Have you considered a career in the Agriculture industry? It is very rewarding knowing you’re helping farmers feed, fuel and clothe the world! Plus, the ag industry is just plain fun! It’s about working hard and playing hard. It’s about being helpful and respectful to each other and it’s about a common goal of improvement.

Here at Ag Leader there are careers and positions for varying levels experience and skill sets. We have positions ranging from engineering and product management to field sales and technical support. No matter, we all share a common mission to develop new technologies, products and support systems to create a product line of unmatched range, quality and customer satisfaction.

Don’t take our word for it, read about our happy employees here.

Ag Leader is also a great place to work for the generous perks and benefits. Here’s why:

Leadership Opportunities

We value cultural fit and character over a full resume and believe in promoting from within whenever possible. Many of our company leaders started right out of school in our technical support department or production team.

Continuing Education

In the fast-paced technology industry, continuous learning is crucial. Whether it’s getting a degree or attending a conference, we encourage continuing education and provide financial assistance and support to do it.

Aggressive 401k Match

We match up to 6%, and employees are fully vested from day one.

High Quality, Affordable Healthcare

We offer a very affordable and comprehensive family healthcare plan including dental and vision.

Generous Time Off 

Our time off package ensures vacations and sick or personal time ranging from 4 weeks to 6 weeks in total based on tenure. Plus, paid holidays and a 10-day end-of-year break.

End of Year Break

At the end of the year, we close our doors to encourage employees to spend time with their families, rest and wrap up the year. We are closed from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day.

Cash for Workplace Milestones

Get recognized at a bi-annual awards ceremony and receive cash at date of hire anniversaries.

Community Involvement

Ag Leader believes in giving back. We participate in philanthropic efforts that benefit our community.

Does all this sound enticing? Check out our open positions here.

Although it’s difficult to believe, spring planting will be just around the corner. Now’s the time to start preparing to make the most important pass across the field – planting – this 2020 season.

In order to make the most of planting this season, you’ve probably already considered several options to improve over last year. For many, it’s an equipment update; others improve existing equipment by adding technology. Whether you’re taking anything new to the field for 2020, or just planning to make the best of what you already have, there are a few things you need to know to ensure your seeds are placed the BEST that they can be this season.

For any of your new technology or hardware to perform at its peak, there are several general maintenance items on your planter’s row unit that should not go unchecked.

Opening Disks

The primary parts of the row unit that create the seed trench. Perfect seed placement requires a perfect trench.

a. Check for wear – most seeds disks are 15” diameter when new, and they should be replaced if worn at, or past 14.5”

b. Shim properly – target 1.5” – 2” of blade contact area. Using a pair of business cards, slide one in from the top, and the other from the bottom. The space between the cards should be about 2”. Most business cards are 2” wide, so you’ll need to use the tape measure here.

Shimming is important because:

• Too tight generates too much side load on the bearings and will cause premature failure.
• Too loose and the trench is no longer “V” shaped; instead, it looks more like a “W”. Seeds will not fall to the bottom of the trench, causing inconsistent seed depth.

Note:
Always replace the seed tube guard when replacing opening disks. As the opening disks wear, the rock guard will wear unevenly. When new opening disks are installed over a used seed tube guard, premature wear on the opening disks may result. The guard width is also important to keep the edges of the opening disks away from the seed tube. A worn guard may lead to damage at the bottom of the seed tube, causing inconsistent seed within the trench.

Gauge Wheels

Gauge wheels should be adjusted such that when they are pulled away from the opening disks, there is very slight contact.

Proper adjustment is important because:

Proper adjustment is important because:

• Too tight and the gauge wheel will not turn freely. This can cause premature wear to the gauge wheel, or worse yet, it may not turn in softer soils, causing the row unit to plow soil, rather than create a trench.
• Too loose and the gauge wheel will allow dry soil at the surface in between the opening disk and the gauge wheel. The dry soil falls into the trench prior to closing, causing seeds to germinate at varying rates, leading to uneven emergence. In wet conditions, the gap will allow mud to collect inside the gauge wheel, eventually causing it to seize, requiring it to be removed and cleaned.

Closing Wheels

Closing wheels are potentially the most often overlooked adjustment. Closing wheels should be centered over the trench. When running off the side, the trench is folded one way or the other, allowing air pockets to remain in the trench, leading to uneven emergence.

a. Simply pull the lowered planter through the farmyard to verify each closing wheel is centered over the trench.

If adjustments are required, loosen and adjust until the closing wheels are running level and centered over the trench.

We hope you find this information helpful to improve your planter’s performance in the coming year. Be sure to also check out our planting products that will be sure to further improve your performance!

Ag Leader to add SureSpeed, high-accuracy, high-speed planting system to its full-farm precision farming portfolio.

AMES, Iowa, January 7, 2020 –Today, Ag Leader announced its high-speed planting system SureSpeed, to serve row crop farmers with accurate seed placement at speeds up to 12 miles per hour. The meter with integrated delivery system was developed in collaboration with Kinze Manufacturing. Introduction is planned for the 2021 planting season through each company’s respective dealer networks.

