Equipment Technologies opens the ET Ag Center

The ribbon is cut officially opening the ET Ag Center.

Equipment Technologies, home of the award-winning Apache sprayer and the largest independently owned manufacturer of agriculture self-propelled sprayers in North America, expands its operation by opening the ET Ag Center adding 56 new jobs by 2015.

“Equipment Technologies has seen a growing trend of growers searching for knowledge and thought leadership when it comes to precision farming and application in general. The ET Ag Center is built to share our application knowledge and train the next generation of precision growers,” said Equipment Technologies CEO Matt Hays.

In the fall of 2011, Equipment Technologies split into two divisions: one to focus on its award-winning Apache line of self-propelled sprayers, and the other to focus on parts distribution, service and training. The ET Ag Center is the logistics, service and knowledge backbone of SpraySmarter.com, ET’s e-commerce, online sprayer parts sales website. SpraySmarter.com also has a parts sales counter inside the ET Ag Center for local customers to pick up and purchase sprayer parts.

The ET Ag Center is also responsible for wholesaling both Apache sprayer parts and other best-in-class precision and application sprayer products to retailers throughout the United States, Canada, Ukraine, and Australia.

The ET Ag Center will lead the way in training and instruction, with a focus on sharing precision agriculture education to the grower. Included in the ET Ag Center are multiple precision agriculture classrooms for spraying clinics, commercial applicator license renewal classes and simulated precision training utilizing field computers from the top two manufacturers in precision agriculture, Raven and Trimble. Having all of these offerings under one roof will uniquely benefit growers from around the world as they seek to expand their application-focused education and hands-on training. 

“From a training standpoint, we have grown leaps and bounds with the creation of the ET Ag Center. We are increasing the number of training and service events with the added classrooms and resources to better educate the grower,” said ET’s director of parts and service Kevin Covey. “From a parts standpoint, we can better serve the local applicator with the addition of an in-house SpraySmarter.com sales counter. Online orders can also be ship within 24 hours with a brand new logistical infrastructure, thanks in part to the additional space.”

Throughout the planning of the ET Ag Center, the emphasis was on research and development of the Apache, ET’s award-winning self-propelled sprayer. Included in the construction are a test track and proving grounds located behind the ET Ag Center with the sole focus of product development for the Apache sprayer. The track encompasses a 45-foot high hill with varying grades ranging from 10% to 40% and multiple terraces, representing different topographical land conditions Apache customers maneuver over.

“This testing track and proving grounds are significant for our continued success,” said ET’s director of engineering Chad Ringer. “ET truly prides itself on listening to our customers. We can now experiment and implement the ideas of our customers, fine tune a quality product, and let our customers enjoy the additional benefits.”

Aligning with ET’s dedication to continuous improvement and constant innovation for the Apache is sales and service training support. These training efforts will cater to our over 200 Apache customers residing in Indiana and nearly 3,000 more around the world.

Equipment Technologies, employing 97 Indiana residents with 52 living in Morgan County, was able to proceed with this necessary expansion from state, county and city government support. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation provided $550,000 in performance-based tax credits and $25,000 in training grants based on Equipment Technologies’ job creation strategy. The Mooresville Town Council provided infrastructure assistance abatement to property tax per the request of the Morgan County Economic Development Corporation.

"It's great to know local government saw the need for our growth and responded the way they did. Equipment Technologies is grateful to have the support from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Morgan County Economic Development Corporation and the Mooresville Town Council for this expansion of our research and training facilities,” said ET’s materials manager Jeff Goodman. “Throughout construction of the ET Ag Center, Equipment Technologies solely focused on using as many local vendors, contractors and subcontractors as possible.”

Equipment Technologies is the largest independently-owned manufacturer of self-propelled sprayers in North America. Operating from its 168,000 square foot complex in Mooresville, Ind., the company distributes its sprayers and sprayer parts throughout North America, Ukraine and Australia through a network of independent dealers.

The ET Ag Center is located at 455 Merriman Road, approximately 0.5 miles south of ET’s manufacturing facility in Mooresville, Indiana.

Practice Sprayer Safety

We've noticed in the news recently a growing number of incidents involving sprayers. Some of which have taken place in a field, others have taken place on the roadways.

