winter2008 farming · 2009. 7. 1. · excellent vision and fuel efficiency make the challenger...

•Twentyyearsontrack•Familyenterprisesgrowtogether•Standingincotton,lookingatcorn•Arecarboncreditsyournextcommodity?

Winter2008

Farmingwithout

oftherhythm

rainthe

“WE HEAR YOU.”

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Cat & Challenger are registered trademarks of Caterpillar. ©2007 AGCO Corporation CH499E07V01

For more information about Challenger, visit your local CAT dealer or visit us on the web at: www.challengerag.com

Standing in cotton,looking at corn

First in the field Tech Corner

Winter2008

Farming without the rhythm of the rain

2

16

Family enterprises grow together

8

10

14

Credits

Editor TharranE.Gaines

Field Editors HarlenPersinger,RodFee,DennyEilers,SusanFotovichMcCabe

Associate Editor KimLewis

Creative Director AaronCooper

Publisher BrushArtCorporation

VP/Publisher TomBrush

Customer Service InformationForquestionsandcomments,pleasewriteto:ChallengerRevolution,P.O.Box217,Downs,[email protected],pleasecall1.785.454.3383.

©2007BrushArtCorporationPrintedandboundbyDonlevyLithograph,Inc.,Wichita,KS.

4

Twenty years on track

Are carbon credits your next commodity?

12

My best idea

7

2•ChallengerRevolution•Winter2008

ByHarlenPesinger

Stuck with a shallow sandy loam soil and only eight inches of

moisture per year, Boyle Family Farms LLC, always comes through in

the end and manages to raise supreme crops.

“Due to the climate, isolation and 2,300- to 2,500-foot elevation, this is

one of the premier seed-producing areas in the world,” says Don Boyle.

“However, because we‘re located in the rain shadow of the Cascade

Mountains, modernization and top-flight management have to make up

the difference if we’re going to compete in global agriculture.”

Boyle, along with his wife, Peggy, and son, Ryan, and his wife, Heidi,

farm across a six-to-seven mile radius on the Agency Plains, near Madras,

Oregon. This tiny area covers 55,000 acres and borders the Warm Springs

Indian Reservation.

BoyleFamilyFarmssitsintheshadowofMt.JeffersonintheCascadeMountains.Theycanseeeightotherpeaksfromtheirfarmheadquarters.

Farmingwithout

oftherhythm

rainBoyle Family Farms LLC • Madras, Oregon • Bluegrass seed, commercial and seed wheat, alfalfa, carrot seed, dill seed and straw

the

ChallengerRevolution•Winter2008•3

After graduating from Oregon State University, Boyle went into

partnership with his father-in-law and then purchased the 500-acre

operation in 1990. Ryan, who graduated from the University of Idaho,

joined the enterprise 11 years ago. Crops include bluegrass seed, alfalfa,

carrot seed, dill seed and commercial and seed wheat.

To stay competitive and boost their bottom line, the Boyles constantly

upgrade their farming practices. Besides adding acreage and purchasing

some land the past five years, other innovations now include:

• Laser leveling

• GPS-guided steering for planting and cultivation

• Growing more alfalfa in the crop rotation for sale to dairies in the

Willamette Valley

• Retooling irrigation systems

• Increasing carrot acreage from 100 to 250 acres and setting up more

drip irrigation on this crop

• Sharing technology with area producers

• Improving machinery engineering

“Since we thrive on niche crops, any degree of downtime can put us

behind the eight ball in a hurry,” Don says. “The best innovation we have

introduced on the farm has been GPS technology. It takes the pressure

off certain management decisions and helps ensure proper plant

placement, more accurate leveling and improves efficiency in the field.”

One machine that’s made a positive impact for the Boyles is their new

Challenger® SP185C windrower.

“We wanted a rotary cutter to cover ground faster,” Don adds. “By

running at eight to 10 mph with this unit, we’re able to cut 40 acres

in three hours versus eight before. Shortening this time frame from

watering to cutting to baling to watering decreased the production

schedule about two days per cutting.”

On four cuttings, they can save eight days, which results in a

production increase of 1 to 1.5 tons per acre per season. On 400 acres

at $170 per ton, the extra weight notches an additional $68,000 in the

profit column. Even with only a half ton increase, gaining $34,000 is a

substantial amount.

The other perk is reduced manpower requirements. On just 40 acres of

alfalfa, they’re able to reduce labor costs $3,000 during one season.

Purchasing a Challenger MT565B wheeled tractor in 2005 and

equipping it with a GPS-based guidance system has also paid dividends.

Teaming the machine’s horsepower with this technology removes human

error while planting, cultivating, applying dry fertilizer or side-dressing.

“With GPS-guided steering, there is much less fatigue trying to follow

the planter marks, especially in dusty conditions or at night,” Ryan says.

“Now, I’m able to pull into a field, set the coordinates, drive to the other

end and punch in a number. The GPS system instantly takes over and

we’re able to drive within an inch of accuracy as far as you want to go.”

With input cost averaging $2,000 to $2,500 per acre to grow carrot

seed, this is one crop in which the Boyles can ill afford any open spaces.

Due to the high risk of disease and seed contamination, the seed must be

raised in isolation in a five- to seven-year rotation.

The production cycle normally follows bluegrass harvest in July. A mix

of 16-16-16 granular fertilizer is spread at 300 to 400 pounds an acre.

Fields are watered, disked five times, moldboard plowed 10-to 15- inches

deep, cultivated and leveled with a land plain and laser before seeds go

in by August 15.