“Working with Kinze made sense in many ways because we’re both family-owned companies that put the needs of the farmer first. Leveraging Kinze’s expertise in leading seed meter technology ensured a high-quality product,” said Al Myers, president of Ag Leader. “Ag Leader strives to provide the highest quality year-round platform in precision farming. SureSpeed broadens our planting portfolio allowing us to meet a wide range of grower needs for planter technology.”

Sure At Any Speed

The SureSpeed planting system was created with accuracy of seed placement in mind at all speeds from 3 to 12 mph. Many factors can influence planting speed, and when conditions are right to speed up, farmers don’t want to be limited by their ability to accurately place seeds in the ground. The system is designed to accommodate the need of the farmer at any speed without giving up proper seed placement.

Engineered for Accuracy

Every detail of the SureSpeed system was designed to account for superior accuracy at any speed. Unique meter orientation on the row unit allows seed to move seamlessly between the meter and delivery system resulting in accurate seed placement. Additionally, the meter was designed to handle a variety of seed shapes and sizes accurately and without singulator adjustments for hassle-free planting.

Paired with Ag Leader’s hydraulic down force solution, SureForce®, the system provides the highest available force capacity on the market to maintain consistent ground contact and smooth row unit ride with increasing speed in varying conditions.

Industry-leading Display

Ag Leader’s SureSpeed planting system is controlled by Ag Leader’s industry-leading display, InCommand 1200. The InCommand 1200 display provides a window into your planter to view individual row detail with side-by-side planting performance maps. Additionally, InCommand displays help farmers stay connected by instantly sharing live maps, autoswath coverage, guidance lines and more to other displays. View live or historical field maps and summaries from your phone or tablet anytime, anywhere.

See it in Louisville

Come to Ag Leader’s booth at the 2020 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky February 12-15 for the first showing of the SureSpeed planting system.

In most of the US, this fall was a wet one. Chances are, you didn’t get much of a chance to get fall anhydrous in the ground.

You may have missed the window this year, but here are some tips to keep in mind for next year.

1. At what rate/ threshold of N application do results plateau? 

When developing a nutrient management plan a good place to start is with the 4Rs system: the Right rate, the Right source, the Right placement, and the Right timing. The 4Rs are interrelated and have to be adjusted based on some decisions that you as a grower need to make, but the first step is to decide on what is the right nitrogen rate. This is not an easy answer. Common factors that affect suggested N rates are timing of application, climate, crop rotation, tillage system and soil productivity. When using too little N, a crop such as corn results in lower yields and reduced profits. However, if too much N is applied, profits will be reduced, and environmental impact is likely to occur. Applying most the crop’s N requirements closer to when the plant will use it will result in more efficient uptake and will likely reduce the overall total pounds of N needed. Many land-grant universities have either a Nitrogen calculator that can be used or equations that will help you get started. For a Regional (Corn Belt) Approach, the Maximum Return To Nitrogen (MRTN) can be calculated using a web-based tool called the Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator. The calculator can be found here. The MRTN, profitable N rate range, net return, % of maximum yield, and other information can be calculated directly from N response trial databases for each state. If you still have questions contact your local agronomist, extension agent or soil extension specialist for you state.

2. What are recommended application depths of anhydrous ammonia depending on conditions?

When applying anhydrous ammonia (AA) a depth of at least 6-8” should be maintained. In dry soils, a deeper depth may be needed to get in some moist soil.

3. What problems could various conditions bring to application/nutrient availability?

Ammonia applied in coarse, dry or cloddy soils tend to move from the injection site where considerable amount of ammonia may be lost within just a few days if soil is not sealed well or the injection depth is too shallow. However, ammonia applied in wet soils may move up the injection track if sidewalls are smeared by the anhydrous applicator. Wing sealers (beaver tails) are available that help close the ammonia track. If you smell ammonia after a pass from the anhydrous applicator, adjust your equipment or consider waiting for soil conditions to improve.

4. What are ideal conditions for anhydrous ammonia application? 

When anhydrous ammonia is applied it quickly reacts with organic matter, clay particles, free hydrogen ions, and, most importantly, with soil, water, preventing volatilization of ammonia. Anhydrous ammonia losses to the atmosphere at the time of application depend mostly on soil moisture and depth of injection. Ideal soil conditions are around 15% to 20% soil moisture. An adequate application depth under ideal moisture conditions is about 6’’ for fine-textured soil and 8’’ for coarser textured (sandy) soil.

5. How does spring application practices/ recommendations vary in corn-on-corn? 

The length of the time between applying anhydrous ammonia and when you can plant depends on several factors: AA rate, soil moisture, and application depth. The only risk of planting soon after application is if seeds fall within the ammonia retention zone. To avoid seedling injury, an increase in time or space can be important. If application conditions are less than ideal, then 3 to 5 days before planting is typically enough of a wait to reduce the risk of seedling injury. Under ideal soil moisture conditions and proper application depth of a normal application rate (100 to 200 lbs. N/acre), there is typically little risk of seedling injury, even if seeds are planted on top of the application zone right after AA application. That said, I would still not recommend intentionally planting on top of the AA row. If you have RTK guidance, it is very easy to apply AA between the future corn rows. If RTK guidance is not an option, I recommend applying AA at an angle to the direction of planting to minimize the potential for planting on top of the AA band.

