“Thanks to your relentless efforts and support, we were not only able to restart earlier and ramp up faster than many others, but even to catch-up much of the lost production,”

said Konstantin Meier-Kulenkampff, Vice President Purchasing & Materials, EME.

“Agricultural machinery is one of the best industries to supply to at the moment, and AGCO is a market leader in the tractor sector, with further growth of market share,”

added Torsten Dehner, Senior Vice President & General Manager, EME.

Mr. Dehner explained:

“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to require our tireless, full attention, and given AGCO’s customers’ demand, we are counting on our supply base to provide our customers with the machines they are waiting for.”

Johann Nuscheler, a farmer from Bavaria and Fendt customer who runs a 3,000-hectare farm operation in Eastern Germany, said:

Mr. Nuscheler added:

“We expect reliable and affordable machinery. The purchase price is always a discussion. We want a much more modular system to create our tractor. Fendt has the best technology, but we don’t need it in every tractor. We expect AGCO to spearhead breakthrough technologies, such as autonomous driving and swarm technology.”

Kelvin Bennett, AGCO’s new Senior Vice President, Engineering, emphasized:

“We will invest even more and at a faster rate than we have in the past. We’re branching out into new areas. Our customers are changing, technology is changing, and we need to adapt. Our machines must become smarter, more connected, and have more automation features.”

Mr. Bennett encouraged suppliers to share their owest cost ideas that bring higher value to our customers, and more business to you. He thanked them for their perseverance, creativity, and commitment to working with AGCO through all the recent challenges and to “keep our projects on pace for delivery.”

Josip T. Tomasevic, Senior Vice President & Chief Procurement Officer, explained:

”The essence of any relationship is how well we collaborate, as a pre-condition to innovate and drive growth. What has made us very strong is the end-to-end supply chain integration and visibility that starts and ends with the customer. The faster and more flexible we are, the better we will be able to serve our farmers.”

Mr. Tomasevic encouraged suppliers to use AGCO’s Supplier Idea Generation (SIG) program to share their ideas and emphasized that AGCO is willing to share the gain. He invited suppliers to join the “Path to Partner,” to collaborate and innovate more closely with AGCO and be able to capture a larger share of AGCO’s growing spend.

During the event, AGCO honored two new Partner-level suppliers: Erkunt and NGK

These suppliers have gone the extra mile with AGCO, demonstrating outstanding performance, quality, innovation, cost, delivery, service, and commitment by prioritizing AGCO in times of capacity constraints and helping AGCO keep its innovative leadership. Konstantin Meier-Kulenkampff explained:

“Partnership goes both ways. AGCO’s Partner-level suppliers have higher access to AGCO with a different level of collaboration.”

Supplier of the Year Award Winner: Italtergi

Italtergi went the extra mile to support AGCO during the most critical time of the first COVID-19 shutdown period in April, allowing AGCO to continue producing and supplying its farmer customers with their essential equipment.

Innovation & Collaboration Award Winner: Sonceboz

Sonceboz has been working together with AGCO for more than a decade, during which they have always strived to deliver the optimum in terms of quality, cost, and supply.

Quality & Delivery Performance Award Winner: BMTS

BMTS has not only excelled by delivering their products defect-free and on time throughout the entire past year but is dedicated to continuing on that path.

Aftersales Award Winner: Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has been a supplier to AGCO since 1960, has been handling a high volume of fast movers, and has contributed to AGCO’s Aftersales success with a lot of their own ideas to improve the supply chain and reduce complexity.

Logistics Service Provider Award Winner: Leinsle

Leinsle continued to provide reliable logistics services to AGCO. The continuity of their high-performance level is reflected by the fact that this is already their second award within a few years.

TRAIT Award Winner: Hammerwerk Fridingen

To AGCO, adhering to our core values and creating a diverse and inclusive environment is not only a priority within our company but also across our supply chain. To reflect the importance of our core values of Transparency, Respect, Accountability, Integrity, and Team Spirit, AGCO created a new TRAIT award.

Hammerwerk Fridingen was awarded the first TRAIT award for integrating Diversity & Inclusion in their daily activities.

Source: AGCO

The post AGCO Awards New Suppliers and Award Winners at the Partner Level at 2021 Eme Virtual Supplier Day appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

The innovative Surplus Food Rescue Program is a $50-million federal initiative designed to address urgent, high volume, highly perishable surplus products falling under fruit, vegetables, meat and fish and seafood. These surpluses were created because the COVID-19 pandemic largely shut down the restaurant and hospitality industry, leaving many producers without a key market for their food commodities.