It's important to be cautious when operating large farm machinery, including your sprayer. Below we've listed some general tips to ensure you practice sprayer safety:

• Know your sprayer and operate it properly
• Review your safety precautions in your owner's manual
• Never operate your sprayer after consuming alcohol
• Wear your seat belt in the cab of the sprayer when in use
• Be sure to unfold your sprayer booms away from power lines
• Be aware of where power lines cross or border your field
• Always turn your hazard lights on when driving on roadways
• Have a slow-moving vehicle (SMV) sign displayed on the back of the sprayer
• Look before pulling out on to a roadway or backing up in reverse
• Turn off the sprayer before leaving it unattended

To learn more safety tips avoiding risks on the farm, visit the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety.

Three critical tips when applying postemergence corn herbicide

In some parts of the Corn Belt, the plant is already towering to two feet tall. This has much of the crop in the northern region far enough along to be in V3 growth stage. As early as corn is growing, farmers need to remember these three strategic tips to remember when applying their postemergence corn herbicide.

Size is significant

All postemergence corn herbicide labels spell out the usage at different growth stages of the crop, typically by the height of the crop or by leaf stage. Aaron Hager, Associate Professor of Weed Science at the University of Illinois, recommends following the most restrictive usage instructions to avoid crop injury.

"Corn plant height is commonly used on many herbicide labels, but height is not always an accurate indicator of a plant's true physiological maturity. Determining plant height may seem relatively straightforward, but using different benchmarks for measurement can lead to different plant heights," said Hager. "Generally, height of a corn plant is determined by measuring from the soil surface to the arch of the uppermost leaf that is at least 50% emerged from the whorl (a circle of three or more leaves at the same joint of the stem). Be sure to measure several plants in a given field and average the numbers. plant height is obviously influenced by many factors, including genetics and the growing environment. Adverse environmental conditions, such as cool air or soil temperatures, hail, and others, can greatly retard plant height and result in corn plants that are physiologically older than their height suggests."

Hager says farmers should accurately count leaves on the crop and determine the crop's height before applying. To count leaves, start with the short first leaf and end with the leaf at least half emerged from the whorl. Remember that some leaves may have been lost from hail or frost.

Critical timing creates better yields

Applying postemergence herbicide at the proper stage of growth, as we stated above, can make or break a corn crop's full yield potential. The longer weeds sit in the field among the crop, the greater the risk of a reduced yield. Weeds sitting in a field are more likely to absorb moisture necessary to the crop's development. In addition, the weed's root can damage the corn's root, causing the plant to become "floppy" and inadequate to continue proper growth.

"Weed scientists generally suggest an interval, based on either weed size (in inches) or days after crop/weed emergence, during which postemergence herbicides should be applied to avoid crop yield loss through weed interference," says Hager. "A sommon recommendation is to remove weeds in corn before they exceed about two inches tall."

Smaller weeds are easier to control than larger ones. In addition, Hager states it's been proven that herbicide absorption is more effective in younger weeds than older ones.

Apply when conditions are right

Mother Nature plays such a vital role with everyday duties around the farm. The same can be said about applying postemergence herbicides to corn.

"High air temperatures and relative humidity levels favor rapid absorption of postemergence herbicides, and environmental-induced crop stress can enhance injury from herbicides. Cool air temperatures and wet soil are examples of environmental conditions that can induce crop stress. Crops under stress often cannot metabolize herbicide rapidly enough to preclude injury symptoms," says Hager.

Tips to minimize spray drift

Courtesy of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Univ. of California

Although spray drift is something that will be a constant when it comes to liquid application, it is a problem well within the realm of making more efficient applications. Controlling spray drift not only saves the environment, but can save your pocketbook from retaining precious herbicide.

"Spray drift needs to be minimized to avoid any crop injury and adverse effects on areas outside the spray target area," said Dallas Peterson, Department of Agronomy professor at Kansas State University. "Minimizing spray drift is not only important from and economic and legal standpoint, but also from a public relations standpoint."

