Part I: New products from Farm Progress Show

The new MT700 Series Challenger track tractor series (380 to 431 hp) from Agco is stated to deliver new levels of performance, ride comfort, operating efficiency and on-board intelligence. It features new styling, new engine (Agco Power 9.8L diesel), transmission (AccuDrive powertrain with Accu-VT continuous variable transmission), undercarriage and hydraulics.

All systems including hydraulics and PTO run at lower engine rpm to reduce fuel costs and engine wear. The upgraded hydraulic system offers greater flow at lower engine rpm, capable to meet the demands of the latest planters and implements.

This Challenger series is claimed as the first two-track machine with three stages of suspension and oscillating midwheels that contour to the ground over terraces and uneven surfaces, as well as improved handling at road speed. Ride is further improved due to a new two-point cab suspension system with increased suspension at the rear of the cab to absorb and dissipate ground vibration through the rear axle.

Operators will appreciate the new spacious, comfortable cab as well as the many exterior features that bring the Challenger MT700 Series tractors to a new level of comfort and convenience. The cab offers a variety of amenities including enhanced cab suspension, an air-ride seat, larger instructor seat and Bluetooth capability.

A new easy-to-use 10.4-inch touch-screen AccuTerminal has an intuitive, smartphone feel. Operators can manage all tractor settings and adjustments, plus monitor and control Isobus 11783-compatible implements, camera functions, field documentation, variable rate applications, guidance and wireless data transfer, and the AccuField Command headland management system. The Advantage armrest, AccuTerminal, Advantage joystick, PTO controls and conveniently color-coded keypad are all within easy reach.

Operators can drive accurately in tough visual conditions with Agco’s next generation of Auto-Guide automated steering system. You can select the accuracy level and signal source, choosing from two receiver providers: NovAtel and Trimble. Even without a correction signal, Auto-Guide works reliably for up to 20 minutes with RTK accuracy via Trimble xFill technology. These guidance options are part of AGCO’s Fuse Technologies.

For more details: http://www.challenger-ag.us

Syngenta is ramping up their digital offering by building a seed selector tool for their Golden Harvest seed advisor network—to help customers make field-level decisions on the right hybrids.

The E-Luminate Seed Selector drills down into a field with a model that includes environmental data like predominant soil types and 20 years of weather data, along with historic hybrid performance data from Syngenta’s breeding, sales and side-by-side data sets—any and all head-to-head performance data. A relative maturity is selected, then a grower will see balanced hybrid recommendations across all data sets for that field. Each hybrid is ranked by showing a fuel-gauge-type graphic that predicts a winning percentage for that field. Growers can also look at non-balanced recommendations, to see how hybrids performed in different precipitation and temperature scenarios, like drought years or rainy years.

Next you can select planting population and acres you plan to plant, which gives you the number of units to order. It’s all about taking a complicated decision process and making it simple, based on scientific data.

Future versions of the model will incorporate more data on hybrid characteristics such as emergence, stalk strength, root strength and test weight. And farmers will be able to select multiple fields (instead of one at a time) to develop a risk-averse portfolio of hybrids by field.

The tool is available by working with your Golden Harvest seed advisor. Learn more here: https://eluminate.solutions

For farmers interested in a grain bin that cleans itself out without gravity and sweep augers, GSI now offers the new Z-Series 24-ft. diameter bin (capacity from 5,000 to 25,000 bu.) that includes the Flexwave technology that the company has been showcasing and researching for years.

Two large, low-psi air-inflated liners gently inflate and deflate automatically to remove a claimed 99.9% of grain, giving farmers a safer, more efficient and less labor-intensive option to unload a grain bin without the need to enter the bin. Flexible tubes move with the liner to inflate/deflate.

The Z-Series bins feature a touchscreen control for complete cleanout with the touch of a button.

The company plans to add both 30- and 36-ft. diameter bins in 2019. For more details, contact your GSI dealer or visit: http://www.grainsystems.com/products/storage/z-series.html

Claimed to be designed from a ‘clean sheet’ followed by seven years of field testing, the new Fendt Ideal axial combine is stated to set a new standard for harvesting automation and ease of operation.