The Program awarded contributions to eight organizations that leverage existing food redistribution and recovery networks and agencies, who will bring the food to every region in the country. Partners, which include leading not-for-profits Food Banks Canada and Second Harvest, and La Tablée des Chefs, will redistribute products such as potatoes, walleye, chicken, turkey, eggs, and more. In total, the program will redistribute approximately 12 million kilograms of surplus food to more food insecure families that would otherwise have been wasted.

For over 30 years, Nutri-Group and its partner producers have been providing consumers in Canada with high-quality sustainable eggs, while helping farmers build stronger businesses and rural communities. Through the Surplus Food Rescue Program, Nutri Group will be providing Food Banks Canada and Second Harvest more than 1 million dozen eggs at cost to ensure Canadians continue to receive fresh, nutritious food during the pandemic. The eggs will be redistributed to many food banks and local food organizations across Canada, notably across the network of moissons in Quebec.

The significant disruptions to Canada’s restaurant and hospitality industry caused by COVID-19 has left many producers with surplus food and no way to get it onto the plates of Canadians. The eight partnerships announced which involve over 100 different organizations will help farmers meet the needs of vulnerable Canadians and recover the cost of their efforts.

The funding provided under the Program is ensuring producers and food processors like Nutri Group are fairly compensated for their work at the cost of production, while growing relationships with community food providers and supporting efforts to reduce food waste.

The post The Government of Canada Will Provide Millions of Pounds of Food to Canada’s Most Vulnerable Populations appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Today’s FrontRunner system operates around the clock, hauling copper, iron ore, oil sands, and coal at 11 customer sites across three continents. At the end of June 2020, there were 251 trucks in operation, with an additional 100 (mainly from installing AHS retrofit kits) planned to deploy within FY2020. Working closely with its customers, Komatsu teams developed the first commercially available autonomous haulage system to help mines move material more efficiently. First deployed in 2008 at CODELCO’s Gabriela Mistral (Gaby) copper mine in Chile, AHS brings together some of the world’s best-selling, ultra-class dump trucks with Modular Mining Systems’ DISPATCH Fleet Management System.

“Our mining customers’ ongoing investment in technology and equipment to transition to autonomous haulage underscores the value the system provides,”

said Toshio Kurokawa, General Manager of Marketing Department, Mining Business Division, Komatsu.

“We are gratified to have helped our customers save hundreds of millions of dollars while autonomously moving another billion metric tons of essential minerals and driving for zero harm. We are also honored that autonomous haulage has been a valuable resource to help our customers mitigate risks associated with the global Covid-19 pandemic.”

The FrontRunner system is designed to enable manually operated equipment (such as loaders, dozers, graders, light vehicles, etc.) to seamlessly interact in an autonomous truck environment. Komatsu recently introduced system functionality to enable manual haul trucks to also operate with the autonomous trucks. To further support the growth of autonomy in mining for its customers, Komatsu is leading initiatives within ISO to develop standards for interoperability between Komatsu and non-Komatsu autonomous vehicles.

Source: Komatsu

The post Komatsu Customers Surpass 3B Metric Tons Moved Autonomously appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Among AFBF’s priorities is amending the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act to give dairy farmers an opportunity to directly vote on Federal Milk Marketing Order (FMMO) issues. Currently, only dairy farmers who are independent and not members of cooperatives may cast individual ballots. Cooperatives may allow their members to vote independently, but then lose their ability to bloc vote on behalf of their non-participating members. AFBF supports allowing modified bloc-voting, which would allow co-op members to vote independently and confidentially, while allowing cooperatives to cast ballots for farmers who choose not to cast an individual ballot.

A Farm Bureau Federal Milk Marketing Order Working Group, consisting of grassroot dairy farmer members, worked for a year to examine the system and develop recommendations to modernize the current FMMO system. Farm Bureau delegates voted to approve the group’s proposals.

“I appreciate all the work our members have done to give individual farmers a stronger voice in the milk pricing and pooling regulations,”

said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.

“Farm Bureau has been outspoken on the disparities in the beef and hog markets, and we are just as concerned about the large imbalances in the pricing and pooling of milk – which ultimately cost dairy farmers hundreds of millions of dollars.

Wild price swings during the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted how important fair systems are to the well-being of America’s farmers and ranchers. By giving dairy farmers a seat at the table, we can begin addressing the challenges of the current FMMO system and work toward a more equitable compensation system for the hardworking men and women in the dairy industry.”

Although Federal Milk Marketing Orders have been a pillar of the dairy industry for more than 80 years, outside of the 2018 farm bill, the program has not undergone substantial change in almost two decades.

