MF7615 Series surpasses New Zealand Dairy farmer and contractor’s expectations for hedge mulching business.

Contractor and dairy farmer Robert Klaus has great partnerships.

The first is with his wife Sharon who loves her cows and runs the dairy farm. The second is with Massey Ferguson, and their MF7615 tractor, the backbone of  Robert’s hedge-cutting business.

Robert and Sharon bought their first dairy farm near Matamata. They’d been share milking for seven years, working up to managing a 500-cow herd. Now they have their own property where they milk 150 cows on 52 effective hectares.

It’s a small farm and dairy payouts are looking questionable for this coming season, so it is good Robert has his contracting sideline. Besides he loves machinery.

“I’d been working for a mate who owns a contracting business for the last eight years and I wanted to do something myself. Sharon enjoys milking, and I could see a gap in the market mulching barberry hedges.”

Robert looked at second-hand cutters but couldn’t find anything good enough so he had the local engineers design and build one for him. It’s like a giant mower tilted on its side with two big blades, and a shroud around it. It mulches the hedges and leaves everything tidy.

Robert got the Massey Ferguson 7615 in December from Matamata tractors.

“I needed a six-cylinder machine with a long wheel base because the hedge-cutter is mid-mounted. I got the Dyna-VT variable transmission as it goes down to 0.3 kph. I use it in foot mode. I just take my foot off and it stops. I hardly ever use the brake or clutch. It’s like driving a big forklift.”

The hedge cutter runs off the tractor’s hydraulics and all the operations for the rams on the cutter are controlled from the factory joystick in the cab.

“I saved a lot of money, as I didn’t have to fit an after-market joystick,” Robert says.

The joystick also has a forward/reverse button so he doesn’t have to move his hand during operations. He can constantly look at where he’s going and what the mulcher is doing.

The cutter is mounted on the left side of the tractor, and Robert says it is “a piece of cake getting in and out the right door. In some other brands it was just about impossible to get out.”

There are dual wheels on the cutter side to help balance the weight of the machine.

“I’ve got a bigger footprint on the left side, which makes it more stable. Otherwise, if I hit a hole the cutter would drop when I’m trying to keep the hedge straight.”

He doesn’t fit duals on the right side, as it would make the tractor too wide to get through gateways.

The MF 7615 produces 150hp from a Tier 4a AGCO Power SCR engine, which uses AdBlue to minimise toxic emissions.

“It’s no problem. I fill AdBlue every third tank of diesel. It’s got a gauge telling me when its low, and I always keep a bit on hand.”

He says anyone can jump in and drive the tractor. “It’s what I like about them. “They’ve got all the technology but it’s user-friendly. Everything is simply laid out.”

The cab also meets with his approval.

“It’s awesome – comfortable and really quiet. That stood out when I first drove it. People ring me and ask what I’m doing because they can’t even hear the hedge-cutter working.”

Robert says the serviceability is also good. “You don’t have to pop the bonnet to check the oil. And if you need to blow out the radiator, it’s right there and easy to get at.”

The MF 7615 is available in three different specifications: Essential, Efficient and Exclusive. Robert got the Efficient.

He’s had great service from Matamata Tractors.

“When we were building the hedge-cutter they helped the engineer to shift the diesel, hydraulic and AdBlue tanks, and nothing was ever a problem.”

This isn’t Robert and Sharon’s first dealing with Massey Ferguson tractors. They also run a MF5460.

They’ve had the MF 5460 for four years. It’s 120hp with a Dyna-4 transmission.

“I always liked Fergies and Matamata Tractors did a good deal I couldn’t pass up. I just like the tractor. It’s got everything we need but is still basic to operate,” Robert says.

“It’s really reliable and nothing has gone wrong with it. On the big farm it pulled the silage wagon. Now it has an auger bucket for feeding out on a pad. It also does the mowing and all the farm work.

He says both the Fergies are very quiet tractors, with everything well laid out, at your fingertips.

By Dr. Bernhard Schmitz

AGCO’s Fuse^® Technologies strategy and precision farming products were presented during the recent Future Farm opening in Zambia. Visitors learned about AGCO’s technology offerings that are currently available for the future farm:

• All technology enabled machines were equipped with Auto-Guide^TM
• All technology enabled machines were equipped with AGCO’s telemetry system, AgCommand^®.
• The open approach of the Fuse strategy was perfectly demonstrated with the presence of Precision Decision next to the Fuse tent. Precision Decision offers services around precision agriculture such as soil sampling.

AGCO’s Fuse^® Technologies strategy and precision farming products were presented during the recent Future Farm opening in Zambia.

The Future Farm perfectly showcases AGCO’s open approach by exemplifying how different agricultural business partners are brought together to connect and demonstrate the best farming practices for Africa.

To follow the latest updates about the Future Farm, connect with @AGCOcorp on Twitter and follow the hashtags #FutureFarm and #AGCOAfrica.

Dr. Bernhard Schmitz is a Commercial Manager for AGCO’s Advanced Technology Solutions group, focusing on Fuse precision farming products for the EAME region.

A visit to Kenya prompts the production of a video to demonstrate the merits of buying genuine AGCO filters and how to spot counterfeit parts.

In March 2014 Jeff Challis, Business Manager, Parts Sales, Africa and Middle East and Pete Winterbottom, Manager, Aftersales Marketing, EAME visited Kenya to meet with our Massey Ferguson distributor FMD and visit some of their key customers. These customers varied from important municipal customers such as Nairobi Airport to owners of large tea and sugar plantations. The purpose of the visit was to discuss the virtues of genuine parts. Jeff demonstrated this by dismantling a genuine filter and comparing key features with a popular spurious filter. From the outside both filters looked the same but Jeff quickly highlighted that underneath this veneer there were some significant differences. Jeff’s demo had such a positive impact that FMD said they wanted to train and equip their own staff to do the same demo when on the road visiting customers. To assist with this, the EAME Aftersales Marketing team produced some practical demo kits including genuine and spurious filters along with flip chart slides. Jeff took the kits back to Kenya and also Sudan in early 2015 to train the local field sales teams to use themselves.

As an aide memoire for the local teams, we filmed Jeff at the Stoneleigh training centre conducting the demo. A group of UK service technicians that were on a training course in an adjacent workshop at time of filming stopped what they were doing because they too were so intrigued to see and hear what Jeff had to say. So much so that we decided to publish the resultant videos on YouTube for all to see.

We’ve created 2 versions of the demo; a 3 minute and 15 minute version which can be watched on YouTube or downloaded from asset bank. We’re now considering the possibility of creating different language versions in order to spread this key message: – When it comes to Parts ‘The Genuine Choice’ is the only choice!’

To learn more about AGCO Parts please visit: http://www.agcocorp.com/parts-service.html.

Australian contractor Wayne Marshall loves his Massey Ferguson tractors for their engines, their economy and the uniformity of their cabs.

Wayne has a fleet of nine Massey Fergusons, including three 15-year-old tractors that he just can’t bear to part with.

Wayne and his wife Judy operate Bundy Ag from their home in Maffra, Victoria, Australia. They offer a range of services including bulk silage, hay cutting and baling, full cultivation and transport.

Silage is the primary focus of the business, which was formed 15 years ago when Wayne left the family business to start out on his own.

His most recent Massey Ferguson purchases include an MF 6614, an MF 7622 and an MF 8680.

“We’ve had Masseys for 15 years and what I like about them is their accessibility of service, their economy, and I’m happy with the AGCOPower engine,” says Wayne.

The Marshalls bought their MF 6614 last September for hay and silage production and for operating their round baler.

“It pulls the baler beautifully and it also does drilling. It’s fitted with a loader and does a variety of loader work and earthworks,” Wayne says.

“It’s the first time I’ve gone back to a four-cylinder engine for a long time. The economy was a big part of that decision and it’s very cheap to run. It’s also very manoeuvrable and has a good turning circle. It’s just a good basic tractor that’s cheap to run.”

Wayne bought the 215hp MF 7622 about 18 months ago and uses it to pull his loader wagon during the silage season. He particularly likes it for the Dyna-VT variable transmission.

“It’s very good and it’s also economical. We use it for a lot of cultivation work, mainly discing and ripping. With both those tractors we are using AdBlue because it’s going to be law soon with our diesel rebates. That was a big consideration,” he says.

“The other thing is the whole range of Massey Ferguson tractors have the same cabin layouts. It’s very easy with staff as they’re familiar with the controls and can go from one tractor to another.”

The third new tractor in the Marshalls’ fleet is the six-cylinder 320hp MF 8680, which was purchased six months ago. It is mainly used for loader wagon silage and earthmoving.

“It also runs on a laser bucket for irrigation layouts and it is very good. I am very happy with it. It has high horsepower and very quick road speed. We are running it with a Topcon GPS guidance system.”

Their full fleet of tractors includes two MF 7495s, which are also used on the loader wagons, an MF 6475, which is used on a round baler and for loader work, two old MF 4270s, which are Wayne’s original tractors and have 12,000 hours on the clock each, and an MF 6255, which is also 15 years old and is used for ripping and discing.

“I can’t get rid of them,” Wayne says about the older machines. “They have sentimental value. I’ve also got a Valtra 202 with a butterfly mower conditioner, which is four years old. It’s running the AGCOPower engine as well and is from the same stable as Massey Ferguson, but I chose that tractor for its long wheel base.”

Wayne is impressed with the advances in technology Massey Ferguson has made in recent years.

“The tractors have come a long way. I’ve seen big changes in the last six or seven years with what we can do with them and the time and fuel savings,” he says.