The new Idealharvest  system offers real-time crop flow visualization, with 52 sensors that can change the combine settings on-the-go to achieve the operator’s pre-set harvest strategy. Operators use a touch-screen tablet to select preferences that minimize grain damage, loss and material other than grain in the bin. The system compensates for sudden changes such as crop density and field slope to maintain machine performance and grain quality.

Available in Class 7 (one rotor), 8 and 9 (two rotors) sizes, it features a larger, redesigned rotor that is gentler on both the crop and straw. The new dual helix processor is 24 inches in diameter and nearly 16 feet long, allowing the materials to generate huge centrifugal force at a lower speed while remaining in the rotor longer. The helix arrangement of separation tines improve threshing, while the processor design allows the combine to operate at a slower speed, requiring less power.

Rubber tracks, up to 36 inches, aid harvesting in challenging conditions. Power is efficiently handled through one gearbox, attached directly to the engine, to drive the processor, cleaning system and hydraulic pumps, as well as the header. The combine uses fewer belts than other combines, and wet clutches ensure smooth engagement of the power, reducing wear and tear and maintenance on each component, and creating less strain on belts.

To improve grain cleaning, the cleaning shoe has two specifically molded, curved return pans that use the full length of the threshing/separation chamber to distribute crop evenly to mitigate slope sensitivity. And the 485 bushel grain tank and Streamer auger boasts the industry’s fastest unloading time.

For more details: http://www.idealharvesting.com

The new 1700M series Massey Ferguson tractor—complete with upgrades to the engine, emissions system and cab—is touted as the company’s most premium compact to date. Five models are available, ranging from 36 to 60hp. Features include: either a Shibaura 3-cyl or 4-cyl diesel engine that meet Tier 4 standards; 540 RPM rear PTO; optional 2,000 RPM mid-mount PTO; 12x12 power shuttle transmission (no clutching needed from standstill or changing directions); 3-range hydrostatic transmission; and an open station platform, a standard or a new deluxe cab. For more information: http://www.masseyferguson.us/products/tractors.html

Given the continued labor challenges in rural America, Colin Hurd, founder and CEO of Smart Ag, discussed the first cloud-based software platform and aftermarket kit they developed to fully automate an existing grain cart tractor for harvest.

Over 2.5 years in development, this plug-and-play system allows a combine operator to set staging and unloading locations in a field, adjust tractor speed, monitor location and command the grain cart to synchronize precisely to the speed and direction of the combine—all from a tablet computer. After the cart is loaded, the AutoCart returns to an unloading point elsewhere in the field—safely navigating/stopping when things cross its path.

The company is working with 10-12 precision ag and equipment dealers this fall in the U.S. and Canada for more testing, with full commercial release in late-summer or fall of 2019 on Deere tractors first, with a price point around $35,000 to $40,000. In November, orders for AutoCart will be accepted for delivery in spring 2019. In the future, Smart Ag hopes to evolve the technology for tillage, planting and spraying.

For more details: http://www.smart-ag.com

Claas introduced the industry’s first certified used equipment program in 2011 with the launch of HarvestingWorld.com and its Lexion Field Ready Reconditioned Program. Now, they have launched First Claas Used, the next generation of used equipment certification that offers a new level of uniformity and accountability for reconditioned CLAAS equipment. The company offers three levels of reconditioning: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Gold is reserved for select Claas combines that are five years old or newer with fewer than 2,500 engine hours. The combines are inspected by a certified technician, professionally reconditioned, and come with a one-year Maxi Care 500 protection plan. Silver level are Claas combines and foragers that are five years old or newer with fewer than 2,500 engine hours but are not reconditioned. A recommended parts list is produced to give the farmer a good idea of the repairs he may need to make. Bronze-level classification is open to all Claas equipment and contains no hours minimum. These machines are clean and operational. The company created these levels to help growers find the best fit their needs and budget. Claas created this program to develop a common standard throughout the dealer network. To learn more and view the certified equipment currently in stock, visit fcu.claas.com/.

Seed Advisor, a data science-driven predictive tool under testing, will help Bayer seed dealers (Dekalb, Channel, Kruger, Gold Country Seed and Stone Seed) rank hybrid recommendations by field for farmers . Backed by what is claimed as the industry’s largest proprietary seed genetics library with regional seed performance data to predict the best performing hybrid for unique agronomic conditions for a field, it also optimizes seeding rate recommendations to maximize profits.

Climate Corp applied machine learning techniques to build the technology, and the model was validated against more than 4 million acres of historical, real farm performance data in the Climate FieldView platform. Seed Advisor is claimed to achieve an 80% win rate in farmers fields with an average 6 bu./acre yield advantage. Following 2018 testing results on over 100,000 acres and results from pre-commercial tests in 2019, Seed Advisor will launch in fall of 2019.

Farmers who attended the Climate media event at Farm Progress Show discussed their trials using Seed Advisor in their fields. All were skeptical that this model would select better hybrids than their own choices. Steve Moffit, farmer from Springfield, Ill., agreed to have Seed Advisor select 60% of their corn recommendations in 2017. “I was impressed that in 13 side-by-side trials—my picks versus the model—Seed Advisor won 10 out of 13 by an average of 7 bu./acre. So in 2018, we let the model select 95% of our corn hybrids,” he said. Parkersburg, Iowa farmer Rick DeGroote said in his quest for the best hybrid for every field, “this model proved its value in my fields, so I’m all in. Now, the science behind the seed selection requires no more educated guesses on my part.”

For more information: https://climate.com/blog/next-evolution-of-digital-farming

Cemos Automatic, new technology for Lexion combines, received an upgrade with the addition of Cemos Auto Threshing. The technology optimizes threshing cylinder speed and concave position settings automatically to ensure optimal performance during harvest. Cemos technology also includes automatic separation, cleaning, crop flow, slope and ground speed—delivering 26% cleaner grain sample, 11% more throughput and 12% less fuel consumption. For details: http://www.claasofamerica.com/product/combines2017/lexion700series/operator-assistance

At Farm Progress Show, Claas launched a new series of Convio draper headers for its Lexion combines and Cebis terminal, from 35 to 45 ft. widths, with four operational modes selected on the fly from the cab. The series includes a rigid head for small grains and a flex head for both small grains and beans. This series is claimed to be the first in the industry with advanced features like auto contour flex and auto belt speed that can be automatically set or adjusted on the fly. It is also claimed to be the only flex draper in the industry with a 9-inch range of vertical flex, enabling the cutterbar to adapt to changing terrain more efficiently.

Claas also announced corn header updates to minimize ear loss and reduce operator downtime. Improvements include more durable snouts with improved height adjustment; end divider augers adjusted from the cab (active) or set automatically (passive); and in-cab, dual-sided deck plate adjustments to help keep the stalk centered to maintain quality feeding and minimize shatter. For more details: http://www.claasofamerica.com/product/combines2017/headers

With a tread designed to increase traction, save fuel, improve safety and handle heavy loads at low psi to minimize soil compaction, Michelin introduced the CerexBib 2 with IF and VF CFO+ designations for high-load harvesters. Available in nine front and seven rear sizes, it offers the highest carrying capacity (21,740 lbs.) and lowest air pressure in its class (17 psi).

The CerexBIB 2 is offered in these front sizes:

VF520/85R42

VF580/85R42

VF710/70R42

IF800/65R32

IF800/70R32

IF800/70R38

IFVF900/60R32

VF900/60R38

VF900/60R42

The CerexBIB 2 is offered in these rear sizes:

VF500/85R34

VF520/80R26

VF520/85R30

VF620/70R26

VF620/70R30

VF710/65R30

VF750/65R26

For details: https://agricultural.michelinman.com/us/Our-solutions/Harvesting-machine/US-CEREXBIB-2

Xarvio digital farming solutions, divested by Bayer (to complete Monsanto purchase) to BASF, now offers the Xarvio Scouting app. Simply download the app for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play, snap a photo of a weed or leaf diseases, and the app identifies the weed/disease with 90% accuracy using machine learning capabilities and 200,000 images in a database. It will map the location, as well as connect you with a user community to discuss issues. The app in Europe also identifies insects, but that capability isn’t available in the U.S., yet. For details: https://www.xarvio.com/en/Scouting