“The key component for successful germination, which takes a couple

of weeks, is maintaining wet ground,” Ryan says. “That’s why solid-set

hand sprinklers cover fields immediately after planting.”

To remove weeds, the crop is hoed by hand once in the fall and two or

three times in the spring. Around June 20, four to five hives of common

honey bees are placed on each acre at a cost of $200 an acre.

“Besides monitoring weekly for weed and pest infestations, fields

are constantly being watered,” Don says. “Carrots require 30 inches of

moisture an acre from planting to harvest. In August we stop irrigating

and pull the bees.”

Once seed has been harvested at moisture levels below 12 percent, it

must pass contamination specs. In the meantime, it is cleaned, processed

and packaged in 1,000-pound cardboard boxes. Once, germination levels

are verified, seeds are shipped to area companies the Boyles contract

with, or to Europe.

“Since we are limited to a specific cropping program, it’s imperative

that we gross $1,000 an acre,” Don explains. “Therefore, in order to

survive, technology is shared among growers and it’s the vested interest

for all producers to do the best possible job each year.” n

ExcellentvisionandfuelefficiencymaketheChallengerMT565BaperfectfitforDonandRyanBoyle’sfarmingoperation.


y e a r sTwenty

trackon

1987 - 2007

yearsyearsOn TrackOn Track

AspecialMT875B,paintedwhiteandcustomizedwithyellowleatherupholstery,diamond-platestepsandan8-inchchromeexhaust,wasbuilttocommemoratetheChallengertracktractoranniversary.


TrackTractor Timeline

1982Bat (belted ag tractor)

prototype built and tested

1979 "Beadless tire" belts tested on

a Cat motor grader

1983 Additional track testing on converted Cat D6D models, followed by X2 prototypes.

1987The Challenger 65 — the first rubber

tracked tractor — introduced.

1991Model 65B, Model 70 and

Model 75 introduced

1993Models 65C, 75C

and 85C introduced

1993 First row-crop productionprototype built and tested

1996 Model 85D introduced

1995 Row-crop Model 45 and Model 65D introduced.

1999E Series introduced (75E, 85E and 95E)

2007Challenger celebrates 20 years

of track tractor production

2001Caterpillar introduces thee MT line that includes the MT700 and MT800 Series

2002AGCO acquires the Challenger

track tractor line from Caterpillar

2005Challenger introduces the MT “B” Series

that includes the 570-hp MT875B

ByTharranE.Gaines

An anniversary is a monumental occasion for any entity, whether it’s

a product, company or marriage. That’s why 2007 has been a special

year for Challenger®. It not only represents the 20th anniversary of the

Challenger brand name, but it has also been 20 years since Caterpillar®

introduced the first rubber-tracked Challenger tractor.

Any view beyond the past 20 years, though, is somewhat reminiscent

of the question about the “chicken and the egg.” In this case, however,

many are left wondering, “Which came first, the tractor or rubber tracks?”

The answer depends a little bit on how you look at it, says Jason Hoult,

general marketing manager for Challenger track and articulated tractors.

Even though Caterpillar didn’t introduce a Challenger rubber-tracked

tractor until 1987, Cat® track tractors had been used on farms for more

than 100 years.

To counter the growing popularity of four-wheel-drive tractors,

Caterpillar even offered five of its most popular track tractors in Special

Application (SA) versions for field work in 1966. By the mid 1970s,

Caterpillar began working on its own four-wheel-drive, articulated tractor

— developing and testing several prototype models in the process.

However, a decline in the four-wheel-drive tractor market convinced

Caterpillar management to cancel the articulated tractor in the early

1980s and concentrate on a rubber-tracked tractor that was also being

developed.

“Even though steel-tracked crawler-type tractors offered improved

traction and flotation in the field, they simply couldn’t compete with

wheel tractors in terms of speed,” Hoult explains. “Mobility between fields

became a big issue, as well, since farmers couldn’t drive steel tracks on

most roads.”

That is until Caterpillar developed the first cleated rubber track, often

referred to as the “beadless tire,” using some of the technology that was

perfected during the development of the XT line of hydraulic hoses.

Armed with their newest development, Cat engineers built the first

test platform for rubber tracks using the rear half of a motor grader

driven backwards to simulate a tractor. Having proven that the belts

could be driven by just one drive axle, Caterpillar set out to make a true

agricultural tractor on rubber tracks, starting with a prototype called the

Cat Bat Track”, or Belted Ag Tractor.

Disguised in red and black paint to look like a Versatile® tractor, it

allowed Cat engineers to take the rubber-tracked concept to the next

level with a swinging drawbar and ag tractor design. The final prototype

before Cat introduced the Challenger Series was the Cat Challenger X2.

“In essence, the X2 merged the original articulated four-wheel-drive

styling to the rubber-track technology that had been tested on the

D6 and Bat Track,” Hoult explains. “Although the cab was still pretty

rough, the X2 looked very close to the Model 65, which was eventually

introduced in 1987… changing the tractor industry forever.”

However, that was far from

the end of track tractor research.

While Caterpillar was introducing

additional models, including the 75,

as well as the more advanced “B”

and “C” Series, Cat engineers were

working on a new line of row-crop

Challenger models. And how better

than to start with a competitive row-

crop wheel tractor with the wheels

removed? A crossbar was then

attached under the frame and the

track system was mounted between the old axle and the crossbar.

After testing the concept on another tractor brand and model, Cat

engineers eventually perfected the idea on their own prototypes. The

end result was the Model 45 row-crop Challenger released in 1995 — the

same year a newer 65D was introduced.

