As part of this coverage and that being shared online at www.farm-equipment.com, Farm Equipment staff put together its largest contingent of on-assignment reporters to attend four large equipment shows — the Farm Progress Show, Big Iron, Ohio Farm Science Review and Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show. Several trends were noticed at this year’s show.

1 With softened markets expected, more manufacturers unveiled innovations (most “incremental-type” introductions) this fall than in prior years. Several manufacturers indicated they had “moved up” their unveilings to capture farmers’ interest heading into the important fourth quarter with expectations for a downtrend.

2 With bin-busting crops, exhibitors with residue-management equipment benefited from an opportunistic market. With corn producers facing residue volumes they hadn’t seen in some time, interest was high in residue solutions.

3 Equipment tied to livestock, hay and forage appeared to be drawing greater attention. In their post-show analysis, Baird Analysts noticed significantly more aggressive financing than in large equipment, and that some OEMs were chasing the livestock markets due to its relative strength.

Tom Evans, vice president of Great Plains Manufacturing, may have put it best. “Innovation will sell in any market.” Despite lower commodity prices, he says, smart farmers are always seeking ways to sharpen the bottom line. He added that reductions in fertilizer costs, and significantly higher yields, can be found through technology investments that allows farmers to deploy their already-purchased precision ag investments.

What you see on the pages that follow is just a sampling of products that caught editors attention that were ready for dealer orders today. More product information, including videos filmed at the show, is available at www.farm-equipment.com. You’ll want to turn to the Annual Farm Equipment SHOWCASE in January to learn more about what editors learned is coming your way in 2015.

Head to www.farm-equipment.com to see the newest products introduced by the majors this summer.

The Claas Xerion, 4WD tractor is now available in North America. With 3 packages available and up to 530 horsepower, the rigid frame Xerion provides many industry first options for the 4WD tractor market such as: 31 mph transport speed, front 3-point hitch, full turning cab, CVT, on board air and an optional 23,000 pound hydraulic drawbar.

For the first time, Kinze Mfg. unveiled its 4900 multi-hybrid planter. Using a mapping and planting prescription, the unit can plant two different corn hybrids in fields according to soil conditions and drainage quality. Farmers can choose an aggressive hybrid for high-producing fields, while opting for a less aggressive variety for lower producing areas. Testing of the technology for 3 years showed a 5-9 bushel per acre increase in corn yields. Kinze says it will be more broadly releasing the system this year, working with four different seed companies that are bringing the early adopters out. Kinze dealers are then brought in to work out the details with the customer.

After making its debut at the Commodity Classic, Versatile showed the Farm Progress Show attendees the new SX240 and SX480 self-propelled sprayers for the first time. According to Grant Lien, the Tier 4-compliant units (featuring the MaxTorque 2-wheel mechanical drive system), offer the largest cabs in the industry (140. cu. ft. of volume area with 73.5 sq. ft. of high-visibility glass) and several other key advancements, including front-operator entry and much more user-friendly and easy-to-access plumbing systems.

Brand new to North America, AGCO introduced the Fendt 700 tractor series. With engine horsepower ratings from 145-240, the 700 tractors feature a new Varioterminal, LED lighting package, front PTO and three-point hitch. They also have Tier 4 6-cylinder diesel engines and an increased hydraulic capacity — reaching up to 54 gallons per minute. One highlight of the series is the ability to pre-program heights. “I can automatically program that height in, so every time I click my loader joystick, the loader just automatically goes,” says AGCO’s Conor Bergin. Row-crop tires are also a new feature that’s available to the lineup. The 700 series includes six models and will be available to dealers in January 2015.

Schaffer Loaders’ 9630T telescopic wheel loader has an output of 123 hp and can lift 5,000-8,000 pounds. The boom extends 5 feet for a lifting height of 17.5 feet. The 9630T features hydrostatic all-wheel drive with a limited slip differential and wide flotation tires. This compact machine is designed for dairy farmers to load TMR mixers. The additional 5 feet of lift height allows this smaller model to match the lift height of a larger machine.

