowa Turkey Federation, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Iowa State Dairy Association, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Iowa Poultry Association, Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Conservation Districts of Iowa, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa Environmental Council, and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.



Workshops Explain Foreign Animal Disease Plan Using Secure Pork Supply

In the event of an African Swine Fever, Foot and Mouth Disease, or Classical Swine Fever outbreak in the United States, state and federal regulatory officials will restrict animal movement to slow or stop the spread of these foreign animal diseases. If your animals are located in a disease control area, you will need to meet certain criteria to request a permit to move your animals. Guidance for requesting movement permits can be found in the Secure Pork Supply (SPS) plan.

Iowa Pork Industry Center and ISU Extension and Outreach swine specialists are available to help producers understand state and federal responses and learn how to use SPS resources to prepare for a foreign animal disease outbreak. Individual producer participation will help ensure a more prepared swine industry overall.

FAD Prep 101
What to expect during a foreign animal disease outbreak. Learn about the producer preparation resources in the SPS Plan. (2 hours; in person or online). Topics include:
    National movement standstill
    Quarantine and control areas
    How does Secure Pork Supply help your business continue during an FAD outbreak?

FAD 101 is now available as an online workshop; complete an online form to enroll.

FAD Prep 201
Learn about the resources in the SPS plan and how to apply it to your individual farm. (3 hours; FAD Prep 101 is a prerequisite).Topics include:
    Ensuring you have a valid premises ID number
    Keeping accurate movement records of animals, people, equipment
    Writing your enhanced biosecurity plan and creating a site map
    Training caretakers in enhanced biosecurity
    Monitoring for a foreign animal disease on your farm (ASF, FMD, CSF) and knowing who to call
    Bring with you: Multiple copies of aerial map of your site(s), and a list of inputs (animals, feed, fuel, people, etc.) and outputs (animals, manure, garbage, etc.) that enter and leave your farm in a given month.

Workshop dates and locations in Iowa
More workshops will be scheduled soon. Sign up for the email list to receive updates when dates and locations are announced, or email chipmana@iastate.edu to schedule a workshop or individual or small group plan assistance.

They also offer individual and small group assistance with developing a Secure Pork Supply plan for your operation. Please note that FAD Prep 101 is a prerequisite for this assistance. An ISU Extension and Outreach swine specialist will visit the farm and educate producers and caretakers on how to develop and implement the SPS plan on your operation. If you are interested in scheduling a workshop, webinar or individual or small group plan assistance, please email Amanda Chipman at chipmana@iastate.edu.



United States and Canadian Cattle Inventory Down Slightly

All cattle and calves in the United States and Canada combined totaled 115 million head on July 1, 2019, down slightly from the 115 million head on July 1, 2018. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 46.3 million head, were down slightly from a year ago.
                       
All cattle and calves in the United States as of July 1, 2019, totaled 103 million head, unchanged from July 1, 2018. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 41.7 million head, were down slightly from a year ago.

All cattle and calves in Canada as of July 1, 2019, totaled 12.3 million head, down 1 percent from the 12.4 million head on July 1, 2018. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 4.64 million head, were down 1 percent from a year ago.

This publication is a result of a joint effort by Statistics Canada and NASS to release the number of cattle and calves by class and calf crop for both countries within one publication. This information was requested by the United States cattle industry to provide producers additional information about potential beef supplies. United States inventory numbers were previously released on July 19, 2019. Canadian inventory numbers were previously released on August 22, 2019.



United States and Canadian Hog Inventory Up 3 Percent

United States and Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs for June 2019 was 89.5 million head. This was up 3 percent from June 2018, and up 5 percent from June 2017. The breeding inventory, at 7.64 million head, was up 1 percent from a year ago and up 4 percent from 2017. Market hog inventory, at 81.8 million head, was up 3 percent from last year and up 5 percent from 2017. The semi-annual pig crop, at 81.7 million head, was up 3 percent from 2018 and up 5 percent from 2017. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 7.45 million head, up 1 percent from last year and up 3 percent from 2017.

United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2019 was 75.5 million head. This was up 4 percent from June 1, 2018 and up 1 percent from March 1, 2019. The breeding inventory, at 6.41 million head, was up 1 percent from last year, and up 1 percent from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 69.1 million head, was up 4 percent from last year, and up 1 percent from last quarter. The pig crop, at 34.2 million head, was up 4 percent from 2018 and up 7 percent from 2017. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 3.11 million head, up slightly from 2018 and up 3 percent from 2017. 

Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs on July 1, 2019 was 14.0 million head. This was down slightly from July 1, 2018 and down 2 percent from July 1, 2017. The breeding inventory, at 1.23 million head, was down 1 percent from last year and down 2 percent from 2017. Market hog inventory, at 12.7 million head, was up slightly from last year but down 2 percent from 2017. The semi-annual pig crop, at 14.1 million head, was up 1 percent from 2018 but down 5 percent from 2017. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 1.22 million head, down 1 percent from last year and down 3 percent from 2017.

This publication is a result of a joint effort by Statistics Canada and NASS to release the total hogs, breeding, market hogs, sows farrowed, and pig crop for both countries within one publication. This information was requested by the United States hog industry to provide producers additional information about potential hog supplies. United States inventory numbers were previously released on June 27, 2019. Canadian inventory numbers were released on August 22, 2019.



Cattle on Feed
Brenda Boetel, Professor, Dept of Ag Econ, University of Wisconsin-River Falls

The United States Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA, NASS) released their monthly Cattle on Feed report on Friday, August 23, 2019. The latest numbers released by the USDA showed aggressive marketings and were neutral in total numbers on feed and placements. Total cattle on feed on August 1, 2019 numbered 11.1 million head, slightly above August 2018.  Pre-report estimates expected cattle on feed numbers to be up 0.6%.

Placements in feedlots during July totaled 1.71 million head, down 2.2 percent from 2018. Pre-report estimates anticipated placements down only 0.5%. Poor pasture and range conditions helped contribute to lighter placement numbers.  Placements were up year-over-year only in California (21%), Washington (3%) and non-specified other states.  Lightweight categories saw declining placement numbers for July 2019, compared to year ago. Placements of cattle weighing less than 800 pounds were down 7.6%, while cattle weighing over 800 pounds saw placements increase 7.7%. Placements as a percentage of marketings were down 8% year-over-year from July 2018. Seasonally, net feedlot placements as a percentage of marketings typically increase between June and October. Given that we have seen a decrease in this number, while the number of feeder cattle remains high indicates placements will be increasing at a faster rate later this fall

July marketings were aggressive but on par with pre-report estimates. Marketings were at 2 million head, up 6.4% over July 2018.  There was one more marketing day available in 2019 compared to 2018, which would attribute to greater marketings. As of August 1, the estimated supply of cattle on feed over 120 days is 0.7% above last year. Total cattle on feed inventory saw the largest July-to-August decline since 2008. Although cattle are currently being marketed in a timely manner, there is danger that this pace will slow and currentness will slip.   Given the decrease in slaughter capacity due to the Tyson fire, Saturday slaughter will need to continue to keep the market current.  Keeping up with the increased supply in the fourth quarter will be a challenge.



Perdue Appoints Producers to Sorghum Checkoff Board

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue announced today the appointment of five individuals to the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) board of directors.  Members will serve three-year terms.

According to the USDA press release, the sorghum farmers appointed to the board are:
    Kent Martin from Carmen, Oklahoma (At-Large)
    James Haase from Eads, Colorado
    Jeffry D. Zortman from Fowler, Kansas
    Kendall Hodgson from Little River, Kansas
    Joshua Birdwell from Malone, Texas

Kent Martin was reappointed to the at-large seat he currently holds, and James Haase was appointed to a vacant at-large seat. Jeffry Zortman and Kendall Hodgson were appointed to the two Kansas seats held by Martin Kerschen from Garden Plain, Kansas, and Clayton Short from Assaria. Joshua Birdwell was appointed to the Texas seat held by Dan Krienke of Perryton, Texas. Kerschen, Short and Krienke will complete their service to the board in December.

"We look forward to welcoming both the new and returning directors to the Sorghum Checkoff board of directors," said Sorghum Checkoff Executive Director Florentino Lopez. "The board of directors plays an essential role in our efforts to innovate and enhance the value of sorghum, and we anticipate the talent and contributions these new and returning individuals will bring to the board of directors and to the benefit of our industry’s farmers."

The 13-member board is authorized by the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996. The Secretary selected the appointees from sorghum producers nominated by certified sorghum producer organizations.



Del Monte Closes Two Food Plants

Del Monte Foods is closing two of its remaining 10 U.S. plants, laying off hundreds of workers, as the food company looks to further cut costs amid headwinds that include tariffs and rising metal packaging costs. The layoffs add to a tally that is already the highest for the food manufacturing industry in a decade.

CBS News reports that food manufacturers laid off nearly 16,000 workers in the first seven months of the year, up 85% from a year ago and the highest total for the sector in that period since 2009.

Del Monte Foods, the U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific, in the fall plans to close its plant in Mendota, Illinois, laying off nearly 500 workers at the facility that packages products including peas, carrots and mixed vegetables. It also plans to shutter its plant in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, where as many as 400 are employed during the processing season.