By 1999, Challenger row-crop tractors were available in three power

ratings — the 175-hp Model 35, 200-hp 45, and 225-hp 55 — while the

latest “E” Series, which included a new 95E model, ranged from 310 to 410

horsepower.

Things changed rather quickly, though, in the 21st century. Just as a

new generation of Challenger MT700 and MT800 Series track tractors

was being developed, AGCO Corporation acquired the rights to the

Challenger brand name and the manufacturing rights to the product.

As a result, track tractor assembly was moved from the Caterpillar

plant in DeKalb, Illinois, to AGCO Corporation’s Jackson, Minnesota,

manufacturing facility in 2003 and marketed through the highly

“The Model 65 was eventually

introduced in 1987…

changing the tractor industry

forever.”

Continuedonpage6…


…continuedfrompage5

respected network of most Cat dealers.

Finally, in 2005, AGCO introduced the latest MT700B and MT800B

Series models. In addition to new Cat ACERT™ Tier III engines and more

horsepower, the new lineup included a new MT875B model rated at 570

gross engine horsepower — once again taking Challenger to a new level

among modern-day production tractors.

Duane Janikula, who grows corn and soybeans near Waverly,

Minnesota, still remembers the day he decided to buy a Challenger 75C

in 1993.

“I had been looking at the Challenger tractors since they came out,” he

recalls. “But the turning point came in the fall of 1992, when I was doing

some late tillage. We had gotten about eight inches of snow when one of

the guys from Ziegler Cat called and said, ‘Let’s demo a Cat.’

“I told him I thought he was crazy to even think about it, but he

persisted,” he continues. “Well, we took my Versatile four-wheel-drive

out there and didn’t even get our eight-bottom plow all the way in the

ground before it spun out.”

In contrast, Janikula says the Challenger not only sank the plow in the

ground, but took off through the field, burying corn residue, snow and

all.

“We literally plowed all day,” he says. “So that’s what put us over the hill,

so to speak.”

Since that time, Duane and his wife, Gloria, have owned a Model 65A

that was purchased used as a second tractor and a row-crop 35 that they

owned nearly eight years. Today, they own an 85D, a 65D and an MT745.

“The traction and the ride are probably the best features of the

Challenger track tractors,” Duane relates. “But they’ve also been very

dependable. The 65A had nearly 16,000 hours on it by the time we traded

it.”

The Janikulas weren’t the only early adopters of track technology,

though. Clyde Unz, who still helps his son, Duane, on the family farm near

Reddick, Illinois, says his father started using Caterpillar track tractors to

farm their heavy, black bottomland in 1928. In fact, the Unz family still

has two Cat D6 machines that they use for heavy tillage.

They also have a Challenger Model 65A that they purchased in 1988 so

they could traverse county roads and improve travel speeds.

“Field conditions have certainly improved since we put in drainage

tile,” Clyde relates. “But when they’re wet, you simply couldn’t go in some

of those fields without tracks. Instead of putting down 56 pounds per

square inch on a tire, we exert as little as seven pounds per square inch,

which lets us stay on top of the ground and not pack the soil.”

That’s part of the reason Duane is now looking at an MT700B Series

model for row-crop tillage and planting. In the meantime, the Unz family

can celebrate two anniversaries of their own next year. Like Challenger,

they will have been into rubber-tracked tractors for 20 years; and they

will have been on track for eight decades. n

1987 - 2007

yearsyearsOn TrackOn Track


Best IdeaBalancing act

“When trimming harvest losses with your combine, strike a balance

between trying to get everything and causing grain damage. To get

every last kernel with most combines — especially older machines —

you’ll have to set the machine so you’re getting kernel damage. So you’re

balancing loss out the back end of the combine vs. loss in the bin. In most

cases, you’re farther ahead to lose a small amount out of the back of the

combine and reduce damage in the bin. Check the bin and check behind

the combine. Check both.” —R.S.,Wisconsin

Make your mark

“Brand your cattle. With all the technology available today, a brand is

still the best means of identification. It’s permanent; you can see it from

a distance, and it’s not easily obscured. Ear tags and ID chips can all be

removed. The first thing a thief will do is cut off the ear tags.” —L.G.,Texas

Map the problem spots

“Carry a pad and pencil with you when harvesting crops or doing fall or

spring tillage. Draw a rough map of the field and mark any areas with

heavy weed problems or areas where the herbicide didn’t work. You’ll

have a head start on handling those problem areas come planting time

or when you’re shopping for herbicides.

Of course if you have GPS mapping on the combine, simply add a

marker to the map in the appropriate areas.”—C.W.,Iowa

Don’t discount the value of soil tests

“Soil testing is a job that’s easily put off in the fall. But soil testing is the

most important management tool that farmers can use in arriving at cost

effective fertilizer applications.

“The benefits are two-fold. First, the results show rates of plant

nutrients that need to be added in a fertilizer program to get the most

cost efficient yield. However, soil test results also show what nutrients are

supplied in adequate amounts by the soil and aren’t needed in a fertilizer

program.” —G.R.,Minnesota

Haste Makes Waste In Grass Hay

“As a rule of thumb, most cool season grass forages will experience

approximately a 20 percent loss in total digestible nutrients (TDN) and

a 40 percent loss in crude protein when harvest is delayed 10 days past

the most desirable stage for harvest. For fescue hay, that occurs from late

vegetative to early boot stage, even though yields are higher if harvest is

delayed until later.

