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Rice Foundation Chairman, Marvin Hare Jr. has announced that RiceTec, Inc. of Alvin, Texas, is joining John Deere and Syngenta as a sponsor of the Rice Leadership Development Program. RiceTec’s sponsorship will help expand the skills of future rice industry leaders through the implementation of a one-week international training session with a focus on world rice production and trade. The additional sponsorship support from RiceTec will permit the Rice Leadership Development Program to offer a one-week international session to program alumni who have, since graduation, applied their skills to industry service. A committee of rice industry and agri-business leaders will evaluate applications and select alumni to participate in the session each year. The number of participants will be determined by projected expenses to travel to the selected location each year, allowing flexibility regarding participant numbers based on projected session costs.
Prairie Implement Company, Stuttgart, Ark., has joined the Auto-Farm Reseller Alliance Network to offer AutoFarm GPS Steering and Machine Control Solutions in eastern Arkansas. The first AutoFarm GPS Precision Farming dealer in the area, Prairie Implement will be offering the legendary AutoFarm A5 AutoSteer systems, DGPS AutoSteer and RTK AutoSteer. With these AutoFarm systems, Prairie Implement will be providing GPS solutions that are accurate, reliable and easy-to-use; from WAAS-based or OmniSTAR correction, to sub-inch accurate, repeatable RTK vehicle control. Doug Abel, Prairie Implement Manager, says, “We are very pleased to be offering AutoFarm’s high precision GPS steering systems, especially considering our location here in the rice-growing capitol. These AutoFarm GPS steering systems not only operate hands-free with tremendous accuracy, they can map rice field levees like no other GPS system on the market.”
Missouri Rice Council board members were in Jefferson City recently for “Rice day at the Capitol.” Members served more than 500 people a lunch of teriyaki chicken with Missouri long-grain rice and a cold rice salad made with Missouri medium grain rice. Legislators and staff also had homemade rice crispy treats for dessert. The director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Dr. Jon Hagler, was in attendance at the luncheon as well as several agriculture department staff. The Terra-Trac24, the ultimate land-finishing tool, can be used in the primary phase of the land-leveling project. The Terra-Trac24 has been designed from the ground up with automated machine control in mind. When combined with a laser or GPS machine control system, the machine is fast, effective and efficient. It will finish-level the land in no time flat, reducing costs and meeting deadlines easier. The Terra-Trac24 is equally at home in small areas (1/2 acre) or large open areas (100+ acres). The operator has complete control of the wheel spacing, so it can be narrowed up hydraulically from the operator station to approximately seven feet for close work and transporting, then widened out to approximately 12 feet for greater stability in larger areas. The wings can be hydraulically raised to provide a less than 14-foot overall width for ease in traveling from field to field or for loading onto a trailer. When lowered and locked into position, the wings transform the Terra-Trac24 into a 24-foot wide machine with working speeds up to eight mph, capable of covering acres with speed and precision. For land that was leveled some time ago and is now ready to be brought back to that precision-level condition again, the Terra-Trac24’s low maintenance and ease of operation means even a person with modest experience can be turning out high-quality work in record time. For the custom operator, the Terra-Trac24 will fit easily into your operation. It is capable of moving 12 cubic yards at a time and will keep the work area smoother for faster speeds for your other equipment. For customers expecting close tolerances and cost-sharing programs demanding low yardage on the re-check survey, the Terra-Trac24 is the perfect machine for you. For more information, visit www.ragangrading.com, call (941) 928-0008 or email jim@ragangrading.com. Rabo AgriFinance and participating AGCO parts dealers are offering the QuickLink Valued Customer program. This program has now been expanded to provide existing QuickLink users a special discount on AGCO parts and service purchases over $1,000 between now and May 31. For example, through a limited time incentive, an AGCO parts purchase of $1,000* would net a customer a discount of $36.25 with a minimum monthly payment of $6.04 (assuming no other transactions) for a six-month period. The discount is computed and based on the current prime rate for each transaction during the program period ending May 31. “We are pleased to offer this incentive from Rabo AgriFinance through our parti-cipating AGCO parts dealers,” says Tony Solon, AGCO, manager, Parts Marketing Communications, “and the time period is helpful to our customers.” Kim Bond, manager, Client Services at Rabo AgriFinance, says an AGCO parts customer without a QuickLink account may open an account to qualify for the incentive by completing a one-page application and sending it to Rabo AgriFinance. Bond says the Valued Customer Incentive Financing program will be displayed on a customer’s QuickLink statement. Each new transaction, along with purchase discount, will be shown on a separate line for easy review, and all previously scheduled monthly payments on a customer’s QuickLink account will be required. *Prime rate at the time of transaction, currently 3.25 percent, plus 4 percent, and based on a $1,000 purchase for six months, the incentive is $36.25. | ||