New Holland to showcase industry-leading integrated hay and forage lineup at Farm Progress Show

New Holland is unveiling its full lineup of integrated hay and forage solutions and inviting attendees to experience their latest innovations up close at the nation’s largest outdoor farm event, Farm Progress Show. New Holland is exhibiting at booth #1151 in the show’s northwest quadrant from August 27-29 in Decatur, Illinois.

“The Farm Progress Show is truly the epicenter of agricultural innovation for our customers,” says Brett Davis, Vice President for New Holland, North America, who joined the New Holland brand in April. “We couldn’t think of a better place to honor our legacy and share our dedication to continuing to be the solutions provider for hay and forage growers as we enter our 125th year in 2020.”

The agricultural equipment manufacturing leader will showcase a selection of haytools including the latest in round balers, rakes, disc mower-conditioners and a range of New Holland tractors suited to any operation. Growers will also be able to experience the reimagined cab and intuitive precision farming platform of the new Genesis® T8 with PLM Intelligence. In addition, New Holland will showcase updates to its MYPLMCONNECT and MYNEWHOLLAND portals and mobile apps that enhance on-farm customer productivity.

New Holland is featuring several products and announcements this year, including:

One of the industry’s largest haytools giveaways in agriculture history
New Holland will be showcasing the five pieces of haying equipment in The Great New Holland Haytools Giveaway for the first time. This includes a special-edition Blue Power T6.180 Dynamic Command Transmission tractor with 855LA loader, Discbine® 313 mower-conditioner, Rolabar® 230 rake, Roll-Belt™ 560 Specialty Crop Plus round baler, and a special-edition blue L228 skid steer loader with bale grapple. Visit the booth or see the announcement for more details.

New Rolabar® 230 twin basket rake
The new Rolabar 230 twin basket rake delivers high capacity, clean raking with simple, intuitive operator controls. With raking capacity up to 30 feet, this rake matches well with large SP windrower heads and large center-pivot mower-conditioners.

The best in round bale technology
The Roll-Belt™ 560 Specialty Crop Plus and the Roll-Belt 450 will both be on display, showcasing the smartest technology in round balers. Booth visitors will learn how New Holland produces the industry’s highest density bales, and how that results in higher quality feed, reduced storage losses and more profitability for producers.



Golden Harvest connects with John Deere Operations Center for farmer-focused data integration

Farmers who grow Golden Harvest® corn or soybeans will soon have more data integration available to enhance their on-farm decision-making. This fall, Golden Harvest is connecting with the John Deere Operations Center through John Deere's API services so that farmers will be able to receive better recommendations via E-Luminate®, the Golden Harvest digital ag platform.

This is the first data integration for E-Luminate, which is available on desktop and as a mobile app. E-Luminate already helps farmers fine-tune hybrid and variety placement, as well as support management decisions throughout the season, via high-resolution imagery. Now, integration with the John Deere Operations Center will provide an automatic and seamless assimilation with yield data to improve seed decisions.

"To unlock data's full potential, it needs to be available in the tools that farmers actually use," said Justin Welch, Syngenta digital product manager. "Bringing together John Deere – one of the largest trusted data advisors – with E-Luminate means Golden Harvest farmers will be more empowered than ever to make informed, impactful decisions."

This winter, farmers will be able to share harvest data with their Golden Harvest Seed Advisors automatically via E-Luminate to inform seed decisions for next season. This connection will help farmers to capture the full value of their Golden Harvest seed investment.

E-Luminate is provided free of charge to Golden Harvest farmers as a value-added service available through Golden Harvest Seed Advisors.

"We're investing in digital tools because actionable data helps farmers get the full benefit from their seed purchase," said Welch. "We believe E-Luminate and services like it should be included in the cost of doing business. When you buy seed from a Golden Harvest Seed Advisor, you're not only going to get top-performing corn and soybeans, but also the recommendations and trusted service you need to maximize your profit potential."



AGCO Invests Significantly in Fendt N.A. and Doubles Fendt Dealership Locations

AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and solutions, continues to invest significantly in Fendt North America by doubling Fendt dealer locations in the past year while introducing a row crop-friendly tractor and the MOMENTUMTM planter.  

With the launch of the revolutionary Fendt IDEALTM combine in 2018, and the introduction of the redesigned, new row crop-friendly Fendt 900 Gen6 series of tractors, AGCO is positioning the Fendt brand as the premium brand of choice for North American farmers and producers. Not only has the Fendt product offering in North America expanded, but so too has the dealer network.

Fendt Dealer Network Expansion – By the Numbers
North America now has a total of 189 Fendt dealership locations. Of that total, 98 are new locations that have joined the Fendt family just in the past year.

