With their ratification of new collective bargaining agreements, employees see a brighter future with Deere

The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) has informed Deere & Company that its production and maintenance employees have voted to ratify new six-year collective bargaining agreements that cover more than 10,000 workers at 14 facilities across the United States.

“I’m pleased our highly skilled employees are back to work building and supporting the industry-leading products which make our customers more profitable and sustainable. John Deere’s success depends on the success of our people. Through our new collective bargaining agreements, we’re giving employees the opportunity to earn wages and benefits that are the best in our industries and are groundbreaking in many ways. We have faith that, in return, our employees will find new and better ways to improve our competitiveness and transform the way our customers do their work. Together, our future is bright,”

said John C. May, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Deere.

Please visit one.deere.com for details on the ratified agreements.

The post Deere Employees Break New Ground by Ratifying Agreements appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

AGCO Corporation introduces its latest automation feature – the Fendt TeachIn (TI) Turn Assistant, which enables “hands-free” turning in the headland at the end of the field. The new Turn Assistant joins the Fendt TI Headland package, a defined sequence of automated steps to complete a seamless turn. The addition of automatic turning allows the operator to focus on other aspects of the fieldwork and ensures each pass is perfectly executed.

“We want to alleviate some of the stress farmers face when they are spending long days in the field. The Fendt TI Headland program helps our customers manage their equipment in the field with less fatigue. Automating the complete turn helps prevent overlapping turns in the field, reduces the use of fuel and overuse of crop inputs, and creates less soil disturbance and soil compaction,”

says Cody Light, senior manager, Americas, Fuse Go-to-Market.

High-precision, accurate turn sequences maximize productivity

To manually complete a headland turn, operators need to do several things at once – including raising the implement, slowing the tractor, and making the turn at just the right place and time. In 2020, Fendt introduced TI Headland, an advanced headland management bundle that allows operators to define a turn-operating sequence at the headland boundary based on the tractor and implement being used.

When the tractor reaches the field’s headland boundary, Fendt TI Headland will activate the steps to prepare for the turn by slowing the tractor and raising the implement. Fendt TI Turn Assistant then turns the tractor and implement hands-free.

“We have two primary modes to operate the Fendt TI Turn Assistant. First is the manual start, which is a simple button push to activate the turn either left or right into the next way line. The manual start is a great way to begin and get a feel for how this system can operate and some of the features and benefits it can bring. The second mode is an automatic start, which automatically turns the tractor on the way line without any operator assistance once it is active,”

Light says.

Improved accuracy using new, Part Field pattern

Two patterns are available in automatic start mode. The first is the U-Turn pattern, which allows the operator to set the pass pattern across the field. Operators can choose a single row turn or set the pass pattern to skip rows.

The second automatic start pattern is the Part Field pattern, a Fendt-exclusive innovation and a new feature for North American farmers. This pattern allows the operator to work the field in smaller sections by completing all passes in a section before moving to the next.

“Part Field mode allows operators to use hands-free turning and assists with closing gaps or preventing major overlaps due to natural drift caused by GPS satellite movement,”

Light says.

Light explains that when operators use the automatic U-turn pattern and skip passes across large fields, by the time they turn back across the field, there may be gaps or major overlaps due to the natural drift of the guidance system over 1-2 hours.

“Using a less accurate GPS satellite navigation source, like WAAS, with the U-Turn pattern over a large area can cause the way lines to naturally shift, creating “rabbit trails” or skipped areas when doing something like fall tillage. Breaking the field into smaller sections using the Part Field pattern ensures there are no major overlaps or skips within the tillage operation,”

Light says.

Automated functions drive efficiencies

At a time when farmers are spending more hours working in the fields with their tractors, they also need to mitigate health issues like fatigue. The Fendt TI Headland package allows farmers to work longer hours and concentrate on farm business while in the tractor without having to worry about the complicated steps required to manually turn a tractor and implement it at the end of each pass.

“Fendt TI Headland also enhances operator skill level. At a time when skilled workers are in short supply, this program allows farmers to bring in lesser-skilled workers and help make them into professional operators. They don’t have to time when to start or stop the headland turn. The Fendt Guide system takes over the tractor operation and will make the pass efficiently and consistently every time,”

Light says.

Fendt TI Headland also allows farmers to manage their land more efficiently. It helps in reducing soil compaction by disturbing less soil in the headlands because the machine makes each turn precisely. It also reduces tractor wear and tear and improves fuel consumption by avoiding unnecessary turns or overlapping errors, and it saves turning time since no additional maneuvering is needed.

AGCO continues to innovate smart farming features

Fendt Turn Assistant is now available on tractors with Fendt Guide on the Vario terminal. Older Fendt tractors with the Profi+ trim package with VarioGuide can be upgraded to Fendt Guide with a visit to a local Fendt dealership.

Fendt continues to lead the way in building farmer-focused equipment. Fendt first-to-market innovations lead the way, including the Fendt stepless VarioDrive continuously variable transmission (CVT), VarioGrip tire inflation and deflation technology, the Fendt IDEAL combine with the IDEALdrive joystick, AutoDock header docking systems for Fendt IDEAL combines, Load Logic technology on Fendt Momentum planters, the brand new FendtONE operator interface and more.

The post Fendt TeachIn Turn Assistant Adds Exclusive Automation for Headland Turns appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Screening and crushing industry leader McCloskey International has welcomed equipment dealer Berry Tractor to its global network of distributors.  The company will serve the Kansas and Western Missouri markets in the United States.

Berry Tractor & Equipment was founded in 1957 and is a division of Berry Companies, Inc. Headquartered in Wichita, KS, Berry Tractor has three additional locations; Garden City, KS, Topeka, KS and Springfield, MO. They are an authorized Komatsu dealer, maintaining a large rental fleet and providing repair and maintenance services on-site or in their well-equipped shops.

Berry Tractor has a rich history of heavy equipment sales, rental and support in the heavy construction, aggregates, waste handling, roadbuilding, and forestry sectors, among others. McCloskey equipment plays a key role in the growth of the crushing and screening systems product line offered by Berry Tractor.

On announcing the new dealership for McCloskey equipment, Jon Berry, President for Berry Tractor & Equipment, noted that

“We are very pleased to add McCloskey International to our product line up.  The addition of this mobile screening and crushing line will allow us to better serve our customers and increase their productivity.”

Berry Tractor & Equipment has a diverse portfolio of customers within the private and public sectors, across multiple industries including aggregates, construction & demolition, roadbuilding and infrastructure.

“Striving to exceed our customers’ expectations is very important to us. We invest heavily in our people, high quality brands and after sales support which helps maximize our customers’ profitability and keeps downtime to a minimum. We are excited for the growth this partnership will bring.”

Berry Tractor stands firmly behind the products it sells. Berry offers sales, service, rental, and aftermarket product support to its customers. In addition to shop service, Berry has a fleet of field service trucks to minimize downtime for customers.

John O’Neill, Vice-President, Sales for McCloskey International said:

“Bringing Berry Tractor & Equipment on board continues to strengthen our distribution network in North America. They have the in-the-field experience and are well-positioned to play a key role in the post-pandemic re-building. It’s evident that everyone in the organization takes great pride in the product, and that resonates with their loyal customers. “

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