Here are some simple tips to keep in mind before heading out into the field:

Wind Speed

"There is no absolute right answer to the question regarding when is it too windy to spray. Labels will provide maximum wind speeds that can't be exceeded to remain in compliance with the label. However, it still may be too windy to safely spray at lower wind speeds if a highly susceptible crops is downwind of the application," said Peterson. "In that situation, the only safe time to spray is when the weed is in the opposite direction. Common sense has to be a major factor in determining when and where it is safe to spray to avoid herbicide drift problems."

Spray Pressure and Spray Speed

The smaller the droplet, the greater odds of creating drift. In addition, smaller droplets are created by higher spray pressures. Pressure shouldn't exceed 40 psi.

"The appropriate spray pressure is critical to produce a good spray pattern and droplet size," said Peterson. Increasing spray pressure reduces spray droplet size and increases the number of fine spray droplet particles that are most susceptible to spray drift. The appropriate spray pressure to optimize performance and minimize drift will depend on the type of spray tip being utilized."

Booms and Nozzles

Position the booms as close to the crop canopy to ensure application reaches the ground. Nozzle tips and pressure is determined by the individual herbicide. Read the label of each chemical to learn proper resistance specifications.

"Spray nozzle selection can have a big impact on the potential for spray drift because of the effect on spray droplet size and spectrum," said Peterson.

Droplet Size

Small microns, 100 to 200 for example, will create a greater risk of spray drift. Larger droplets won't be a susceptible to drift.

"Smaller spray droplets are more susceptible to movement by wind, especially the very fine droplets that can stay suspended longer and moved longer distances," said Peterson.

Prepare for severe weather in the field

Courtesy: Georgia Farm Bureau

Severe weather can pop up in the field with minimal warning, leaving little time to prepare. High winds, severe thunderstorms and tornados are all things farmers need to keep a watchful eye to the sky for while working in their field.

“Thunderstorms can form quite rapidly, within several minutes. Tornados usually come about after strong storms have formed and organized into "supercells". This organizational process can occur over tens of minutes but can sometimes take up to an hour or more,” said Greg Carbin, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.

While the central plains of America are nicknamed “Tornado Alley”, these deadly twisters are not limited to any one region. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States average over 1,200 tornados each year. A distant second on the list is Canada, averaging 100 tornados per year. Tornados most commonly form from April to July; however they can occur at any time of year with the right conditions.

“If shelter is unavailable, persons should attempt to move away from the storm. Know where the storms are in relation to your position and be prepared to leave any open area without adequate shelter in the event a tornado is spotted,” said Carbin.

If you find yourself in an open field, stop the machine you’re operating and get out. Lie in a low area or ditch away from the machine. Cover your head and neck with your arms to protect from flying debris. Do not try to outrun a tornado in your machine. A tornado’s speed and direction are deceptive, shifting constantly. Know which buildings near your field can offer the best protection, such as a building with a basement or a sturdy interior space in a barn. It’s important to stay away from the outside walls of the shelter you seek.

While thunderstorms are less destructive, NOAA reports an average of 54 people die in the United States from a lightning strike. Carbin says farmers should watch for increasingly warm, humid and cloudy conditions when anticipating a thunderstorm.

“If lightning is observed, head for better shelter. Lightning will not pose much of threat if you can remain in a vehicle,” said Carbin.

In an open field, find a low spot away from trees, fences, and poles. Make sure the place is not subject to flooding. If you are in the woods, take shelter under shorter trees. If you have no shelter, make yourself the smallest target by squatting low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Minimize contact with the ground, and place your hands on your knees with your head between them when your skin tingles or your hair stands on end. If you are in a tractor or other vehicle during an electrical storm, stay put. Vehicles often provide better protection than lying exposed in open fields.

Have a plan when severe weather is possible. Check weather reports before planning work activities. Make sure you have a way of receiving weather information while you work, especially at remote locations. You can download weather apps for a smart phone or use a weather radio band inside your machine.

“If tornados are expected, then the plan should include more than a vehicle for shelter. Seek a sturdy building and stay away from windows,” said Carbin.