“Unfortunately, much of the tall fescue hay in the Midwest is harvested

too late to make good quality hay. The goal should be to manage for

maximum leaf production without delaying harvest to a point where

crude protein percent and TDN are dramatically reduced.” —G.K.,

Missouri

What’s your “best idea”? Send it in and if published, you’ll receive ahighly detailed 1:32 scale Challenger® MT765 tractor ($55 value). Sendto: Editor, Challenger Revolution, P.O. Box 217, Downs, Kansas 67437 [email protected].

My


ByHarlenPersinger

Some folks have a passionate, lucky feeling for the number three.

However, at Galloway & Sons LLC that digit represents the pulse of

their daily business activities.

Tom Galloway, 67, and his two sons, Doug, 47, and Scott, 43, grow

400 acres of corn, 500 acres of seed soybeans and 100 acres of popcorn,

which is contracted to Con-Agra Corporation. However, since 1979 the

family has also maintained a metal scrap business in nearby Sandusky,

Ohio. And, if that isn’t enough activity to keep them busy, they process

100,000 tons of high calcium lime each year.

“Galloway Brothers Inc. was a venture I started with my brother, Denny,”

Tom explains. ”We purchase and sell new and used steel that goes to

factories and various business outlets.”

Today, Doug’s sons, Cole, 21, and Tyler, 20, work in the yard along with

13 other employees.

“Handling lime, a byproduct from the Huron Lime plant, started in

1990. That company supplies hot lime for purifying steel and water

treatments and we process and then sell it as a crop input,” he adds. “This

material blends well with the blow sand and silt loam to heavy clay

subsoil found across this area and is more desirable than quarried lime.”

Renting 250 acres in 1985 and using the income from both businesses

to purchase land was the spark for the Galloway’s farming operation. As

more of their neighbors retired and passed away, overall acreage and

equipment inventory continued to expand.

To improve their bottom line, they’ve turned to less tillage, rely on

GPS guidance for spraying and are sticklers for adding calcium and

magnesium on corn.

“Soil testing, checking requirements and then fulfilling them as needed

has paid dividends for us,” Doug says. “We spend extra dollars and really

push the application of calcium because it results in more uniform seed

emergence.

“Teaming calcium and magnesium together releases the proper

nutrient amounts needed to generate consistent yields,” he continues.

“Over the past five years, corn and soybean yields have averaged 180 and

45 bushels per acre respectively. By monitoring soil tests, we’ve reduced

fertilizer usage and only applied one load of potash during the past 15

years.”

flowtogetherFamily enterprises

Galloway & Sons LLC • Sandusky, OhioCorn, seed soybeans and popcorn


Current fertility and tillage practices are geared to produce 200-bushel

corn per acre. They rip ground every three or four years and come spring,

apply 200 pounds of ammonium sulfate per acre. After one pass with a

field cultivator or soil finisher, kernels are dropped at 30,000 seeds per

acre with a 12-row, 30-inch planter.

“We plant two to four hybrids each year and determine the choice of

numbers from side-to-side comparisons and test plot results. The final

selection criterion is based on yield, standability, drydown and cost,”

Doug says. “Due to increased pressure from ragweed and common

lambsquarters, some acres now include Roundup Ready® corn.”

Herbicides for grasses and broadleaf weeds are applied after corn

emerges. They utilize a GPS system on their sprayer that features a

79-foot boom. During the growing season anhydrous ammonia is side-

dressed at a rate of 150 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre.

Harvest, meanwhile, begins at 21 to 22 percent moisture. They unload

on-the-go into a 400-bushel grain cart and haul corn with two semis to

the bin site totaling 75,000 bushels of capacity.

Faced with variable weather

patterns, a narrow planting

window and varying degrees of

saturated soils on their fields,

the Galloways rely on track

tractors for completing most

tillage chores. Past results show

that yields decline by five to

seven percent if compaction

occurs during wet conditions.

“We started with Challengers

a dozen years ago and traded for

a model MT765 in 2004,” Scott

says. “This machine offers a smooth ride, excellent visibility and is easy to

maneuver with on-the-go hydraulic shifting. Overall power is streamlined

to handle the chisel plow and soil finisher. With tracks we’re able to avoid

compaction and can get into the fields two to three days earlier.

“Purchasing a model MT635 wheel tractor also made a perfect

match for our 12-row planter and 30-foot tool bar,” he adds. “Increased

efficiency with less weight, a strong hydraulic package and excellent

service were the perks that sold us on this machine.”

Even though farming is the final piece of their diversified operation, it’s

the most desired, but precarious occupation.

“Each business segment has its perks, but they all require hard work,

long hours, attention to details and super management skills,” Tom says.

“We’re fortunate that the entire family can be involved in three separate

enterprises. But concerns cloud the future.

“Only four miles separate the farm’s boundary from the city limits and

completed subdivisions already crowd the horizon,” he adds. “Prices for

acre lots are out of sight and the struggle for property certainly takes a

toll. It’s nearly impossible to forecast what might happen in five years.” n

Besidesfarming,TomGallowayandhistwosons,Doug,(redshirt),andScott,operateasalvageyardandprocess100,000tonsofagriculturallimeeachyear.

Adequatemanpowerfromfamilymembers,GPSguidancesystem,yieldmonitorandaPiperairplanearemajoringredientstheGallowaysrelyonintheirfarmingoperation.

“Purchasing a model MT635

wheel tractor made a perfect match for our 12-row planter

and 30-foot toolbar.”