GSI (Grain Systems Inc.) introduced two new grain storage products to provide farmers with increased storage capacity, improved harvest efficiency and greater strength to handle heavier loads.  The new 40-Series 4-inch corrugated grain bin and VersaLoop round tube chain conveyor will be available for shipment in the first quarter of 2015. The new 4-inch bins are built taller with a smaller footprint, offering capacities up to 282,000 bushels. The VersaLoop round tube chain conveyor offers a modular design that can move up to 6,000 bushels per hour to speed up their harvest and can reach a maximum incline of 60 degrees, with minimal external support, to load taller grain bins.

Fluidall’s diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) system transports and refills DEF easily in the shop and in the field. The design of this 120-gallon tank provides a visual fluid DEF inventory. The tank is made from virgin polyethylene UL-rated food grade resins. The system includes the DEF storage tank, a forklift-ready poly pallet, and point-of-use dispenser that is completely closed, sealed and secure. Refillable from large bulk DEF, the portable tank is manufactured for multi-use applications and is reliable, secure and refillable with the contaminant-free Micro Matic closed system.

FrontLink offers a camera guidance system for cultivators. The camera is mounted on the outer wing and sends information to a computer mounted at the center of the unit. This keeps cultivator teeth on the crop so they are only centimeters off the actual crop. With 50 cm of travel on the slider frame, the unit constantly adjusts to keep the teeth as close as possible. If there is a lot of wind, the unit can be programmed for the camera to readjust.

The Flex Seeder kits introduced by Elliott Mfg. and Precision Ag Technologies are now available as an aftermarket product to replace chain and sprocket drives on existing planters. The Flex Seeder features an individual on/off control system for precise planting and to help eliminate skips and doubles. The Flex Seeder system is easy to install and is maintenance free.

Hiniker debuted its new 6000 strip-till unit with updated row units. The new model, available in 2015, featured row cleaners behind the coulters, which allow for easier adjustment and better residue management capabilities. The row units also offer optional row cleaners, specially designed to clear residue ahead of the berming discs without throwing soil out of the strip. Dual “walking” gauge wheels behind the row cleaners press residue down ahead of the shank.

Schaffert Mfg. showcased its new “Chicken Track” closer that can replace press wheels on Case IH planters when running in wetter conditions. The closer — which applies pressure at two points at all times on the tracks — is designed to mulch soils over the seedbed and firm soil over the row, rather than possibly smearing the soil with a press wheel, says Schaffert’s Dennis Renfro. “It won’t gum up with dirt or split open down the middle as bad as with a rubber wheel,” he says. “And it helps stitch close the top of the furrow.”

New from Kuhn Krause is the 50-foot Excelerator. The 50 foot model was designed for the large horsepower customers running 500 horsepower and higher. It features the Excalibur blades for vertical tillage, along with star-wheel technology for residue mixture and 24/7 conditioning wheels. This unit will be available for new orders in 2015.

BBI Spreaders unveiled its new Javelin unit, which Lee Kilpatrick says offers the largest capacity of any single-axle top dress spreader on the market. With a 120 foot swath, the Javelin saves time and fuel cost for farmers who can make fewer passes for each spread task.

New for 2014 is the Bestway Pro-Mount 360 3-point mount sprayer. Featuring an industry exclusive hydraulic front folding Pro-Flex 60 foot spray boom built from Bestway’s proprietary FiberWorks fiberglass composite material, it’s 3 times more impact-resistant than steel with significantly less weight. A 300-gallon oval product tank helps keep the weight close to the tractor for improved lift capacity. Options for the Pro-Mount 360 include a 50 gallon rinse tank system, electric fence row nozzles, 2-Sensor AutoGlide automatic boom height control, as well as several spray controller options.

