In this Equipment Roundup, DTN/Progressive Farmer looks at the University of Nebraska testing its Flex-Ro autonomous planter in April field trials; Deere offering a new 1725C CCS 12-row, 30-inch...
Dan Miller
Progressive Farmer Senior Editor
Dan Miller has been writing farm and ranch stories for 32 years. He came to The Progressive Farmer in October 2008 as the magazine's Midwest Editor, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Prior to that, he wrote for four years at Iowa Farmer Today, also in Cedar Rapids and for two years at the Dixon Evening Telegraph, in Dixon, Ill. Among the issues he has written about are the Farm Crisis of the 1980s, the presidential elections of 1988 (including interviews with then vice president George H.W. Bush, Al Gore, Bob Dole and Jesse Jackson), the Midwest's 1993 floods, numerous farm bills, including the game-changing conservation programs of the 1980s, the introduction of genetically engineered crops, and tools and machinery. Dan was the editorial lead on PF's six Idea House programs, beginning in 2003. He has traveled widely across the United States, to Canada (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, World Trade Talks); to Germany for a look at farming practices there; to the former Soviet Union in 1989 where he reported on an agricultural system that was changing as rapidly as the nation's political system, and to Finland where he wrote about that nation's seaside fresh-food markets. Dan's writing awards include two Oscars in Agriculture, Story of the Year -- American Agricultural Editors Association -- and business journalism's Neal Award, among many others. Dan has lived in Chelsea, Alabama since 2003. He writes about land, land management, conservation, row crops, the ATV industry, shop design and structure, tools and equipment. He is married to Kim, and they have three grown children.
Recent Blogs by Author
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With half-million-dollar price tags for many major pieces of equipment, AGCO and its Precision Planting brand search for ways to keep good equipment doing efficient and sustainable work.
More From This Author
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Equipment Roundup
In this Equipment Roundup, DTN/Progressive Farmer looks at the University of Nebraska testing its Flex-Ro autonomous planter in April field trials; Deere offering a new 1725C CCS 12-row, 30-inch stack-fold planter; and CNH hiring a...
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Automate the Mind of a Farmer
What makes autonomy appealing is that it isn't just about being able to move a machine safely in varying environments, but also the potential to fully automate the decisions a farmer is making...
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How Small Farms Benefit From Big Tech
The largest farms are rapidly adopting new technologies; smaller operations, not so much. But purchase costs are coming down and small farms do benefit from the array of technologies used by the custom operators and retail...
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Equipment Roundup
CNH joins venture with Bosch/BASF with precision spraying package; Guardian SC1 approved for autonomous aerial applications; Deere reports earnings; Michelin expands track production; and Busch Light begins Corn Can promotion.
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Keep Good Equipment in the Field Longer
With half-million-dollar price tags for many major pieces of equipment, AGCO and its Precision Planting brand search for ways to keep good equipment doing efficient and sustainable work.
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The Future of Food - 10
Connectivity, data and intelligence will boost grain yields.
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T7 LNG Key to Self-Sufficiency
The farm is a huge untapped resource of energy, says New Holland and partner Bennamann, the latter the developer of a system to turn gas from manure into fuel. The process is low cost, easy...
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Equipment Roundup
Here's the latest roundup of new equipment and technology upgrades. Plus, Monarch Tractor lands on CNBC's Disruptor 50 list for the second year.
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One Tractor Month, Two Tractor Stories
Farmers continue their pursuit of technology, or their aversion to high interest rates, evidenced by the number of combines and larger tractors they are buying.
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MachineryLink
Great Plains Manufacturing has introduced its new vertical tillage implement, the VT1100 Turbo-Max.
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MachineryLink
Raven Industries, along with newly acquired tech innovator Augmenta, are bringing new lines of "Sense & Act" camera imaging and AI technologies to crop spraying operations.
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Handy Devices
Easy-to-build ideas make your work easier. Readers send in helpful solutions to farm and ranch problems.
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MachineryLink
Trimble has launched a new advanced path-planning technology platform.
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MachineryLink
New Holland is introducing a new T7.300 Long Wheelbase tractor with PLM Intelligence.
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MachineryLink
Case IH is rolling out new machinery and technology it designed to automate more labor-intensive farming practices.
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Handy Devices
Easy-to-build ideas make your work easier. Readers send in helpful solutions to farm and ranch problems.
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Handy Devices
Easy-to-build ideas make your work easier. Readers send in helpful solutions to farm and ranch problems.
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MachineryLink
Kinze Manufacturing has announced it will sell two new planters in 2024.
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MachineryLink
John Deere has recently rolled out its next planter performance upgrade, FurrowVision.
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Polaris Delivers First Kinetics
The happy place on the farm or ranch for the electric Ranger XP Kinetic is low-speed operations -- towing and hauling with instant torque.
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Fendt, Bosch-BASF Test Smart Spraying
Early tests of Bosch-BASF's Smart Spraying system with AGCO-Fendt show this sense-and-act weed spraying system reduces the use of herbicides 50%-70% in growing crop applications. