Reading Time: 5 minutes During Agritechnica 2013 in Hannover, Germany, I was invited to an informal dinner with some representatives of DLG, the German Agricultural Society, which organizes the show. I ended up sitting next to DLG’s agricultural economist, so it was a perfect opportunity to discuss a variety of topics affecting farmers on both sides of the Atlantic. […] Read more
Secret deals for agricultural equipment regulations
Free trade with the EU is supposed to offer a chance to standardize ag equipment regulations, but the talks are behind closed doors, and the industry is getting worried
PHOTOS: Tractors with BIG horsepower
Machinery Guide looks at offerings from New Holland, Claas, Massey Ferguson, John Deere and Case IH
Reading Time: < 1 minute There’s really no telling how much bigger these machines will get. Just when it appeared that 500 hp was a safe upper limit, manufacturers pushed right through. Below, Machinery Guide looks at five big tractor series, some with tracked technology and others with cab or transmission enhancements for 2015. All boast big horsepower, which in […] Read more
Hanson Acres: Where is this flight heading?
When the tourist brochure arrived, it looked so innocent
Reading Time: 5 minutes You’re really sure this is a good idea?” Dale asked his wife. “Dale, I’ve had the tickets since December,” Donna said. Then her phone beeped and she looked down at the screen in her hand while she kept talking. “It’s a little late to go changing my mind now. I’d let the other women down. […] Read more
Forage equipment sees major technology boon
Machinery Guide looks at forage equipment from Krone, New Holland, Vermeer, Claas and John Deere
Reading Time: 4 minutes Don’t stop with the models we’ve highlighted from the five manufacturers below. We’re bringing you news on some of the most innovative and efficient models, but forage equipment as a sector is experiencing a major technology boom. Most manufacturers have unveiled multiple new designs in the past 12 months, particularly Deere, New Holland and Vermeer. […] Read more
Hanson Acres: Please answer the phone!
By the morning of the third day, Dale Hanson was worried
Reading Time: 4 minutes “I don’t know why he’s not answering his phone,” Dale said to his wife Donna. “Remember the last time you got all worked up about Ed not answering the phone?” Donna said, looking up from her magazine. “He was at a fish fry in the trailer court.” The first year his father had packed up […] Read more
Shifting borders in the farm machinery business
Get ready to buy a whole lot more from your equipment dealer than just equipment
Reading Time: 5 minutes Have you ever seen an International Harvester refrigerator, or a Massey-Ferguson cream separator? They were farmyard fixtures at one time. Farmers bought them from their local farm machinery dealership while buying a wide variety of other essentials too. Over time, those equipment dealers evolved from that “everything-you-need-we’ve-got” business model to become machinery specialists, strictly purveyors […] Read more
Manufacturing talent
Executives at the major equipment manufacturers know their brands can’t succeed without the right people on the payroll
Reading Time: 5 minutes Among the Big Four farm equipment brands, John Deere owns the largest slice of the North American market, and the bosses at its world headquarters in Moline, Illinois, have no intention of letting that change any time soon. In December they revealed their updated, long-term corporate strategy to investors, outlining how they intend to keep […] Read more
Farm equipment to help speed up your day
Machinery Guide looks at innovative equipment from Bobcat, Sunflower, Yetter and Brandt
Reading Time: 4 minutes With spring on the horizon, Country Guide is providing a quick update on new equipment that doesn’t plant or harvest, or haul or spray. Even so, these are innovative designs that can prove just as valuable in the broader scope of all that’s happening on the farm these days. So have a look, and if […] Read more
Hanson Acres: It’s a rink out there
When Dale takes grandson Connor to the arena, all sorts of things begin to slip
Reading Time: 5 minutes Dale Hanson and his son Jeff were out in the shop, trying to fix the electric tarp on their semi trailer. They’d hoped it was just a bad switch, but by mid-morning they’d figured out that the electric motor was seized. They were going to have to go to Regina for a new one before […] Read more
Hanson Acres: Slipping into the dealership
It’s business — big business — but they’re off to a bumpy start
Reading Time: 5 minutes Damn idiot ought to get a ticket. Driving like that,” Dale shouted, hitting the brakes. The truck slid a little on the slippery highway, but Dale held the wheel and slowed to 80 without coming too close to the back of the green Chevy Malibu in front of them. Dale waited impatiently for his chance […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