“They’re a pleasure to drive and the operators can hop out of them at the end of the day and still feel ok.

Wayne and Judy buy their Massey Fergusons through Donalda Motor Service in Maffra. He says a big consideration for sticking with Massey Ferguson is the fantastic support they get from them and from AGCO.

“They’re very good with their backup. They go beyond the call of duty. They’ve been very good to me since I started off in business.

“AGCO is based in Melbourne and we’re very happy with their technical support. If we have any problems they never put a foot wrong. That’s the reason I’ve stuck with them.”

The new Massey Ferguson ProCut system for MF 2200 Series large square balers introduces unique clamp-on rotor fingers and a range of new features to deliver a huge increase in capacity with a finer, uniform chop while also offering superb service access.

The 650mm diameter ProCut rotor is equipped with 26mm wide hard-faced, cast steel fingers, which are made in three sections – each clamping onto the centre tube – and held in place with bolts.

This unique mounting allows rotor finger sections to be replaced easily, saving time and maintaining optimum performance.

New Quad Augers, on each side, provide a consistent feed to the rotor. These increase capacity and ensure unrestricted, even feeding.

ProCut knives are mounted in a full-width, drop-down bed and are held in a ‘magazine’, which rolls out completely to the left-hand side on Easy Glide roller bearings, providing best-in-class access for servicing.

No tools are required. Simply releasing a catch after lowering the knife bed allows the whole magazine to roll out to one side, providing unrivalled access to the knife bank for servicing and maintenance.

Knives are spaced evenly 43.5mm apart across the bed, providing a fine, consistent chop. Made from 4mm thick tungsten hardened steel, the knives have a new serrated edge design to stay sharper longer and help cut power consumption. Simply releasing a locking pin makes it easy to lift out and change the knives.

Two hydraulically selectable knife banks in the magazine allow operators to quickly engage or disengage the knives and change chop lengths. Both knife banks are fitted with hydraulic protection. This uses an accumulator on each side that allow each knife bank fold back against the hydraulic pressure to let foreign objects to pass through.

The driveline on Massey Ferguson ProCut balers has been strengthened to handle the higher capacity it now provides, with all six-string models (making 120cm wide bales) driven through a new gearbox. The slip clutch can now also transmit 35% more torque.

Other changes include a new slip clutch and a revised cam track design for the pick-up, which gathers the swath more effectively and now be standard on all Massey Ferguson large square balers.

The ProCut system is controlled by the ISObus compatible C1000 terminal, which now includes buttons for knife control as well as pressure overrides.

ProCut is available on the MF 2240*, MF 2250, MF 2260, MF 2270 and MF 2270 XD.  (*MF 2240 is not available in all markets).

Massey Ferguson is launching two new combines for the 2016 season – the new MF Activa 7340 combine, which is powered by the latest, highly advanced four cylinder engine and the six cylinder powered, MF Activa 7344.

The MF Activa 7340 combine is powered by the latest and most advanced 176hp, AGCO Power 4.9 litre, four cylinder engine, employing pioneering engine technology to boost power density. This enables the four cylinder engine to deliver unrivalled performance to improve efficiency and economy.

“It’s been a long time since a combine has been powered by a four cylinder engine,” says Adam Sherriff, Manager Marketing Massey Ferguson. “This offers the operating benefits of a six cylinder, but in a lighter, smaller package.”

The large displacement, 4.9 litre four valve/cylinder engine features Fourth Generation common rail fuel injection and controls and employs maintenance free SCR technology to meet the latest emissions standards with low fuel consumption.

With the engine comes a new CANbus linked control panel in the cab. This colour screen shows a range of engine and combine operating information.

A new ‘sectional’ concave, which can be changed through the stone trap, further improves the versatile combine’s harvest quality in a range of crops. This allows operators to quickly and easily switch the front section of the concave to, for example, a wider maize unit without the need to remove the elevator.

Six cylinder MF Activa 7344 with PowerFlow header

The new MF Activa 7344, which replaces the MF Activa 7244 is now available with the option of a 5.5m wide PowerFlow header. This brings the benefits of this output enhancing cutterbar to users of smaller combines, providing unparalleled performance in oilseed rape, while improving cutting and output in a wide range of crops.

“PowerFlow is proven to boost output by up to 73% in oilseed rape, 15% in wheat and 12% in barley. It is also particularly useful in difficult conditions, helping farmers secure more of their harvest, more quickly,” explains Mr Sherriff.

The existing range of FreeFlow cutterbars, with Terra control auto-levelling option, is still available in widths from 4.2m to 6.6m.

The five straw-walker MF Activa 7344 is powered by a new advanced 218hp AGCO Power 7.4 litre, six cylinder engine. This durable, fuel efficient and powerful engine is set to precisely deliver the torque and response required for efficient performance when combine harvesting.