Trelleborg featured its TM1000 high power radial tires designed the company’s Blue Tire technology to “fully respect the environment.” This radial range of tires is aimed at high horsepower tractors, according to Andrea Masella. He says the company will be introducing a new line of tires for self-propelled sprayers in the near future.

Yetter Mfg. showcased its new Strip-Fresheners, strip-till row units that help to dry out and prepare berms ahead of planting. The row units feature residue managers, parallel linkage to maintain depth and a liquid fertilizer tube for optional application of a starter fertilizer in the strip. “If you already have a strip-till bar and are using a knife-type setup, this is a low dollar item to help condition the strips and create a good seedbed ahead of planting,” says Yetter’s Andy Thompson.

Hillco Technologies introduced the new Single Pass Round Bale System (SPRB) for use with John Deere 569 standard round balers and S-Series ProDrive Combines offering continuous baling with no stopping. The revolutionary SPRB System allows you to harvest and bale in one pass, requiring less equipment and manpower, and maximizes overall efficiency and productivity.

The Rite Way Mfg. Crush Rite low input crimper roller is designed for organic farmers, who want to reduce the amount of crop inputs they are using, no-till farmers who need help managing trash that doesn’t break down over the winter, farmers who want to prevent soil erosion and farmers experimenting with new crops and cover crops. The Crush Rite has a narrow transport width of 13.5 feet, a larger diameter drum and short roller sections, and a four-way, heavy duty flexible knuckle with a 1.75 inch knuckle pin for constant ground pressure.

Degelman showed its Pro-Till high-speed compact disc cultivator for the first time at the Farm Progress Show. The patent-pending design (featuring independent disc arms, small diameter shallow discs, motion-dampening rubber suspension and consolidating rollers), with widths of 33 and 40 ft., allows the tool to shred residue at speeds of more than 10 mph while uniformly distributing it. Degelman staff said that that the development of the unit provides the manufacturer with better interest and market penetration in corn-producing areas.

Aerway debuted a new tillage product at the Ohio Farm Science Review. Jeff Schow, director of sales for Aerway, says they have been working on it for the past 3 years. The new product uses Ingersoll VT blades and has adjustable angle and down pressure. It has a new frame, locking beam and uses SAF Holland wheel hubs. The tool provides flexibility for the operator and can till to a depth of 8 inches. It offers better coulter penetration due to sub soil tillage on front. It is available in 30 foot width with both smaller and larger units to come.

The Fieldking hydraulic harrow is designed to work in tougher operating conditions. It is used in larger open fields for superficial plowing, shattering of clods, burial of organic material, breaking roots and soil preparation for planting. The hydraulic and tire mechanisms are reliable and durable to control depth of cut and facilitate transportation.

The Kongskilde Industries’ F3400 is a high performance, high quality sidedress applicator with a patented scissor-lift system for constant down pressure. The blades stay in the ground to put fertilizer where it is needed. There are multiple row spacing options. It is available in 15-90 foot sizes, three tank options and four tire sizes. The F3400 has the industry’s heaviest down pressure capabilities. This machine has the agility to match the demands of individual operations.

Featuring a pneumatic airbag down pressure instead of the coil-over spring, Monosem unveiled Monoshox Air, a new version of the Monoshox system. It still uses the same heavy duty linkage and shock absorber as the original downforce system, which prevents the row unit from bouncing through the field. Monoshox Air can apply up to 400 pounds of down pressure, and the system is adjustable from the cab in 1 psi increments from 1-100 psi. “Without compacting the seed trench, Monoshox holds the row unit at a consistent depth,” says Don Niehs of Monosem. “Just like a race car going around a dirt track, the shock is holding the tires on the track — we’re holding the unit in the ground at the proper depth.”