Self-propelled Sprayer ROI - Part II

Self-propelled Sprayer ROI Part II: Performing a Cost-of-Ownership Calculation Navigating the purchase of a self-propelled (SP) sprayer can be intimidating. You may be asking yourself such questions as: "Can I afford it given the acreage I farm?" "I know it is a good investment, but how long will it take to pay for itself?" "Is it better for my operation to buy or lease?" "Are there tools out there to help me justify the investment to a lender?" "Can government tax incentives help defray costs?" Our Cost of Ownership tool answers all these questions and more, including the simplest question stopping you from owning an SP sprayer…"Will it make me money?" Understanding Inputs and Costs In all business decisions, you need to understand the costs associated with an investment in order to understand the benefits. Over the years, with the help of our customers and dealers, we clearly defined the inputs and costs of various application methods to show you an apples-to-apples comparison between your current method and an SP sprayer. The calculations often include current ownership of a pull-behind (PB) sprayer, hiring custom applicators, or both. In other words, to calculate the cost of owning an SP sprayer you have to factor in all the costs associated with your current application method to make an apt comparison. Our cost-of-ownership tool does just that. We begin by looking at the inputs… Acres versus sprayed acres – Unlike planting and harvesting, application often requires going over the field multiple times. Therefore, in considering application methods we calculate acreage not by the planted acre, but by the sprayed acre. Custom application labor – If you hire custom applicators, you no doubt know what they charge by the acre. You also know what they charge for chemicals. Pull-behind costs – Our calculator includes worksheets to help isolate the costs associated with operating a PB sprayer. In reality, most PB owners also hire custom applicators, so we need to account for both costs. Annual operation costs of a SP sprayer – These costs include fuel, maintenance, operator's wages, and insurance. Tax benefits and other accounting-related considerations – Because an SP sprayer is not a minor purchase, accelerated or bonus depreciation may be involved. Most importantly, Section 179 depreciation certainly applies in the case of SP sprayer ownership. Resale value (equity in the asset) – Over the years you own a sprayer, how well does it hold its value? Without strong resale, return on investment (ROI) will be difficult to achieve. Understanding Intangible Benefits While this white paper primarily concerns specific cost-benefit analysis for SP sprayers, ownership conveys numerous intangible benefits as well. Some, like comfort, are universal but others, like timeliness, may vary based on your region. For example, if you needed to eradicate a late season infestation, being able to spray promptly on your schedule instead of hiring custom applicators saves you money. It also adds peace of mind that the calculator cannot measure, but may make a significant impact on your yields. Financing Options, Tax Benefits, Valuation of the Asset, and Resale Value Buy or lease? – Both buying and leasing SP sprayers have advantages, depending on your specific situation. Leasing allows for ownership without the burden of a large initial cash investment and may come with lower annual payments. On the other hand, buying the sprayer may have stronger advantages related to ROI, particularly because of resale. Tax benefits (in greater detail) – We previously touched on tax incentives, and mentioned Section 179 - straight line and bonus deprecation. For tax year 2012, Section 179 allows you to depreciate up to $139,000 of an equipment purchase in year one of operation. Additionally, 50% bonus depreciation can be applied to the difference between the purchase price of your sprayer and the $139,000 Section 179 allows. Finally, your tax advisor can use a regular depreciation schedule for the remaining useful life of the sprayer. Valuation of the asset and resale value – When considering purchasing costs and costs of ownership, we must also evaluate the purchase decision pre- and post-tax, and examine the difference between straight and discounted cash flows. We all have to pay taxes and your purchasing decisions impact your tax bill. When you perform the cost-of-ownership calculation, we assume that you paid the taxes at the time of purchase. Simply put, it is a cash savings and it contributes greatly to ROI. Our calculator also simplifies straight cash flow and discounted cash flow. Our ROI calculations use either a straight cash flow or discounted cash flow analysis. However, our sample calculation in this white paper uses the discounted cash flow method because it takes into consideration the time value of money. That is, a dollar in your hand today is worth more than the prospect of gaining a dollar tomorrow. Therefore, using the discounted cash flow method of arriving at ROI calculations presents a clearer picture of our assessment. Performing a Sample Calculation In order to illustrate our sample calculation, we created a producer's profile for John Q. Farmer using numbers taken from within our cost-of-ownership tool. Sprayed acres John Q. Farmer farms 1,500 acres of beans, which he sprays two times 1,500 acres of corn, which he sprays two times 800 acres of wheat, which he sprays three times Total application acres: 8,400 Outsourcing and pull-behind costs Currently, John runs a PB sprayer and he also typically hires custom applicators to spray when he can't get his PB into the field. Given two applications with his PB and one custom application per year, John's annual cost for his current application method is $5.50 per acre, or $46,200. Depreciation details - Section 179 (year one only) - John will be taking the full $139,000 - 50% bonus (year one only) - $30,500 - Straight depreciation - after the Section 179 and 50% have been exhausted, the regular depreciation schedule begins Financing details Purchase Price: $200,000 Interest rate: 3.9% Term: four years Down payment: $40,000 Self-propelled sprayer operating costs: John figures the following annual operating costs of his new SP sprayer: - Fuel $2,660 ($3.80/gallon) - Maintenance $500 - Operator $2,520 ($15/hour) - Insurance $1,600 (0.8% of the purchase price) Total annual operating costs: $7,280 Will the purchase of an SP sprayer make John money? Yes! Compared to John's current spraying method, owning a self-propelled sprayer will have: - An ROI of $10,626 per year compared to his current spraying method - A savings of $1.26/sprayed acre compared to a combination of PB and custom applications - Cost per application acre of $2.07 Now, click here to look at the details of how we arrived at $10,626 annual ROI (Refer to the breakout image above for the following section) Line 1: Here we have our costs for running the PB twice and hiring the custom applicator once. Line 2: The -$140,252 is the net present value, or what the total expense after four years, of running a PB and hiring custom applicators is worth in today's dollars. Lines 3 – 8: These figures represent what it costs to operate the SP sprayer you're thinking about buying. Lines 9 – 15: Cash savings from depreciation, interest and salvage value are just that… cash savings. Lines 16: The -$87,123 is the net present value, or what the total cash savings after five years of running your SP sprayer is worth in today's dollars. Line 17: This is John's ROI. You might be wondering, why is it that two negative numbers are being added up to make a positive number? Well, we are not saying it doesn't cost money to own and operate an SP sprayer. We're saying that it costs significantly less to do so when compared to the current combination of PB and custom application. More about ET's Cost of Ownership Calculator You probably noted that in our sample calculation a lot of math seems to happen behind the scenes. Equipment Technology's Cost-of-Ownership Calculator performs calculations such as financing options and different depreciation choices automatically. The tool outputs the summary on one page, as seen below, for your tax account, your banker, or the Missus. Guys, our calculator does not factor in the cost of your wife's new kitchen once you have convinced her to let you buy an SP sprayer…you are on your own there. Interested in a self-propelled sprayer cost of ownership analysis? Contact Nick Smith, Apache sprayer Sales Manager at Equipment Technologies. (866-463-0452) or nick.smith@etsprayers.com Est. average resale value of Apache sprayers after five years is 76% based on actual experience calculated by Equipment Technologies. The resale value shown in the above example is 66% after five years to give a more conservative estimate.