The new MF Activa 7344 also benefits from the same drum and concave with independent adjustment as the MF Activa 7340. It also benefits from the Active Rear Beater Concave, for optimum threshing in a wide variety of crops and conditions.

The combine harvester features the same new, multi-function lever and terminal as the MF Activa 7340 and is topped off with new styling. This follows the Massey Ferguson Combine family feel with a new cab roof, grey upper part and a new rear straw hood. A wider flanged Rockinger trailer hitch is another new option.

Along with two new MF Activa models, Massey Ferguson is further enhancing the specifications and features on its combine harvester range to improve operation and performance for the 2016 season.

“We are now really seeing the benefits of AGCO’s recent significant investment in the harvesting facility at Breganze in Italy. This has introduced state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques and equipment that are further enhancing quality and reliability,” says Adam Sherriff Manager Marketing Massey Ferguson.

“Customers are now also gaining from the investment in Europe’s most modern combine paint facility. This superior finish improves durability and increases the residual value of the combines,” he adds.

Faster unloading for MF Activa S combines

For the 2016 season MF Activa S, five or six straw-walker combines, will be equipped with a longer discharge auger providing faster unloading speeds.

Models with the Multi Crop Separator have a 5m long auger and unload at 105 litres/sec, while those without have a 4.5m long auger and unloading speeds of 85 litres/sec. The sectional concave, which can be changed through the stone trap, is now is a factory-fit option that increases threshing versatility in range of crops.

ParaLevel option for two-wheel drive combines

The unique Massey Ferguson ParaLevel system is now available as an option on two-wheel drive versions of the MF Beta 7360 PL and MF Beta 7370 PL combines.

The cost effective ParaLevel system will benefit farms, which have slight slopes up to 15% and rolling land, to improve output and grain sample without the need to invest in four-wheel drive.

ParaLevel also offers the distinct advantage of still allowing wide tyres up to 800/65 R 32s to be fitted and remain within 3.5m width for transport on the MF 7360 Beta.

AgCommand hardware standard on Massey Ferguson Beta combines

Massey Ferguson Beta combines are now supplied with the AgCommand telemetry hardware as standard. Options now also included a new Rockinger trailer hitch and factory-fit Sectional concave.

All MF Activa and MF Beta Flatland Combines are available with wear resistant components as well as in rice specification for added flexibility and, if necessary, without the straw chopper.

New Generation 9.2m wide PowerFlow header

Massey Ferguson is introducing a New Generation 9.2m (30ft) wide version of the PowerFlow header, equipped with the same SuperFlow auger first seen on the 10.74m wide version. At 762mm in diameter, the auger provides 41% more working area than any other design.

This offers unrivalled crop collection from the moving belts with a superb, even ‘heads first’ feed into the elevator. PowerFlow is proven to increase output in oilseed rape up to 70% and boost performance in other crops.

MF Centora eight straw-walker Combines and the MF Delta Hybrid machines are now fitted with a new yield meter, two central greasing points one on each side of the machine, as well as additional work lights and remote power points. A host of other small changes have been introduced to increase durability and for better operational efficiency.

As a demonstration of our commitment to delivering exceptional aftersales service, AGCO Parts are once again running the highly regarded AGCO Harvest Promise programme during the 2015 harvest season*.

“Our unique AGCO Harvest Promise is our commitment that, in the exceptional situation where we can’t deliver critical parts** within 24 hours***, then AGCO will pay for a contractor to step in and harvest your crop until you’re up and running again****” says Falk Seidenfaden, Director Global and EAME Harvesting Parts.

This Harvest Promise assurance has been added to the great range of services, products and back-up already available through AGCO’s industry-leading aftersales support. AGCO makes major investments to deliver this exceptional Aftersales service. Our technical training schemes ensure that every Dealer technician knows your harvesting machine inside out. Our Dealers also have access to AGCO’s vast stocks of genuine replacement parts which are shipped using cutting-edge logistics. All of this is driven by one single goal – to keep you harvesting when your crop is ready to be harvested. Without compromise.

The programme is available in certain markets for specified current production harvesting machines. To register for the programme contact your local Massey Ferguson Dealer.

*The 2015 Harvest Promise programme is available 1st May to 31st October 2015 for registered machines only
**Your dealer can advise which parts are classified by AGCO as ‘critical’
***48 hours for offshore islands
****Maximum refund amounts apply; €3,500 for combines and €2,000 for large square balers

 
2015 is the biggest year yet for technology in the history of AGCO, and we’re bringing our newest innovations to the Farm Progress Show! We’ll be introducing six new products and services as part of AGCO’s Fuse strategy. Come see how AGCO’s Fuse Technologies and technology-enabled services can help you:

• Revolutionize the way you manage your operation
• Make decisions based on actionable data
• Eliminate guess work

Introducing a new approach to farm optimization

We’ve got a great lineup planned, including a 61,000-square-foot, scaled-down version of a farm to demonstrate how we’re tackling the complex challenges in farming. You’ll also have the opportunity to see the latest innovations from all of our brands.