ByDennyEilers

Delta growers Ben and Chase Downing are standing firm in cotton,

but they’re also taking a close look at a traditional Midwest crop —

corn.

In 2007, their corn acres climbed to 25 percent of their crop operation.

Soybeans made up another 25 percent, while cotton remained “king” at

50 percent on this more than 3,500-acre farm.

“We’re looking at good prices for corn,” says Ben Downing. “Plus, corn

helps us with our rotation and fits in well with our irrigation program,” he

adds, noting that corn can be rotated with both cotton and soybeans.

Located near Morgan City, Mississippi, Downing Farms has already

been growing corn for three years. However, it was the expansion of

ethanol production in the Midwest and the corresponding increase

in corn prices that really peaked their interest. Corn is now attracting

traditional cotton farmers in the South and Southeast as a way to boost

profits.

According to the USDA, 2007 corn acres soared to 92.9 million, three

million more than anticipated. In the Delta and Southeast, corn acres

climbed as cotton acres dropped 28 percent to 11.1 million, the smallest

cotton crop since 1989. In the Downings’ home state alone, new corn

acres totaled more than 640,000 acres, putting Mississippi in the top 10

states for new corn acres in 2007.

Get water on, get it off

The thing that makes corn work so well on the Downing Farms, though,

is the water management system. In fact, the Downings use the same

irrigation plan for cotton, soybeans and now corn. The father-son team

distributes water evenly by furrow irrigation to thirsty crops during the

hot growing season. However, the field setup also moves heavy rainwater

off the field fast before flooding can occur.

“We’ve worked some 30 years to

improve our land leveling system,”

Ben explains. “We level to a one to two

percent slope in every field. Then we

form ridges for the planted rows with a

GPS Auto-Steer system … so they’re very

accurate.”

Crops are planted on the row ridges

after they have been shaped using A-B

lines with in-tractor Auto-Steer. Then,

irrigation water flows through the furrows to keep crops watered.

During the summer months, Chase can be found moving the watering

lines, keeping the system maintained and making sure plant roots get the

vital moisture they need.

Standingin

lookingat

“Wheel tractors work

just fine for the way we

have our land set up.”

BenDowninghashisfeetfirmlyplantedincotton,butlikealotofDeltafarmers,he’slookingtocornacrestohelpboostfarmprofits.

cotton,corn


“Seems I spent 35 years — all my farming life — redoing those ditches,”

Ben adds with a grin. “We started leveling land in the ‘60s, by eyeball

then, now we get it right using laser.”

Today, it’s all paying off in the form of good drainage, excellent

irrigation and higher yields. In the Delta, six-inch rains are common, so

good drainage is the flip side to a good irrigation plan.

It’s that plan, teamed with accurate planting and a managed program

of fertility, weed and pest control that consistently brings the Downings

above-average yields.

“By bringing everything into a GPS-based plan, we have more efficient

use of the land,” notes Chase. “We’re using every square inch to our

advantage. At the same time we’re saving fuel with less wear and tear on

the tractors.”

According to the Downings, their land forming approach and GPS

Auto-Steer system have allowed them to use only wheel tractors.

Recently, they added a Challenger MT655B wheel tractor from

Thompson Machinery, Inc. in nearby Greenwood to the farm operation.

“Wheel tractors work just fine for the way we have our land set up,”

reports Ben.

The Downings say that their GPS farming approach also lets them use

fertilizers more efficiently, putting nutrients in the row ridges exactly

where needed.

Cotton vs. Corn

Ben reports that corn production runs about the same in terms of cost

inputs as growing cotton.

For example, the Downings apply 130 units of nitrogen to cotton,

and 250 units to corn. However, cotton is often treated up to six times a

season with pesticides. And that doesn’t include the harvest aid or plant

growth regulator in the fall to defoliate leaves.

In contrast, corn and soybeans are normally treated with a fungicide by

air for disease protection only once in late summer.

“Acre per acre, corn inputs and cotton inputs are about the same,” Ben

adds. “But, today, with all crops, you really have to watch your cost inputs.

“For example, with cotton, the margin for profit is less, and you have to

learn where to cut back without cutting your throat.”

To help improve profit margins, Ben and Chase believe in forward

pricing and watch markets carefully for opportunities.

“When we can make a profit, we’ll book a part of the crop,” says Ben.

Another point the Downings like about adding corn to the rotation is

how well it fits the harvesting schedule.

Generally, they start harvesting corn in August and continue until

around September 15th. At that point, they switch to soybeans for

several weeks. By then, cotton is ready for picking, which normally runs

until November 1st.

“With corn, we’re able to have an efficient harvest season, which gives

us better use of labor and tractors,” Ben adds, noting that they normally

plant full-season corn hybrids by April 1 at a population of 32,000 plants

per acre.

Another point of consistency in the Downing crop plan is the use of

Roundup Ready® crops. All three crops — cotton, soybeans and corn —

are treated with Roundup herbicide for weed control, which lets them

plant fields side-by-side without fear of crop injury.

A True Family Operation

Progressive farming practices are nothing new to the Downing family,

nor have their management skills gone unnoticed. Ben was raised on a

farm and started farming with his uncle, Sam Thompson, in 1975. He’s

built the land base up from there, and his son Chase has helped add

to it. Today, Ben and his wife Kay, and Chase and his wife Crystal, are all

involved in the operation.

Meanwhile, in l983, Ben was named Young Farmer of the Year in the

county; and in 1998, Ben was a part of the National Soybean Leader

Program (one from each soybean state). He and Kay were flown to

California for meetings and also received a tour of the Chicago Board of

Trade.

In 2006, Chase followed in Dad’s footsteps and was named Young

Farmer of the Year in the county.

Now, with good management, and an eye to the future, corn is finding

a welcome home on this Delta cotton farm. n

Downingsayshislandformingpracticesandgentle1to2percentslopeallowhimtofarmmorethan3,500acresofDeltalandusingonlywheeltractors.

Chasecheckstheirrigationlinesthatfeedtherowfurrowsalongasoybeanfield.Downingfarmsusesthesamefurrowirrigationprogramforcotton,soybeansandcorn.


BySusanFotovichMcCabe

Social responsibility is giving way to new income for America’s

farmers. In particular, the growing awareness and commitment to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions is fueling the agricultural industry’s

carbon credits program.

A new concept to most Americans, the voluntary cap-and-trade

program allows agricultural producers and landowners to earn income

by storing carbon for credit through environmentally friendly farming

practices. Producers then sell those credits to a wide array of potential

buyers — from large corporations to public entities that are working

to reduce their own carbon emissions. Carbon credits are issued for

such conservation practices as no-till crop production, long-term grass

seeding practices, native rangeland enhancement, forestry and methane

capture programs. And while the income currently generated through

carbon credits is minimal for now, agricultural experts believe it will grow

to become another commodity for U.S. producers.

“Right now, carbon credits are like a very thin layer of frosting on a

multi-layer cake. But all indications are that down the road, it will be

a nice commodity for producers,” says Dale Enerson, director of the

National Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program in Jamestown, N.D.

Farmers Union aggregates carbon credits through the Chicago

Climate Exchange (CCX), the world’s first and North America’s only,

greenhouse gas (GHG) emission registry, reduction and trading system

for all six greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane,

hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride). CCX

is a self-regulatory, rules-based exchange designed and governed

by CCX members. Its members make a voluntary, but legally binding

commitment to reduce GHG emissions. Those members who reduce their

GHG emissions below the targets have surplus allowances to sell or bank;

those who emit above the targets comply by purchasing credits.

According to Enerson, Farmers Union enrolls producer acreages of

carbon projects into blocks of credits that are traded on the Exchange,

much the same way other agricultural commodities are traded.

Although market prices vary, producers who store carbon through

soil conservation practices, for example, can earn an average $3 to $4

per metric ton, which equates to about $2 per acre for no-till and $4 per

acre for grass stands, less the aggregation fees. Today’s per-ton price is

approximately three times what it was a little over two years ago. That

increase, says Enerson, lays the foundation for growth. A carbon credit

carbon creditsyournext commodity?Are


program is even more lucrative for those in forestry, where the average

price can be $15 to $20 per acre. In all, says Enerson, it’s not bad for a

commodity you can’t hold in your hand.

Enerson, himself, participates in a carbon credit program through

land he rents in Western North Dakota. In 2005 and 2006 combined, he

generated a slim $400 for the seeded grass credits he collected from 180

acres.

In most cases, producers are often selling the credits to Fortune 500

companies, multinational corporations, utility and power companies and

others that have been buying carbon credits for a number of reasons.

While many of these organizations are buying credits as a show of social

responsibility, many are truly concerned about reducing greenhouse

gas emissions. Still others buy credits as an investment in the event

that carbon prices increase, as credits can be bought and sold easily by

brokers.

Moorhead, Minn., producer Noreen Thomas is currently negotiating

with corporate partners to sell the carbon credits she has accumulated

through environmentally friendly farming practices on her family’s fifth-

generation farm. Thomas and her husband farm 1,200 acres of crops and

maintain a small pork operation. They have decided to skip the “middle

man” and the related aggregate fees by speaking directly with company

officials to sell their credits. Working off a five-year contract, Thomas

anticipates generating between $1,200 and $3,000 annually in carbon

credit sales.

“I’m basically paying myself to do the paperwork and manage it,” says

Thomas. “We look at it as a little extra vacation money or money to have

fun with.”

That income is likely to grow for both Thomas and other producers as

society places even greater emphasis on cleaning up the environment,

says Dave Miller, director of research and commodity services for the

Iowa Farm Bureau in West Des Moines. Miller calls today’s voluntary

carbon credit program a “developing market,” but anticipates it will

become regulated in the future through local, state and federal initiatives.

“The demand for emission reductions will be driven by social

and scientific means,” he insists. “If society places no value on the

environment, nobody is going to pay for emission reductions. “

Miller believes — based on the “amount of discussion and rhetoric”

about climate changes — legislators will eventually mandate the carbon

credit program. However, he’s the first to say that no timeline is in place

for such a change.

“Once again, as society becomes more informed, the United States will

make more informed decisions about public policy,” says Miller.

Of course, if emission levels continue to rise, the number of companies

wanting and needing to buy credits will increase. This, in turn, will

push the market price up and encourage more producers to practice

environmentally friendly farming, generating more carbon credits for

sale.

Columbus, Ohio-based utility American Electric Power (AEP) is a

leading advocate of the carbon credit program. AEP is one of the largest

electric utilities in the United States, delivering electricity to more than

five million customers in 11 states. Melissa McHenry, AEP’s manager of

corporate media relations says the company recognized more than a

decade ago that the emissions of its coal-fueled fleet of power plants,

including greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), would have a significant

impact on the future of the company.

Instead of waiting for regulations to force it to respond, McHenry says

AEP faced the challenge early with innovative, first-of-a-kind approaches

designed to allow the continued use of coal to generate electricity in a

carbon-constrained world.

In 2003, AEP was one of the first and largest U.S. utilities to join the

CCX. Through its membership, says McHenry, AEP is committed to

gradually reducing, avoiding or sequestering its GHG emissions by six

percent below the average of its 1998 to 2001 emission levels by 2010.

Between 2003 and 2006, AEP has achieved approximately 39.2 million

metric tons of GHG reductions.

However, McHenry says because costly equipment upgrades and lack

of proven technology prohibit AEP from making sweeping changes all

at once, they may purchase credits from producers to help meet their

commitment and are supportive of a cap-and-trade program such as this.

“We’ve long believed that as the leader in our industry on the climate

change issue, it is important for AEP to go beyond simply talking

about what should be done and actually make real reductions in our

greenhouse gas emissions,” says Michael G. Morris, AEP chairman,

president and CEO. “Equally important, we believe that market-based

approaches are the best and most cost-effective way to achieve emission

reductions.”

At the producer level, both Enerson and Miller say the income

generated from selling carbon credits may not be enough yet to prompt

farmers to make the switch to environmentally friendly farming practices.

Most will do it because of their genuine concern for the environment.

Those who already do can learn more about enrolling in a carbon credit

program by visiting websites maintained by the Iowa Farm Bureau,

Farmers Union and Chicago Climate Exchange and by talking with their

local extension agents. n

Reprintedwithpermissionoftheartist.


ByTharranE.Gaines

When he took delivery of a Challenger® MT945B articulated tractor

from Florida-based Kelly Tractor this past summer, Garry Motes

certainly didn’t have any aspirations of owning the first Challenger

4-wheel-drive tractor sold in North America. He was just looking for a

little diversity and a new model to replace part of his aging fleet.

At least that was the case with the first one. When he took delivery of

a second MT900B Series model this past October, it was because he liked

what Challenger had to offer.

Having started a commercial land leveling business just four years ago

with just five scrapers, Motes is already up to 18 four-wheel-drive tractors

and an equal number of laser-guided scrapers.

“I wasn’t looking at getting into land leveling when I did,” he admits. “I

used to be in the custom fertilizer application business… and still do a

little of that,” he relates. “Plus, we did some commercial trucking for a few

of the lettuce growers.

“However, there was an operator here in the ‘Glades that we were often

waiting on to get land leveling done so we could do our job,” he explains.

“So I approached him one day about buying him out; and that’s how we

got started.”

It wasn’t long, however, before the business began to grow, prompting

Motes to add even more units. Today, his crews can generally be found in

a 60-mile radius of the home base in Belle Glade, Florida, leveling fields

for everything from sugar cane to sod production and vegetables.

“We don’t do any work for construction,” he relates. “It’s strictly

agricultural work. In fact, two of our largest customers are U.S. Sugar,

which is one of the country’s largest sugar producers and TKM, which is a

big lettuce grower in the area.

“On any given day, we’ll have crews in about seven different places and

we’ll usually run at least two machines at each location, but will go up to

as many as four or five, depending on the situation,” he adds.

Motes explains that if the field is being leveled for turf or vegetables, it

generally has to be “flat” level all the way across the field. However, if it’s

being prepared for sugar cane, the field is typically crowned in the center

of each 37-acre block and sloped one inch per 100 feet to each side for

fieldFirstinthe

ThefirstMT900BsoldinNorthAmericatakesonFloridalandlevelingduties.


drainage to the lateral ditches.

“The vegetable growers will relevel

a field every time they put in a new

crop, which is usually twice a year,”

Motes explains. “The sugar cane

growers will also level every time they

replant; but that only happens every

three to four years.

“They used to get more years out of

a cane crop,” he says. “But since they

started running mechanical harvesters,

the fields get chewed up a lot quicker.”

Although his custom work is primarily limited to land leveling and

some fertilizer application, Motes says he’s not immune to helping some

of his smaller customers with other chores, like discing, mowing and

tillage.

That’s part of the reason his first purchase from Kelly Tractor was a

Challenger MT665B tractor that he acquired last spring.

“We’ve got a smaller 15-yard scraper that we’ll use with that tractor on

certain jobs,” he adds. “And, it’s got the PTO, which is something we don’t

have on our 4-wheel-drive tractors.

“We’ve also found that the CVT transmission is a real advantage when

pulling the small scraper,” he continues. “You can always find the right

combination of ground speed and engine speed without wasting extra

fuel or power.”

Motes says it was his satisfaction with both the MT665B and the

Caterpillar dealer that helped convince him to purchase the new MT945B.

“I try to keep all my tractors under the manufacturer’s extended

warranty period, which means I generally trade them at about 4,900

hours,” he says, noting that at a rate of 1,300 to 1,500 hours per tractor,

per year, that happens around every 3 ½ years. “I already have a mix of

green and red tractors. I figured I might as well try yellow, too.

“The operators just love the MT945B,” he continues. “I think it’s got a

little more power than the other tractors and it’s weighted really well for

the horsepower.”

Motes says he also likes the accessibility built into the MT900B Series,

including easy access to the fuel tank, the transmission, fluid reservoirs

and the hydraulic pump.

“We use the hydraulic pump continuously, which, for us, means it’s a

wearable item,” he adds. “Fortunately, they’ve got it positioned where a

guy can get to it for service or change it out,” he adds.

“So far, though, we’ve had very few problems. And on those rare

occasions we’ve had to call Kelly Tractor with a warranty issue, they’ve

been on it immediately.”

