AGCO, Case IH, Claas and Deere among 2025 AE50 Class
ASABE recently announced the winners of its 2025 AE50 Awards. The annual award program celebrates companies and their technological innovations in agricultural, food, and biological systems.
With six AE50 Awards apiece, Case IH and Deere & Company top the list of companies with multiple honors. Others with more than one award include AGCO, Claas, MacDon, and Salford Group.
AE50 Awards are chosen by a panel of technology experts who rank nominations for innovation, engineering advancement, and impact.
The 2025 winners will now be reviewed for selection of the Davidson Prize, presented each year the top three products. This year’s Davidson Prizes will be announced at the 2025 Commodity Classic, being held March 1–4, at the Colorado Convention Center, in Denver.
Learn more and get the full list of winners here.
Bad news at Artic Cat ATV factories in Minnesota
The owner of Arctic Cat, Rhode Island-based Techtron, Inc., is suspending production at Arctic Cat’s facilities in Thief River Falls and its engine manufacturing plant in St. Cloud, The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
In a filing with the SEC, Textron announced it is seeking strategic alternatives for Arctic Cat. “The consumer end market demand for powersports products continues to remain soft,” wrote the company in its filing.
Read the full story over at StarTribune.com.
Busy 2024 Wraps Up at Deere
John Deere recently dropped a new press release detailing the equipment manufacturer’s dedication to U.S. manufacturing over the last 12 months.
The highlights include:
- Plans to expand its Reman Core Center facility in Strafford, Missouri, by an additional 120,000 square feet. The $13.5 million expansion will break ground in mid-2025 and is expected to be completed in 2026.
- Its Waterloo, Iowa, facility recently added a new 9RX High-Horsepower tractor assembly line.
- Invested $48 million to bring its largest combine, the X9, to Harvester Works in East Moline, Illinois, renovating 385,000 square feet of manufacturing space while adding $101 million in equipment and manufacturing processes.
- Deere’s large sprayer facility in Des Moines, Iowa, underwent a $48 million expansion in July 2024.
- Its Seeding facility in Moline, Illinois, underwent a 60,000 square foot expansion costing over $10 million.
- Invested $70 million to build a new 380,000-square-foot factory in Kernersville, North Carolina – expanding its footprint while adding over 150 new jobs.
Get all the details from the full press release over at Deere.com
GSI: Now Is the Time for Grain Storage Maintenance
Harvest is complete and grain is in the bins, but there’s still work to be done, writes GSI in a recent press release.
GSI District Manager Dave Ellis says it’s important that farmers perform postharvest grain system maintenance over the winter months.
Ellis recommends the following maintenance practices:
- Grain pit – Clean out the grain dump pit to prevent it from filling up with debris or allowing any remaining grain to rot, which could attract rodents or other pests. If the pit has a sump pump, ensure it is working to avoid water buildup.
- Grain conveyors – Inspect the bearings on grain legs and conveyors to make sure they are in good working order. Check that grain elevator belts and buckets are intact and that belts are tight and replace as needed.
- Bins – Clean up around grain bins and check for any damage that could allow water to enter, leading to grain spoilage.
- Aeration – Clean fans, removing debris or any other obstructions that could reduce performance. Inspect the motor and electrical connections to determine if any repairs or replacement parts are required.
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