Here’s a sneak peak at a few other highlights:

• Live, Pre-Owned Equipment Certification
• FUSE Observation Deck & Giveaway
• Headland Management Demo Experience
• And more!

Visit the Fuse Tower on the AGCO lot between Second and Third Street, at Central Progress Avenue.

Can’t make it to the Farm Progress Show? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for show updates.

Earlier this month, we traveled to Decatur, Illinois, for the 62^nd Farm Progress Show—the largest outdoor farm equipment show in the United States. Our exhibit included a 61,000-square-foot scaled-down farm that showcased the newest innovations in farm equipment, crop life cycle demonstrations, and a productivity lab.

We introduced attendees to the SOLO^TM AGCO Edition Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, the X-Edition Challenger tractor (a limited-edition, all-black model), our all-new 3300 Command Series corn heads, the Massey Ferguson 6600M Series tractors, and Fuse Connected Services.

Here are some of the highlights from the show:

Fuse Tower

Challenger X-Edition

Fendt 900 Series

 
To view additional pictures from the AGCO Farm, check out our Facebook photo album.

If you weren’t able to visit us in The Prairie State, we’ll be at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Nebraska, and Big Iron Farm Show in West Fargo, North Dakota, both September 15-17, and AGRITECHNICA in Hanover, Germany, November 10-14.

Practically every farmer or rancher has at least one piece of equipment on the “someday” list. Maybe it’s a combine, tractor, sprayer or hay tool. Unfortunately, budget or other factors may not have allowed the purchase of a new machine.

Now, however, with the introduction of its new Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program, AGCO has another option: used equipment at a cost lower than new, but backed with an AGCO Protection extended coverage plan. Initiated last year as a trial with 16 AGCO brand dealers, the program has now been unveiled throughout the U.S. and Canada.

To make sure systems and parts are up to strict standards, every machine that meets eligibility requirements undergoes a thorough 120- to 200-point inspection and testing process.

According to Eric Lescourret, AGCO director of commercial strategic initiatives, AGCO was the first agricultural equipment manufacturer to stand behind equipment with a certified pre-owned program, and is still the only company to offer extended coverage on big square balers and windrowers.

“The things we learned from the pilot program, combined with the improvements we’ve made, have convinced AGCO that the program will provide farmers with maximum peace of mind and the best value in the market for their used equipment purchases,” says Lescourret, explaining that all certified equipment “comes with one year of comprehensive extended service coverage.”

To make sure systems and parts are up to strict standards, every machine that meets eligibility requirements undergoes a thorough 120- to 200-point inspection and testing process. Next, each unit goes through a rigorous reconditioning regimen to repair or replace any necessary components. Some machines are even upgraded with new technology. Equally important, every step of the inspection and reconditioning process is performed by AGCO-certified technicians, who have passed two levels of specialized inspection and product training.

“With such exacting standards and inspections, and a comprehensive AGCO Protection extended coverage plan, the customer can hit the field knowing his new investment is covered,” Lescourret concludes. “That means you can now own the equipment you always wanted, without a second thought.”

For more, see http://www.myfarmlife.com/products/combines/used-not-abused-agco-introduces-certified-pre-owned-program/.

FarmLife—our exclusive customer magazine—is now covering all AGCO brands in North America— Fendt, Challenger and Massey Ferguson—in print and online at myFarmLife.com.

Check out the spring issue, out now, for the following stories and more:

A FarmLife Special Report: Passing on the Farm
Succession remains one of the most pressing and critical issues on the farm. In the magazine—and with additional articles online—we offer readers advice from the experts on how to get started, protect assets and keep peace in the family.

In His Hay Day
Barry Schmitt and family run one of the largest commercial hay operations in Canada. We explore how they meet a demanding schedule and protect a hard-earned, global reputation for high-quality product. One very big reason why: The Schmitts rely on multiple AGCO brands.

Sweet Spot
Fontaine Farm has earned the National Dairy Quality Award for three consecutive years and achieved “New York Supermilk” status for more than 20 years. Members of the Fontaine family credit their success to following a rigorous routine, ensuring cow comfort and working with top-tier partners, such as AGCO brands.

Peaks and Valleys
A couple restores a bucolic farmstead and realizes a dream. They cleared overgrown pastures, fixed fences and protected water sources from livestock. It was a herculean task made all the easier with the help of their two small, yet brawny Massey Ferguson tractors.

Storing Profits
Growth, efficiency and innovation are key to making room for additional generations on the farm. One such farmer did all the above with Challenger tractors and GSI storage and handling solutions. See how they’ve helped him prepare for the future, as well as improve his bottom line.

Read these stories and more in the spring 2016 issue of FarmLife— now covering all Fendt, Challenger, and Massey Ferguson brands in print and online at myFarmLife.com.

For more, see http://www.myfarmlife.com/inside-the-magazine/browse-the-spring-2016-issue-of-farmlife/.

A flat grassy patch atop the sloped wooded pasture on his western North Carolina farm affords Dave Everett sumptuous views of the Big Sandy Mush Valley and several 4,500-foot-plus peaks beyond. Fooled by Dave’s presence in the pasture in the early afternoon, a handful of cows begin bellowing, anticipating a meal.

Dave and his wife, Kim, tend to their farm and their 30-head of cattle with the help of their Massey Ferguson 1540 with 4WD, which allows them to manage the steep inclines of their hilly pastureland with ease.
In addition to farming, the Everetts have helped restore and preserve the fields, woods and streams that spread out below their pastures. “We said that we want this farm to be recognizable to folks who lived here 100 years before us,” Dave says.

The Everetts have helped restore and preserve their 130-acre farm.

In the bucolic Sandy Mush area, such preservation efforts are not as easy as they may sound. The region—actually two valleys with several coves in each—is within 15 miles of the bustling mountain tourist mecca of Asheville. Nearby mountains and valleys are prime targets for vacation and second home developments consisting of 3,500-square-foot “cabins.” Kim and Dave themselves first used the area as a getaway when living near Washington, D.C.

Simply put, the value of the land in the area is worth a lot more for development than it is for farming or open space.

Despite that, owners of nearly 25% of the valley’s land (approximately 7,000 acres) have placed their property in conservation easements. Going forward, the easements require the land be kept in agriculture, forest and/or open space regardless of who owns the property. This is true for the Everetts, who have put their entire 130-acre farm in such an easement, which is held by the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District.

“That one-quarter of the land in this valley is in conservation easement is pretty darned impressive,” says Dave. “There are few things in life that carry your imprint into perpetuity for the enjoyment of future generations. That is hard to put a price tag on.”

For the whole story, see http://www.myfarmlife.com/features/preserving-a-farms-beauty-in-north-carolinas-big-sandy-mush/.

As the owner of Bristow Landscaping in Wake Forest, N.C., Logan Bristow relies on his Massey Ferguson tractors and Woods Equipment Company landscape implements virtually every day of the year. While the most often used machines are a MF1540 compact tractor and a Woods counter-rotating tiller, he also owns several other pieces of Massey Ferguson and Woods equipment. All of the machines, he relates, were purchased from Louisburg Tractor & Truck Company in Louisburg, N.C.

“Part of the reason I have so much equipment from both brands is the good relationship I have with the dealer,” he says. “But I also like the durability and versatility of the equipment. We’ve never once had a problem with Woods implements, and the MF1540, in particular, is small enough to get in tight areas, yet powerful enough to run the tiller in tough conditions.”

While Massey Ferguson dealers and Woods have had a long-running affiliation, that relationship has expanded at the company level, says Alistair McLelland, AGCO vice president of marketing, North America. In an effort to provide Massey Ferguson customers with the highest quality implements available anywhere, AGCO Corporation and Woods have joined together to market a full line of Woods rotary cutters, finishing mowers, flail shredders, rear-mounted snow blowers and landscape equipment through participating Massey Ferguson dealerships.

For more on this topic, see http://www.myfarmlife.com/advantage/massey-ferguson-and-woods-equipment-are-a-terrific-team/.

Barry Schmitt puts a premium on having comfortable equipment. “During harvest, we spend long hours in the cab, and we move around a lot, going up and down the roads,” says the owner of Barr-Ag, one of Canada’s largest hay exporters. “I want my guys to be safe.”

They are easy to learn to use and the visibility from the cab is very good, says Schmitt.

They are, says Schmitt, because of good training and the use of his AGCO equipment. “We run Massey 4610 tractors on our rakes … and we use Fendt® to pull balers and air drills.” According to Schmitt, the tractors—including Fendt 700, 800 and 900 Series models—as as well as Hesston by Massey Ferguson® windrowers, handle well and are fuel efficient. “They are easy to learn to use and the visibility from the cab is very good.

“They are also exceptionally comfortable,” says Schmitt, “which helps minimize operator fatigue. You get done, a 12-hour day or a 15-hour day in one of these tractors, you can get out and you can still walk. I’m not all stiff from bouncing around. These [tractors] are very smooth, very comfortable. The noise level is small and they’re just very reliable and we enjoy running them.” [I added to get more in about comfort—we had to cut from print due to length.]

Schmitt uses nine large square balers, as well as seven 9870 and 9770 windrowers. “Like our tractors, they are reliable. We need that dependability with the hours we put on them each year. The balers give us a nice square bale, with consistent length … and on the [windrowers],” adds Schmitt, “the double conditioning rolls are second to none.
“These cutters do short crops, tall crops, heavy crops, light crops. You can cut it fast; you can cut it slow. Whatever we’re cutting, it lays well, dries good.”

Schmitt says his AGCO equipment is excellent, but the machines “are only as good as your dealer, and we have a fantastic dealer in Hanlon Ag Centre. They follow our work as we go across with our harvest. Mechanics are available basically 24/7 and they have good rapport with our guys for solving problems over the phone when we need them.

“What really makes it work,” continues Schmitt, “is the combination of good equipment, good dealership, good access to parts and people willing to go the extra mile. That’s what makes our harvest flow, and Hanlon is as big a part of our harvest as the weather and our neighbors.”

See the full story on Schmitt’s operation at http://www.myfarmlife.com/features/exporting-forage-barr-ag-is-in-its-hay-day.

Jim Fontaine says he’s not interested in getting bigger as a business; he and his family have found an economic sweet spot in their dairy operation (see more about it here). But that doesn’t mean he and brother Steve aren’t growing their equipment inventory. In fact, their do-it-themselves approach to efficiency means the equipment needs to work harder, cost less to run and go easier on the operator.

The Fontaine family

That’s why they converted from another brand to a shop full of AGCO solutions, including equipment from Challenger,® Massey Ferguson,® Hesston,® Sunflower® and White Planters.™

“For the two bigger Challengers, we traded in two Case Magnums,” says Jim. “You feel like you got banged around in that [Case]. When you’re on the bunk and you’re shifting, you have to go through all those gears to shift, and it’s just a lot of jerking.”

Their Massey Ferguson and Challenger tractors share the CVT transmission, and with that, “the front-end suspension and the cab suspension, it’s just a good package because it’s all working together,” says Jim.

Adds Steve: “You get out of the tractor and you can stand up straight,” he laughs. “Nothing hurts on your body.”

The tractors work perfectly with their Sunflower 6630 tillage tool, yet another AGCO piece in their arsenal. “With another brand of tractor, when we would drop the implement in the ground, it would stall,” says Jim. Not so with the Challengers.

The experts at Java Farm Supply, the Fontaines’ dealership, also believed Jim and Steve would benefit from a larger hay baler; when the brothers were last looking for a baler, they decided on the Hesston 2170XD. “It makes a nice bale, it doesn’t fall apart, and it weighs 1,200 pounds versus the small ones that weigh 900. There are less bales to store and haul,” says Steve. And it’s better for bunk too. “You carry two bales out, and you have more hay on the bunk for the TMR mixer,” he says.

Jim and Steve don’t see themselves going back to “the other brand.” “The more you hop into the Challenger or the Massey Ferguson, the more comfortable you feel,” Jim says. “I told the dealership: ‘You should put one of these tractors on every farm.’”

For the full story on the Fontaine Farms, including a video about the family’s business philosophy, see http://www.myfarmlife.com/features/a-family-farm-in-the-economic-sweet-spot/.

Nate Ray has some 25,000 hungry mouths to feed—all of them the bovine beauties at De Jager Farms’ eight dairies in California’s Central Valley. Specifically, Ray oversees operations on De Jager’s 17,000 acres of farmland, most of which is used to grow corn, wheat and alfalfa.

Over the years, Ray has helped introduce new practices at the farm, including subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). Yet, as is often the case, one change begets another, as when the use of SDI created an even greater need to reduce compaction.

Ray found the solution in the form of a Challenger® MT865E. “We chose this Challenger track machine for our minimum-tillage operations,” says Ray, “and basically it was to reduce our compaction and just to give us more power to the ground that we weren’t getting with our John Deere machines. The Challenger,” which he says has also reduced fuel usage, has “provided more torque, more pulling power and greater efficiency.”

Ray and De Jager also recently switched to AGCO windrowers. “Over the course of two years,” says Ray, “we tried out just about every brand on the market, from New Holland to John Deere to MacDon to Case, and we pretty much fell in love with the AGCO machines.”

In the course of making the change—to two Challenger and two Massey Ferguson® WR9760 self-propelled windrowers—Ray was also able to actually reduce the number of windrowers from six, while making the seven to eight cuttings of alfalfa per year on the same acreage in less time and using less fuel. What’s more, he says, the quality of the cutting is “on par, if not better, with the AGCO rotary heads.”

As for his AGCO dealership, “We’ve been working with Holt of California for about four years now, and their service has been excellent. Their expertise and knowledge of the machines has enabled us to run them to their maximum performance. And we’ve just had a great working relationship with them. They’ve provided excellent customer support.”

For more, see http://www.myfarmlife.com/features/going-underground-irrigation-breakthroughs-in-drought-stricken-california/.

Like his grandfather, Cody Waters buys Massey Ferguson tractors and serves in the military. These days, Waters, who farms both near his current home in Missouri and also where he was raised in Southern Illinois, owns an MF235, an MF275 and an MF285, in addition to two Gleaner F2 combines and an N6 combine.

“They’re standardized. They’re tough and they’re easy to work on,” he says of his AGCO equipment. “They’re nimble, easy to handle and easy on fuel.”

Waters acknowledges that his older equipment does not come without headaches. Breakdowns can be all the more troublesome for someone who works a full-time job, serves in the National Guard, farms in two states and has a young family. Yet his dealership, Lauf Equipment Co. Inc. in Jefferson City, Missouri, has been a port in the storm when repairs are needed, he says, with high praise for the dealer’s ability to respond quickly to his requests.

Cody Waters

He buys parts and gets advice from Lauf’s knowledgeable staff. “They usually have the part on hand, and they have a good service department,” he says.

Waters, who’s been deployed overseas twice in his 15-year career with the Army National Guard, helped Afghan farmers improve their farming operations when he served as part of an Agribusiness Development Team. While in that war-torn country, he witnessed an ingenuity similar to farmers back home. He also saw much of the durability and versatility in Massey Ferguson tractors while there.

USAID donated 40-plus-HP tractors, including MF240 models, to help the Afghan farmers. According to Waters, they were a good fit for the Afghan operations because of their “small size, simplicity [and] power.” The Massey Ferguson machines also got points for durability and fuel efficiency in a country where fuel is expensive and trained mechanics are almost impossible to find.

See the full story on Cody Waters at http://www.myfarmlife.com/features/veteran-farmers-coming-home/.

The recently-launched MF 300 Xtra tractors with exclusive features and comprehensive after-sales support are now available to purchase new exclusively through the official MF Dealer Network.

This range of 50-85hp multi-purpose, entry-level tractors strengthens Massey Ferguson’s position in the lower horsepower sector and offers customers even greater choice.

New MF 300 Xtra Series tractors available exclusively
through official Massey Ferguson Dealers: The MF 385
Xtra Working with a 7 Tine Cultivator in Zambia, Africa.

“Massey Ferguson’s extensive Distributor and Dealer Network is trained by us and is qualified to provide sales and full back-up for our products,” says Thierry Lhotte, Massey Ferguson Vice-President Marketing, Europe/Africa/Middle East. “The new MF 300 Xtra tractors and the wide-ranging after-sales services we offer are available only from accredited Massey Ferguson Dealers. They alone are authorised to sell and support brand-new MF 300 Xtra models which come equipped with exclusive features including sun canopy, front weights, drawbar and trailer tipping pipe.”

“Our highly-professional Massey Ferguson Dealer Network is what sets us apart and protects our customers,” Mr Lhotte emphasises. “Through these outlets, Massey Ferguson customers have access to the complete range of the MF 300 Xtra Tractor Series, 12-month warranty supported by fully qualified MF Dealer technicians, genuine AGCO Parts, maintenance and service programmes, training and advice. Only official outlets holding a Massey Ferguson franchise can offer our factory-backed support.”

To complement the six new MF 300 Xtra tractor models, a new line of Massey Ferguson-branded implements is available including disc harrows, fixed-disc ploughs, subsoilers, planters, trailers and a transport box. Again, these are only offered through the official MF Distribution Network.

“Massey Ferguson and its accredited MF Distribution Network have the tools, the technical knowledge, the specialist programmes, the logistics and the right people to offer world-class support. This is what creates the bond of trust with owners and operators, and is a position we strongly guard in the interests of our customers and their farming operations,” remarks Thierry Lhotte.

Massey Ferguson is proud to announce the introduction of its new MF TH Telehandler Series at Innovagri 2016, Outarville, Loiret, France on 6-8^th September. The new MF TH Telehandler is a powerful addition to Massey Ferguson’s impressive farm machinery line-up, part of its Full Line product strategy.

MF TH Series

Featuring the latest Tier IV final/stage 4 compliant engines, the new MF TH Telehandler series has been updated to boost productivity and performance to meet agricultural demands. The MF TH range includes Telehandlers to meet all requirements, from the semi-compact MF TH.6030 which is ideal for work in restricted spaces, through to the high capacity MF TH.7038 which can lift the heaviest high density bales, offers fast efficient cycles to load grain into trucks and has the power to tow a laden trailer to or from the farm.

Massey Ferguson engineers have farming in their blood, so they’ve designed the new MF TH Telehandler series to provide maximum output and efficiency during all agricultural operations and the entire life cycle of the product.

Each machine offers an outstanding return on investment, great fuel efficiency and low running costs.

Should the owner need extra service, he can rely on the extensive Massey Ferguson Dealer Network offering financing solutions as well as service and repair contracts through the Massey Ferguson’s renowned Manager scheme.

Campbell Scott, Director, Marketing Services and Public Relations Massey Ferguson Europe, Africa & Middle East said: “This new range takes our continuous improvement programme to an ever greater level. With performance and sheer usability at its core, our renowned machines are now equipped with additional advantages for our customers, which will in turn allow them to do their work in greater comfort, with greater productivity and at lower cost.“

Find out more about the MF TH Series