Applicators need to be on guard for early insect emergence

The shorter than usual winter has brought warm weather early this year. Because of this unseasonably warm trend for March, farmers are expected to see more bugs in their fields.

"We're seeing insects active 2-3 weeks early up north this year," says Phillip Pellitteri, Insect Diagnostician for the University of Wisconsin-Extension. "That's historic."

Much of the United States did not experience a harsh winter freeze. This allows subsurface wintering insects to emerge earlier than usual not having to wait long for the soil to soften. Pellitteri says insects in Wisconsin he's watching are bean leaf beetles and alfalfa weevil.

"The lack of significant winter weather is causing critters to pop out sooner, and in some cases there are more of them than usual," says Pellitteri. "Typically this many insect eggs wouldn't survive a harsh winter. I think we reached -5 degrees once this winter in Madison where in years past we would hit -20 degrees."

Aphids are under watch in the Ohio River Valley. Doug Johnson, Extension Entomologist for the University of Kentucky, echos the same winter conditions.

"You just never know when spring will get here," says Johnson. "We're breaking some [high temperature] records daily. It's unusual, but not unknown."

The short, mild winter can present the right conditions for additional insect generation. Greater numbers of some insects may be experienced due to early emergence from the extended length of season.

"My advice is to be ready," says Johnson. "Things are coming up early and farmers need to be on their toes. Don't go into this spring thinking it's a normal year. Act quick at the first sign of insects."