Precise and Compatible
AGCO precision farming technology offers money-making and -saving solutions, easy to learn designs and plug-and-play compatibility with other systems.
Rietkerk with his Massey Ferguson dealer, Gary Garrett (left).
Peter Rietkerk is a believer in precision ag, but, he’ll tell you, his high-tech approach is only as good as the equipment he uses. That’s a big reason why he owns tractors, balers, swathers and other tools from AGCO Corp.
The HayBoss system he uses on one of his two Hesston 3 x 3 square balers has allowed him to track production from year to year and they’ve been easy to master, especially with help from his dealer Gary Garrett of Quality Machinery Center in Hanford, Calif. As for the baler itself, Rietkerk says, “It’s a time saver. You can bale faster and you can get a lot more done. The newer one that we have, a 7433, it’s got a double auger on it, so it’ll take more material in and you can bale faster.”
The Hesston balers, as well as the newer Hesston by Massey Ferguson® models, also have closed chambers, which says Rietkerk, “hold more of the leaves on my alfalfa. It’s sealed and nothing can get out, like the protein-rich leaves.”
He pulls those balers as well as his planters, tillers and other implements with his AGCO tractors: two RT 155A models and one RT 150, all with continuously variable transmission (CVT). “They’re so much smoother to operate,” Rietkerk says, “and their variable range on the speed helps save on fuel. Masseys are like that, too. We have a 596 that we use to pump water into our fields. During the summer, we run it almost every day. So, the fuel economy really adds up.”
Lastly, Rietkerk notes that he uses technology from several companies. As a result, compatibility is big issue in his operation. “That’s another reason we work with AGCO and Massey Ferguson equipment,” noting that it plays well with others. “If there are any questions about how to make something work, I can count on Gary to help. Man, that guy is there whenever we need him.”
For more about AGCO Corp.’s precision agriculture offerings, see the company’s Advanced Technology Solutions website. Click here for more about Massey Ferguson’s tractor and hay equipment.