Special emphasis was put on placing new Fendt dealerships in areas to best serve prospective customers and existing Fendt owners. Fendt dealerships are now in 37 of the 54 U.S. states and Canadian provinces that are considered large ag markets, or 69 percent of all large ag markets.

“The Fendt dealership expansion is a clear sign of our continued commitment not only to growth in North America, but to an expanded group of customers who, when they learn why Fendt has such a dedicated fan base, will also want to be Fendt owners,” says Bob Crain, senior vice president and general manager, Americas, AGCO. “Our existing Fendt dealers are excited about the new products that meet the needs of North American farmers and our new Fendt dealers look forward to bringing their customers into the Fendt family.

All Fendt North American dealers can be found here: https://www.fendt.com/us/#dealer

Fendt Product Offerings
Fendt tractors have been sold in North America since 1998, and 2019 is the launch of the newly redesigned Fendt 900 tractor series. The five new Fendt Gen 6 models are all-around workhorses built upon Fendt’s 90 years of engineering innovation and manufacturing excellence. The 900 Series tractors are designed specifically to meet the needs of producers in North America and range from 296 to 415 HP. They feature many of the cutting-edge technologies first introduced on the Fendt 1000 Series in agile, crop-friendly machines that will handle any task a crop producer, large-scale cattle operation or custom farming operation faces.

“We are aggressively addressing the row crop segment in North America, which is very important because nearly 75 percent of North American farmers have row crop conditions,” says Crain. “Along with our industry-leading Challenger® MT700 and MT800 tracked tractors, and RoGator® and TerraGator® application equipment, we provide high-tech, user-friendly, efficient farming equipment to help our farmers retain the most profit in this challenging environment.”

The Fendt IDEALTM combine, the first clean-sheet design for a combine in the ag industry in over 30 years, launched in 2018, was the next Fendt product to take North America by storm. Setting a new standard for harvesting automation, and blending Fendt’s tradition of engineering innovation with the most advanced operating technology, the IDEAL combine delivers what producers around the world told AGCO they want in a combine – in-field efficiency, unfailing uptime, totally simple operation, and better grain quality.

And launching in February 2020, the revolutionary Fendt MOMENTUM planter – a global planter platform designed from the ground up for producers across the globe. First debuted in Brazil, and currently undergoing extensive field trials in North America, the MOMENTUM planter will change the way farmers think about planting.  With the AGCO acquisition of Precision Planting two years ago, the MOMENTUM planter features the latest, exclusive Precision Planting technologies.

Each North American Fendt product is backed by Fendt Gold Star Customer Care, assuring more value and more uptime. This industry-best warranty, with no deductible, for 36 months or 3,000 hours for tractors, and 36 months or 1,200 hours for IDEAL, covers all scheduled maintenance, including the cost of oil, filters, belts and maintenance items during this time. Fendt dealers provide industry-leading parts support and if a crucial part isn’t available from the dealer, it will be shipped via the fastest option from the nearest AGCO Parts Distribution Center or the factory. Highly trained technicians use the latest technology to quickly diagnose problems at the farm or the shop to save Fendt owners time and money through reduced downtime and lower service fees.

Fendt – History of Quality and Innovation
Since its beginning more than 90 years ago, Fendt has combined craftsmanship with engineering while listening to their customers and solving their problems without sacrificing quality or reliably. Fendt products today reflect that history of innovation and problem solving. They bring producers around the globe an expanding list of new technologies driving fuel efficiency, ease-of-use, comfort and reduced cost per acre.

Though Fendt established technology leadership in the mid-1990s by introducing the continuously variable transmission (CVT), few are familiar with the array of innovations Fendt has developed through the years. These innovations include:

    The Dieselross F18, introduced in 1937, featured a travel-independent power-shift PTO, which meant the PTO didn’t stop when the operator stopped the tractor.

    In 1980, Fendt introduced the 300 Farmer Series, the first tractor with a four-wheel braking system and a transport speed of 25 mph (40 km/h). All-wheel braking not only increases transport safety, but provides greater stopping power when transporting heavy loads, such as a manure tanker.

    Fendt premiered the world’s first high horsepower tractor with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) stepless transmission, the 926 Vario, at Germany’s 1995 Agritechnica show. The Fendt Vario, as it was named, allows the operator to utilize the power reserves normally hidden in the areas between gears and select the perfect speed for every application.

    The Fendt 800 and 900 Vario tractors also introduced VarioGrip, the industry’s first integrated tire pressure regulation system that is adjusted from the cab. The benefits include less tire wear, lower rolling resistance, lower fuel costs, greater stability in the field and on the road, as well as the ability to minimize compaction in the field.