News
The following are Great Plains news items, sorted in descending order by date.
Thu, 09/05/2013 - 08:29
On Stand 12-K-1223 at Cereals 2013 Great Plains is launching new specification versions of its popular Simba ST Bar, X-Press, DTX, SL and TL cultivators, and adding other new options for its Flatliner and SLD models.
The new options are expected to appeal to farmers who have consistent soils and who do not need the full adjustability of working elements that the company offers across all its models.
Thu, 09/05/2013 - 08:14
Great Plains is strengthening its UK market presence in North Somerset and South Wiltshire by appointing H Curtis & Sons, based at Pensford, South of Bristol, as its dealer for the region.
H Curtis & Sons are main AGCO/Valtra dealers, and represent a range of other leading brands including Merlo, McConnell and McHale.
The business was started on its existing site at Stanton Wick Farm, Pensford, in 1948 by Harry Curtis and is run by his sons Andrew, Derek and Gerald, all of whom have children working in the business.
Thu, 09/05/2013 - 07:39
Great Plains’ drill range has already chalked up encouraging early sales in France, and should achieve more this year.
Both the Spartan and the Centurion drill have already impressed many, says Pierre-Arnaud Noiret, Territory Manager:
“The first 9m Spartan has gone to a 2,000 hectare farm, who needs that sort of output, with two 6m models going to 400 ha farms. We have three Centurions on farms now too.
Thu, 09/05/2013 - 08:02
Service staff from 37 of Great Plains’ UK dealer network attended a series of training sessions to update their knowledge of Great Plains’ full range of machines.
The sessions included briefings on the many amendments and improvements made to the company’s machines over the past year.
They will help ensure dealerships offer customers an excellent level of support and service, says Peter Hindmarsh, Service Manager at Sleaford:
Thu, 09/05/2013 - 07:56
Great Plains’ Yield-Pro® maize planter is being tested to the full in Hungary this spring, with 30 different field trials being set up spread right across the country.
And in a nation that grows around 1.2 million hectares of maize, there will be plenty of people looking at the results:
“We are testing the planter and comparing it with competitor machines in as many regions, soil types and rotations as we can”, says Attila Jocsak, machinery specialist for importer Valkon.
Thu, 09/05/2013 - 07:49
Dairy farmers in Germany will have their chance to assess the merits of the Yield-Pro® planter thanks to a series of eight field trials being conducted by plant breeder Pioneer and Great Plains.
Most of the sites are in Lower Saxony, says Jurgen Koch, from Pioneer:
“That region has the highest maize-growing concentration in Germany and it is a very important crop for livestock farmers, both for feeding to dairy cows, but also because many of them use maize with slurry in the bio-gas production plants they have on farm.
Thu, 09/05/2013 - 08:20
Farmers aiming to establish spring crops must work carefully to ensure they remove any compaction and ‘capping’, while avoiding losing the surface tilth and replacing it with raw, unweathered soil from deeper in the profile.
Compaction is evident in many un-drilled fields this spring, says David Holmes, UK Sales Director for Great Plains, and needs to be removed effectively:
Thu, 09/05/2013 - 08:07
Keeping the soil in good condition is of special importance to Barrington Park Estates, based at Burford, Oxfordshire – a mixed organic unit that includes 3,500 acres of combinable crops.
Their system relies on ploughing to establish crops, and damp autumns such as the one just past can cause problems. Farm foreman James Francis uses a Great Plains Simba Flatliner to restructure the soils:
“We use it to break any plough pan and compaction that might have been caused, as well as removing damage that might have been done on the headlands.
Sun, 07/04/2013 - 11:11
Owners of Great Plains’ Simba cultivators are better placed than owners of other brands this spring because they own machines which are more adjustable than their competitors, says Adrian Hartley, Chief Design Engineer.
But before they get any machine out of the shed for spring field work he suggests they use a spade to examine the soil and determine just how much cultivation they should do.
His message is especially relevant for those farmers who had to abandon cultivations last autumn and may be working in the spring for the first time in a number of years:
Sun, 07/04/2013 - 09:24
Successfully running a cultivator drill in damp conditions needs care, but can be done successfully if the drill and tractor pulling it are prepared and managed correctly, says David Holmes, UK Sales Director for Great Plains (pictured left).
For those thinking of using the drill this spring, he suggests they avoid over-working the soil and draw as much benefit as possible from the winter’s weathering:
Sun, 07/04/2013 - 11:46
The world’s farmers face a huge challenge to achieve ever higher crop yields to ensure they can keep feeding the world’s fast growing population.
Speaking to a group of Hungarian visitors to Great Plains’ Sleaford factory, Simon Revell, European Sales Director, said that rising population was just one concern:
“A growing population needs somewhere to live, and we are losing land to house and road building at an alarming rate. That means we are going to have to produce far more from the land that is left”.
There was huge scope for improvement, he added:
Sun, 07/04/2013 - 10:35
All farmers should know their own production costs and not rely on the averages often quoted in the industry, a group of Hungarian journalists visiting Great Plains’ Sleaford factory heard.
Andrew Ward, who farms at Leadenham, a few miles West of Sleaford, explained how he calculates the full costs of every farm operation so he knows how much each crop costs to produce.
In particular he highlighted the savings – both in terms of time taken and financial cost – that he has achieved by moving from a fully plough-based system to non-inversion tillage.