The Supreme International 800T low profile series mixer offers the greater capacity of a larger mixer, but can be loaded with a skid steer. Features include two patented freestanding vertical cutting augers, two heavy duty, two-stage planetary drives, manual restrictor plates and a 1,000 or 540 rpm PTO. Mounted on the heavy duty, low profile tubular steel frame are four 19 x 45 x 17 flotation implement tires. There is a front center door with a 10 foot flat conveyor, viewing platform, ultra wear kicker plates and 10 replaceable forage cutting blades.

Michelin Agricultural Tires presented the 480/95 R50 AGRIBIB, the largest standard row-crop tire available for tractors. The 480/95 R50 was developed to meet the demands of larger equipment and heavier loads. The AGRIBIB 480/95 features deep lugs with a sharp vertical design that allows the AGRIBIB to retain traction with heavy wear on the tire.

AgriBrink’s Automatic Air Inflation Deflation (AAID) control box quickly inflates or deflates tires. In about 30 seconds, tires can be made 60% larger, or deflated from 35-15 psi. With the AAID control, operators can widen their application window, reduce compaction, protect soil structure, lower fuel consumption, limit time loss caused by excess slippage and reduce yield loss. The control box is equipped with a manual override so the machine won’t be stranded in the field in the event of an electrical failure.

First-time exhibitor at Farm Progress, Environmental Tillage Systemswith Puck Enterprises introduced the Honey Warrior, the largest commercially available drag-line manure applicator. The Honey Warrior can be configured as a pull-type bar up to 40 feet wide to handle high flow rates with low gallon per acre rates or lower rates at normal operating speeds for efficiently handling swine manure.

LDJ Thundercreek’s Fred Buser said its new IPU Trailer pulls smoothly at highway speeds and easily handles rugged off-road conditions. Independent power units can be easily mounted for hours of worry-free operation and can be integrated with customers’ installed telematics.

The Soucy International Track system is designed to have a positive effect on productivity. Tracks use less fuel than traditional wheels. On very dry, hard soil, this can be a savings of almost 4% compared to tires. In wet, muddy soil where tracks are most effective, this percentage increases exponentially. Soucy tracks reduce soil compaction. Depending on the application, the system’s ground surface area is 2.5 to 8 times greater than wheels, greatly reducing the pressure vehicles exert on the soil.

JBI Enterprises of Bruning, Neb., debuted its new 40 Series Double-Fold Magnum Toolbar for sidedressing. The new model allows for high speed application of fertilizer and is equipped with Yetter 2987 NH3 Magnum Coulters. JBI owner and strip-tiller Jerry Baysinger designed the 40 foot bar to fit the growing need for narrow transport units. “Farmers are concerned about transporting larger, mounted model bars and this gives them a more compact option,” he says.

Hub covers by Custom Concepts Mfg. reduce crop damage by providing a smooth surface to deflect crops from the blunt impact of the wheel hub and rim. They are very useful when applying fungicides and insecticides. The flush mount design covers the entire rim. A new rim and tire combination provides 8 inches of additional ground clearance.

Salford Farm Machinery Ltd. designed its independent series of vertical tillage equipment to use independently mounted blades for extra clearance in a wider range of operating conditions to get heavy residue and wet soil through the machine. This series with switchblade shank packages puts hydraulically operated shanks on 15 or 30 inch spacing. Operators can run with down pressure between 300 and 1,300 pounds. Within seconds they can move the shanks up and out of the way to run the unit as a finishing tool or use it as a straight tillage machine. Shanks can be locked down in wet areas where more aggressive tillage is required, such as a compaction spots, or used as a coulter chisel in fall, or a vertical tillage finishing machine in spring. As producers are looking to get more out of their equipment, reduce tractor acres and increase the number of operations they can achieve with one machine, Salford’s switchblade shank package offers a lot of versatility to a standard piece of equipment.

New at Big Iron was the VRT2530 Variable Rate Tillage from Summers Mfg.The VRT2530 features a hydraulic hitch to adjust aggressiveness on the fly, dual-mounted front disc blades, adjustable front disc blades from 5-24 degrees, rear coulter gang with 5 different blade options, 7-10 mph operating speed and 22 foot blades on the front and the rear. The VRT2530 has limited availability for Spring 2015.