AFBF Chief Economist Dr. John Newton said,

“COVID-19 has resulted in unprecedented volatility in agricultural markets, especially milk and dairy commodity prices. The price volatility, a record-large spread between prices for the various milk classes, mass de-pooling and record-large milk check deductions take money out of farmers’ pockets at a time when they desperately need it. Moreover, it highlights the urgent need for dairy farmers and the industry to collectively consider ways to modernize the FMMO system and improve prices paid to farmers.”

Other recommendations in the final report include expanding price discovery and examining alternative ways to price fluid milk and improve risk-sharing between farmers and processors.

Source: American Farm Bureau Federation

The post Farmers Deserve a Seat at the Table in Milk Pricing Policy appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

What you need to know

• The number of employees who work in your business
• Your annual turnover range
• The change in inventory level since the pandemic spread out

The topics we want to investigate

Our focus is on the end of the supply chain, the network of dealers, touchpoint between the manufacturing world and farmers. Of particular stake for us is to probe the following aspects:

• The variety of services provided by farm equipment dealers;
• Variability in the number of employees and turnover;
• How market agents themselves rate their current business situation and their expectations for the short term;
• Negative (and positive) effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the normal course of business and operations overall;
• The brand-dealer-customer relationship, what retailers look for in a brand, and what do their customers expect from them.

Why we ask for your participation

Your information is important to us. We survey businesses of all sizes to ensure our statistics are representative of the US and Canadian markets.

This survey will contribute to the development of a full market esearch, which you will see published on our online magazine later on: your participation is fundamental for its completeness and truthfullness.

By filling out this form, you will receive results in advance, as well as see them published in September 2020 on our North America Farm Equipment Magazine online.

This research will give you access to a clear and concise view of the market trends and forecasts, drawn up by the market agents themselves. Don’t miss the chance!

CLICK HERE TO FILL THE SURVEY: IT ONLY TAKES 10 MINUTES!

      FARM EQUIPMENT BUSINESS SURVEY     

The post Presenting the Brand New Farm Equipment Business Survey appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

“Food producers and processors have had to deal with so many new challenges over the past months, while continuing to supply Canadians with the high-quality food they produce. Manitoba processors have stepped up to deal with those challenges, just as Canadians have never been more appreciative of the importance of our food supply chain. The funding our two governments are delivering together today gives Manitoba processors an extra financial boost to adjust to the challenges presented by COVID-19 and help keep their workers safe.”

“A COVID-19 response for the agri-food and agri-product sector is needed to ensure processors can adapt, recover and maintain competitiveness,” said Pedersen. “The pandemic has required them to make changes to their operations and enhance their employee protections. Manitoba’s food and agri-product processors are significant contributors to our economy, so we are pleased to offer a program that helps respond to these challenges.”

The post Governments of Canada and Manitoba Announce new Program to help Agri-Processors Mitigate the Spread of Covid-19 appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

The governments of Canada and Ontario are providing the best support possible to help farmers manage challenges beyond their control by enhancing AgriInsurance coverage for the 2020 growing season to include labour shortages due to COVID-19.

Ontario’s agriculture industry, specifically farms growing fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, melons and peaches, are labour intensive and highly dependent on seasonal agricultural workers. COVID-19 has interrupted regular flows of worker travel and has resulted in some gaps in labour availability. This could result in some crops being unharvested and financial loss for the agri-food industry.

The federal government made a commitment on May 5^th to work with the provinces and territories to explore possibilities for expanding the AgriInsurance program to include labour shortages as an eligible risk for the horticulture sector. This work with provincial and territorial partners would insure against lost production due to an insufficient workforce, should producers be unable to find enough labour to harvest.

“During these exceptional times, we fully appreciate just how essential our agri-food workers are to our entire food supply chain,”

said the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

“Our Government has been working hard with the provinces and agri-food businesses to ensure those workers have a safe workplace so they can continue putting food on our tables. I congratulate Ontario for being the first province to take this important step that recognizes the hardships Ontario farmers and food producers have faced because of worker shortages, and gives them the added support they need.”

“We recognize that this terrible virus has created new business pressures and increased uncertainty for farmers, which is why we are taking action to ensure farmers have the resources they need to address today’s challenges,”

said Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

“By enhancing AgriInsurance coverage to include labour shortages due to COVID-19 for eligible farmers, we are directly responding to their requests for support and protecting Ontario’s agri-food sector so it can continue producing the food our province needs.”

Ontario farmers already enrolled in an eligible production insurance plan who suffer from crop losses due to labour disruptions during the 2020 growing season will have access to further insurance coverage through Agricorp. The added insurance coverage will include:

• Inability to attract sufficient on-farm labour due to COVID-19; and
• Illness or quarantine of on-farm labour and the producer due to COVID-19.

Farmers will be expected to notify Agricorp as soon as possible if they experience COVID-19 related labour disruptions that are having an impact on their crops.