6. When would you recommend post-plant N applications? Can a farmer gain value from it?

The goal of timing nitrogen (N) applications to corn is to supply adequate N when the crop needs it, without supplying excess that can potentially be lost. Applying N at multiple times can spread the risk of N loss and crop deficiency. Corn requires only a fraction of the total N it needs during the seedling stage, but its needs increase rapidly once corn reaches the V8 growth stage (8 leaf collar stage). Corn from V8 to tassel/silking stage (VT/R1) can be reached in about four weeks if conditions are favorable. During this period over half of its total N supply is needed and still the corn plant needs about one-third of plant N during the reproductive (ear-fill) period.

Quite often wet weather can interrupt your spring plans prior to planting. If you get behind with fertilizing prior to planting a post-plant nitrogen application on corn is still an option. Some suggestions include, in order of preference:

• Side-dress inject AA or UAN solutions. Injection can be effective between every row or between every other row.
• Surface dribble UAN between corn rows or between alternating rows.
• Broadcast dry granular urea, UAN solutions, ammonia nitrate or ammonium sulfate.

* Some type of row cultivation is best after surface application of urea and UAN to minimize volatile loss.

In-season (sidedress) N applications allow a grower to adjust planned N supply based on weather variations. If in-season N application is well managed, a grower can glean its potential reward with increased yield.

7. Are there any additional insights on N application you have to add?”

SAFETY:  It is essential that anyone handling anhydrous ammonia wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), be equipped with the necessary response supplies and know how to respond in an emergency. For additional safety and health information pertaining to anhydrous ammonia click here.

Let Ag Leader help you learn more about what’s happening in your field, as well as ours, and get in the know when you grow. Check out the Agronomically Speaking video series on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Investing in any new technology can be daunting but it doesn’t need to be. This series touches on different price points and the technology users can expect to pay for those systems. Due to the variable nature of farm machinery these prices are ballpark figures, your local precision ag expert can hone-in pricing on your equipment.

It’s Thanksgiving Day in the US and we’re thankful for our hardworking farmers and loyal dealers today and everyday. Ag Leader will be closed Thursday and Friday to enjoy the holiday, we will return Monday, December 2nd. We wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving! 

With harvest coming to an end, it is time to start thinking about preparing for tile planning and installation. From checking over tiling equipment to designing and creating tile plans, both can save time and headaches while in the field. Below are a few items to keep in mind when starting to prepare for the tiling season.

At the beginning of the season, before getting to installing tile, it is good practice to check the plow and system over to make sure everything is ready to both survey and install.

Things to check/remember:

Plow Wear Points:

Make sure plow wear points are within spec according to your plow manual.

Cable Connections:

Check to ensure cable connections are fully seated, if components of the system have been used for other operations since last season. (e.g. RTK GPS receiver)

Hydraulic Connections:

Verify that pitch up/down commands make the plow respond in the proper manner.

Verify Plow Measurement:

Plow measurements should be checked to ensure elevation recordings are accurate. This is especially important in cases where the grower is using a different brand  RTK receiver than last season.

Pitch Zero Calibration Number:

To ensure the Pitch Zero calibration number is still accurate, it is good practice to perform a blank AutoTile® install run. Pitch Zero can then be compared to the Suggested Calibration, if value difference is greater than 10, update Pitch Zero to match Suggested Calibration.

Stay tuned for part two of this blog where we’ll discuss water management operations in SMS. For more Intellislope resources, check out the InCommand Feature User Guide, Ag Leader® Integra Quick Reference Guide and the Intellislope Frequently Asked Questions.

Looking for a better GPS solution for planting?

Order a TerraStar-C unlock for GPS 6500 and get a TerraStar-C one-year subscription for $1. 

Order a TerraStar-C Pro unlock for GPS 7500 and get a TerraStar-C Pro one-year subscription for $1.

TerraStar-C Pro 

TerraStar-C Pro is an improved TerraStar signal created just for the GPS 7500 receiver. It offers quicker convergence and higher accuracy. TerraStar-C Pro fills the gap between cost and performance, simplicity and reliability. 

• 1’’-2’’ repeatable accuracy
• 3-month and 12-month subscriptions available
• Free 5-day demo

TerraStar-C 

TerraStar-C was the first TerraStar correction signal Ag Leader offered, starting when the GPS 6500 receiver was introduced in late 2014. This correction signal filled a niche between those needing something better than WAAS for high accuracy repeatable field operations such as spraying, planting or steering but did not need the absolute accuracy (nor cost) of RTK. 

• TerraStar-C is a correction signal option for the GPS 6500 receiver.
• TerraStar-C provides 2”-4” (5CM) repeatable accuracy
• 3-month and 12-month subscriptions available
• Free 5-day demo