The Custom Flo Grip LSW from Titan Internationaland Goodyear Farm Tires was designed for combine front position as an alternative to standard 1250/45-32s or dual 510s. It has a deep R-2 tread designed with a flatter profile for smoother roading while still achieving traction and flotation in extremely muddy field conditions. The shorter sidewall of the LSW design greatly reduces the sidewall recoil that results in road lope, helping improve transport speeds, operator comfort and productivity. “As the only manufacturer of both wheels and tires for agriculture, we’ve been undergoing a very aggressive research, development and field-testing effort of LSW technology for more than a decade. After consistently witnessing LSW assemblies outperform standard tires in the field, we’ve decided to expand the lineup extensively,” says Scott Sloan. The company introduced four new sizes of LSW tire at the Farm Progress Show, but Sloan says, “That’s just the tip of the iceberg as a significant expansion will continue through 2015.”

The Valmetal 940 beddingcart is available with a 51 cu. ft. capacity. Two spring loaded adjusting bolts are used to ensure good tension on the conveyor. A 9 horsepower Honda engine with an electric starter drives the hydrostatic transmission and hydraulic pump. Two heavy duty TMR-type beaters regulate the quantity of material going to the discharge auger. The impeller is easily positioned in place using a hand lever. There is no axle; drive wheels are mounted on the wheel’s motor for reduced maintenance.

TruAg introduced its new 3150HD Avenger during the Farm Progress Show. The 3-point toolbar is designed to reduce downtime, improve efficiency and gain better ROI. It is intended for NH3 or liquid fertilizer featuring gull-wing lift cylinders for side dress application, infinitely adjustable gauge wheels, an “easy-action” rear hitch with shock absorbing bumpers, along with a powder coated frame. TruAg is looking to expand its dealer network.

The Kverneland Group Canada’s Qualidisc Farmer is designed to operate up to a depth of 8 cm. It is 15% lighter than the current model, easier to lift and ideal for reducing soil compaction. It is available in working widths from 9.8-13.1 feet; the folding version is 13.1-19.7 feet wide. Frames are designed to carry the heaviest roller, such as the Actipack. The Qualidisc Farmer has a new disc arm with a heat-treated disc of 1.7 x 0.02 feet steel. The arm cover avoids any lateral movement for constant cutting quality.

Bigham’s new Super Duty Strip-Till allows growers to prepare a tilled zone and leave valuable residue around it for the protection of tender young crops. With this strip-till unit, farmers disturb less soil and residue for the conservation of water, soil and organic material and eliminate wasteful multiple tillage and chemical application passes. According to Norm Burgeson, this tool tills planting strips for better growing conditions and better water-holding capacity. It firms and prepares the seedbed for optimum planting results and lets farmers place fertilizer and herbicides at the same time. It easily handles large volumes of crop residue while providing the advantages of combined field operations to reduce field trips. Row unit mounts to a 7 x 7 tool bar. A rear gang is welded from structural tube and may be equipped with virtually any combination of attachments. The extended frame promotes maximum residue and soil flow between tillage components.

The Faresin Industries’ Leader Ecomode Model 1700 is a self-loading TMR mixer. Its design combines four operations in one, a tractor, loader, mixer and bale processor. The machine was developed to feed cattle faster and more economically with reduced maintenance. Faresin is the first self-loader to receive official accreditation from the Penn State Shaker Box test. At 3.5 tons per minute, it is one of the fastest loading mixers on the market, and has the tallest loading boom height of 20 feet. Front, rear or crab steering is standard, and the unit has four-wheel-drive. As the all-electronic machine moves through a barn, a computer decelerates the engine to save fuel while maintaining ground speed. At the same time, auger speed is increased for faster unloading.