“This announcement is an important first step towards giving growers assurances that their government will have their backs during the pandemic,”

said Bill George, Chair of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association.

“We thank Minister Bibeau for making this enhanced coverage possible, and we thank Minister Hardeman and the Ford government for its leadership, and for being the first province in Canada to take this step.”

Business Risk Management programs, including AgriInsurance, protect producers against significant risks that threaten the viability of their farm and are beyond their capacity to manage, such as weather, disease and pests. It is a business risk management program under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3-billion commitment by Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments to support Canada’s agri-food and agri-products sectors.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of Ontario

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USDA estimates COVID-19 contributed to a $50 billion decline in commodity value alone for 2019, 2020 and 2021 production totals. This does not include all of agriculture’s losses, which would be billions more.

“The launch of the USMCA brings optimism to the country’s farmers and ranchers at a time they need it the most. We’re grateful for the opportunity to build on the success of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and we’re eager to see the results on America’s farms. It’s important that our neighbors uphold their end of the deal, so the agreement provides a stabilizing force amid the unpredictability of a pandemic in all three countries.”

said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.

Under USMCA, Canada will increase quotas on U.S. dairy products, benefitting American dairy farmers by $242 million. Canada will also treat wheat imports the same as domestic wheat for grading purposes. Mexico has also agreed that all grading standards for ag products will be non-discriminatory. The agreement also enhances science-based trading standards among the three nations.

USMCA is not a magic bullet for all the challenges facing agriculture, however. A University of Florida study shows Mexico gaining ground in imports of produce like tomatoes, strawberries and bell peppers. USMCA does not alter the rules for imports of produce from Mexico. Farm Bureau supports the United States Trade Representative and USDA field hearings to receive grower input on the issue.

“As with all trade agreements, there are some areas that still need attention. We will continue to work with the administration to level the playing field for fruit and vegetable growers facing increased competition from Mexico.”

added Duvall.

Source: Alberta Agriculture and Forestry

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A Missouri Farm Bureau survey brings to life many of the hidden effects of COVID-19 on farmers and rural communities. While the on-farm impacts have been dramatic, the personal effects are even more painful to read:

“I have not seen my first grandchild yet.”

“My daughter didn’t get to get married like she planned.”

“I’m lonely and miss my friends.”

Many respondents expressed feelings of isolation, loneliness and even depression. Inability to attend church and fellowship with friends has had a big impact on rural life. Although there were many differing opinions, over 63 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they take COVID-19 seriously.

Several people were upset by disruptions of normal social activities.

“Not being able to gather is really hard. A graduation, a wedding and even a funeral have been disrupted,”

said one. Another respondent described similar heart-wrenching situations.

“I wasn’t able to visit my daughter in the hospital. My son missed his junior prom, and we won’t get to see him graduate from his US Army basic training in a couple months.”

The agricultural effects have been severe as well. Nearly one-quarter of livestock farmers surveyed (23.5 percent) have had a meat processor reduce the normal schedule of animals they deliver for processing. The same percentage have had to locate an alternate processing facility for animals.

The economic shutdown made it difficult for many farmers to do their jobs. One out of every eight farmers said they had experienced disruptions getting equipment. Many more expressed frustration in finding parts.

At the beginning of the shutdown, Congress and the Trump administration moved quickly to provide help to businesses. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was created to help businesses stay afloat through the shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture formed the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to provide specific support to farmers across the country.

Unfortunately, many farmers did not apply for PPP. Our survey found that only 13.4 percent of farmers received support through the program. Livestock producers had an especially hard time qualifying, as only 4.9 percent of farmers who only raise livestock received help.

The CFAP program is much better targeted to help farmers. At the time of the survey, 58 percent of livestock farmers planned to apply for CFAP funds, and just over 50 percent of all farmers.

As Congress debates further COVID-19 aid, respondents had many different requests. Livestock producers suggested more investigation into meatpacker consolidation and pricing issues. Missouri Farm Bureau strongly supports this request. Numerous respondents also suggested stronger provisions to protect family farms, more equitable price support for grain and livestock, support for ethanol and biodiesel and incentives for more meat processing plants.

The survey was completed by 377 people, about three-quarters of whom are farmers and 95 percent of whom are Missouri Farm Bureau members. Responses were solicited from MOFB newsletter subscribers and collected during the second week of June.

Source: Missouri Farm Bureau

The post Missouri Farm Bureau Survey Finds Broad COVID-19 Impact appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

The Government of Alberta has awarded $200 million in grants to municipalities across the province to upgrade local bridges, roads and community airports and make improvements to water supply and treatment facilities.

The post Alberta infrastructure grants support economic recovery appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.