Väderstad North America’s Tempo 10K Project prototype is a marriage between a Väderstad Tempo planter and a Wil-Rich 10K folding toolbar.

“The Tempo is very popular, but it hasn’t been in the United States,” says Ben Sander, marketing manager for Väderstad North America. “We’re putting these products together to meet the demands of today’s North American farmer.”

Sander says the Tempo 10K Project is set apart by its large storage capacity and air pressure system.

“We have 1,500 gallons of liquid capacity, and 150 bushels of seed capacity,” says Sander. “You could even set some of it up for dry. The big thing with the Tempo row units is that it’s a positive air pressure system. It shoots the seed down the seed tube, and it’s caught by a soft rubber wheel at the bottom of the furrow, so it allows for high speed. It’s a very simple solution.

“The ideal customer would be any row-crop farmer with large acreage. We’re going to start with corn, soybeans and sugar beets. But anybody who has shorter planting windows …you need more from a planter, and you need to add more liquid. That’s what this planter will offer.”

“This sits on tracks, so it can handle all the weight of its capacity as well as if you need to add auxiliary tanks, reduce compaction and even float through the wet spots.”

Väderstad plans to offer pre-series units for spring of 2024 and hopefully full production available for model year 2025. Sander says 2023 will see the company testing 3 new versions in various sizes. “This particular example is a 24-row, 30-inch planter. We’ll be doing one with 20 inch spacing, a 22-inch spacing and another 30 inch-spacing unit for the spring. We’re going to listen to the demands of the customer we’re working with to develop the best planter possible.”