With each tractor covering 60 to 70 acres per day for a total of around

200,000 acres annually, Motes says he can’t afford for a tractor to be

down very long.

“We don’t charge by the acre, but rather by the hour,” he says. “That

seems to be the fair way for everyone, since flat leveling takes longer

than a crowned slope.”

Of course that also means that on those days when the Challenger

MT900B models gets more work done in an hour than the other

machines, the customer just comes out ahead. n

“I think it’s got a little

more power than the other

tractors and it’s weighted really

well for the horsepower.”

GaryMotes(left),ownerofMotesLandLeveling,andGregPitts(r),officemanagerforthecompany,visitwithKellyTractorsalesrepresentativeCraigBrantabouttheirMT665Btractor.

MotessaystheMichelintires,whichcomestandardontheMT900BSeries,seemtoprovidebetterflotationandtractionthanthetiresonhisothertractors.

Motes Land Leveling • Belle Glade, Florida • Commercial land leveling


Attention to detail and accurate and efficient record keeping are es-

sential requirements of any successful business in this technological

age; and farming is no exception. That’s why the GTA Console I with Power

Performance III from AGCO Advanced Technology Solutions is standard

on all MT600B tractors and optional on all MT500B models. Working in

conjunction with ground radar, the system offers more than 20 valuable

monitoring, control and comparative functions, including fuel/hour, area

worked, etc. Console II, which monitors everything from engine functions

to yield data, is also standard on all Challenger® 600 Series combines. How-

ever, once you’ve gathered the information, what do you do with it?

“Fortunately, Challenger GTA PC software products can help you get

the most out of available data, whatever the source,” says Mark Hansen,

product marketing manager for AGCO Advanced Technology Solutions

“It’s also designed to grow with you and your needs.”

Start with the standard-equipment GTA100 Communicator that lets

you calculate machine costs, service intervals, etc., from the basic work-

ing data generated by the GTA Console I or Console II. Then, when you’re

ready, add advanced software packages that allow record keeping, yield

mapping and variable-rate applications or planting with other pieces of

equipment.

GTA100 Communicator

GTA100 Communicator, which is comprised of three main working win-

dows — Farm and Resource Manager, Task Manager and Task Summary

— lets you make the most of valuable data logged on a GTA Console or

Fieldstar® terminal within a tractor, combine, or other machine. The data

can be quickly transferred to a PC, then is automatically organized as a

logical series of tasks relating to individual farms and fields, allowing a

clear, simple view of relevant information.

“Industry-standard import and export capabilities also lets you import

data from a several brands of equipment,” Hansen adds. “Or, you can use

the data with third-party applications, such as farm management soft-

ware.”

GTA200 Record Keeping

Based on GTA100 Communicator, GTA200 Record Keeping takes technol-

ogy a step further by enabling users to create reports on specific areas of

the business, such as fleet management, equipment/input usage and field

planning. GTA200 Record Keeping allows you to compile a complete re-

cord of all operations and applications, and provide enhanced crop trace-

ability for legislation purposes, increasing the value of farm produce. This

valuable program even includes an invoicing capability that generates

professional invoices from logged data.

GTA300 Mapping

Straightforward and easy to use, GTA300 Mapping is a cost-effective and

easy-to-use software program that allows the user to create maps using

geo-referenced data created with GPS positioning information. In addition

to using data gathered from tractors and combines, its open file structure

allows it to process data from many other systems. This powerful tool al-

lows the user to record and measure all operations, inputs and yields. This

accurate information can be used to control costs and also provide vital

traceability information in clear concise maps.

GTA400 Precision Farming

The GTA400 Precision Farming PC software package provides users with

the ability to generate highly accurate planned application maps to en-

sure that key inputs, such as fertilizer, seed and pesticide are applied at the

optimum rate within every field.

“It also allows farmers to build a detailed picture of every field’s strengths

and weaknesses, highlighting problem areas and those where different

levels of inputs are required,” Hansen continues.

Returns to the grower are maximized because inputs are only applied

according to crop requirement and at the correct rate.

“No matter which program you choose, though, GTA software has the

potential to maintain and improve profitability, fulfill regulatory require-

ments and/or add value at marketing,” Hansen concludes. “And sometimes,

that’s as important as machine efficiency itself.” n

TechCorner

Managementsoftwarefor every need

The leaves are changing, the temperatures falling, the machines are in. Don’t lock up your equipment just yet, now is the best time to prepare for

next season. The long days and longer nights may be gone for now, but your machines are still here. Make sure they are strong with AGCO Parts.

© 2007 AGCO Corporation

“I’M TIRED OF SPINNING MY WHEELS.

AT THIS RATE, I’LL BE HERE HALF THE NIGHT.”

“WE HEAR YOU.”

Slippage. It wastes time. It wastes money. Enter the MT800B Series Track Tractor. With superior traction, you get up to 10% less slippage. Think of it as doing 10 hours of work in a 9 hour day. By getting more power to the ground, the MT800B Series Track Tractor covers more acres than a conventional wheel tractor. The MT800B Series Tractors from Challenger are available now and sold exclusively through your Caterpillardealer. Don’t let this opportunity slip by. Call him and get on track.

Cat & Challenger are registered trademarks of Caterpillar. ©2007 AGCO Corporation CH503E07V01

For more information about Challenger, visit your local CAT dealer or visit us on the web at: www.challengerag.com

MT8OOB SERIES TRACTORS

winter2008 farming · 2009. 7. 1. · excellent vision and fuel efficiency make the challenger...

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