Sun, 07/04/2013 - 10:49
The non-inversion and one-pass crop establishment systems now widely used across the UK attracted significant interest from a group of 16 leading Hungarian farmers when they visited Great Plains’ Sleaford factory and farms using such systems.
Around 80% of arable land in the country is still ploughed, says Attila Jocsak, Great Plains specialist for importer Valkon, but things are changing:
“Some of these farmers already have Great Plains machines. They range from those with 220ha – 250ha to one who manages 15,000 ha for a big company.
Sun, 07/04/2013 - 11:17
Great Plains’ Twin-Row maize planter is being trialled right across Europe this year, and will be promoted alongside the company’s “vertical tillage” systems.
The two fit together logically, Simon Revell, European Exports Director told a group of Hungarian farmers visiting the company’s Sleaford factory, an combining them correctly could reap significant rewards:
“Maize is very sensitive to poor soil structure, which quickly reduces emergence levels and yield. Yet if the soil structure is correct it will establish roots up to 1.2m deep.
Sat, 06/04/2013 - 09:18
Two new X-Presses are on their way to farms in Northern Ireland via Genesis Distribution Ltd, based at Upper Ballinderry, West of Belfast, which is enjoying a good start to its first full year as a Great Plains dealer.
The two machines have gone to contrasting customers, says Stephen Lewis, pictured here:
Fri, 22/03/2013 - 13:22
Great Plains International is fully embracing the social networking scene. Why not pay a visit to our new, improved Facebook page and keep up to date with what’s happening at Great Plains worldwide. We’ll be sharing our latest news and photographs with you on a regular basis, so please do take a few minutes to stop by to see what we’re up to – and of course, we’d welcome any feedback and contributions. We hope you Like what you see!
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 10:38
Fitting the DTX with auto-reset on the deep working tines has opened up a significant market in Denmark, says Jim Thygesen, Territory Manager, because some 90% of the country’s soils are stony:
“Any machine that only has shear-bolt protection of deep working tines simply would not work in those areas”.
The latest opportunity for the country’s farmers to see the machine came at a two day show held by dealer J Hundhal, which is based at Thisted in the far North of the country:
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 10:30
Staff on Great Plains’ Sleaford Assembly Shop Have bid a fond farewell to George Clark, who has been a valuable part of the factory’s team for the past decade.
George retired on reaching his 65th birthday, having joined the old Simba company in November 2002.
Prior to that he was a self-employed motor mechanic and ran his own garage. On retirement, he was presented with a special wristwatch and a hamper.
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 11:13
Fitting the DTX cultivator with auto-reset tines is opening up new markets for the machine in a range of regions, and the machine is proving its worth again this spring.
Dairy farmer Richard Pearman, who runs a 240 cow dairy herd at Bellbroughton, near Stourbridge, West Midlands, has already run his machine this spring as he prepares to sow the 130 acres of forage maize he grows for his cattle.
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 11:43
British farmers seem determined to put 2012 behind them and concentrate on the future, judging by their attitude at the Doe Show, where plans - and purchases - for 2013 were the main topics of conversation.
Graham Parker, Dealer Principal, says show sales were among the highest ever: “They were 42% up on the 2012 show by the Friday evening, and I wasn’t unhappy about the 2012 event!
“People appeared to come out in a business-like mood and be prepared to invest if they felt it was justified.
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 11:05
Great Plains is strengthening its market presence in two key arable farming areas of Northern France with the appointment of new dealers.
Scop Bouchard is based in the Calvados region of Normandy, while Sebmat operates in the Marne department, to the East of Paris.
“These two dealers are valuable additions to our network and cover two important regions”, says Pierre-Arnaud Noiret, Territory Manager for France:
“Both companies bring with them experience from working with Bonnel, who were previously our importers for the country.
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 11:30
The improving spring weather is helping raise farmers’ spirits in the Midlands, where there was a strong turnout for Rea Valley Tractors’ Open Day at their Draycott-in-the-Clay, Derbyshire.
The better weather is turning farmers’ minds towards spring field-work, says James Kissock, Territory Manager:
“Many of them resorted to ploughing last autumn, but are now starting to think about reduced tillage again.
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 12:00
Great Plains enjoyed a busy week at the SIMA Show in Paris, where it was exhibiting in its own right for the first time.
The company switched from working through an importer to employing its own staff in France last year, a decision that Simon Revell, European Exports Director, says is paying dividends:
“The show will help us build a strong presence in France. We received lots of interest from potential new dealers and will make new appointments to strengthen our network.
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 10:56
Key messages about soil structure and the savings available from one-pass oilseed rape establishment were the key topics tackled during two well-attended seminars held by Great Plains in the Ukraine.
The first event was held near Lviv, in the far West of the country near the Polish border, while the second was held near Donets’k in the East.
Both sessions prompted healthy debate, reports Simon Revell, European Exports Director:
Tue, 05/03/2013 - 10:48
Leading Great Plains dealers from across the Czech Republic and Slovakia received a detailed briefing on the company’s plans for the future when they attended a conference organised by importer Agri CS.
The ideas they heard provoked a lot of discussion, says Vasek Madl, from Agri CS:
“The theme we used was ‘The Different Way’, which highlights how we want to approach the market in a fresh way. We invited 65 staff from our best dealers across the two countries and explained to them how we want to work with them to help establish the Great Plains brand.
