Pivotal Issues Blog

By: Jim Patrico Several times this year a portal on the International Space Station will open to release a new flock of “Doves.” They will float into a near-Earth orbit around 400 miles up and unfold solar panel wings. With these wings spread, the Doves will orient themselves, line up the cameras built into their […]

By: Russ Quinn While I didn’t grow up with “red” tractors, we had enough family, friends and neighbors who did, so I was around International tractors even though we didn’t have any. I had several friends growing up whose families farmed with IH equipment, and I learned about this equipment from them. I am fairly […]

By: Jim Patrico </ br> My two goals at each NFMS (this was my 18th) are to take the pulse of the farm equipment industry and to learn about new product rollouts. </ br> At the trade show, several exhibitors from Arkansas set the tone early, noting that conversations around online casinos in Arkansas had […]

By: Russ Quinn The equipment manufacturing industry supported 1.3 million jobs and contributed $159 billion to the Gross Domestic Production (GDP) of the U.S. in 2016, according to new report released by The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). The report was unveiled March 9 at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017, the industry’s trade show in Las Vegas. […]

By: Jim Patrico Working near a portable grain dryer all day can leave you with a buzzing in the ears. And if the dryer is near your house (or your neighbors’), it can be difficult getting to sleep at harvest time. GSI’s solution to the noise pollution is a new Quiet Dryer, which produces 50% […]

By: Jim Patrico A lot of major new product introductions mean machinery manufacturers are optimistic. They think farmers are in a buying mood, funds are available and innovations will be well received. Not so much at the 2016 NFMS. That’s not to say there were not plenty of new products offerings. March ushered in a […]

By: Tyler Harris Nitrogen and water are two of the biggest line-item investments associated with corn production. As growers in Nebraska and Iowa strive to optimize efficiency and profitability for their investment in fertilizer and water, Central Valley Ag is bringing together a group of producers to help drive adoption of technology and management at […]

By: Dave Mowitz </ br> Late-model planters are a great bellwether of the financial times. Three years ago, after commodity prices had plunged, large planters were selling for record-low prices. At a Sullivan Auctioneer sale in November 2014 in western Illinois, a fully loaded 1-year-old Deere 1790 (16/31 split rows) with less than 2,600 acres […]

By: Ray Bohacz Most, if not all, large diesel engines found in trucks and farm equipment employ a dual thermostat system. For the large part, the dual thermostat has replaced grille shutters from old days. Though a very effective system, unlike the grille shutters, you need to understand why dual thermostats are used and how […]

By: It sounds like a giant bumblebee, the 2-foot-square drone whirring to life. Its four props lift it off the ground outside Bruce Bowsher’s house and once it’s about 4 feet in the air, they lift up to give a camera an unobstructed 360-degree view. Bowsher controls his from an iPad attached to a remote […]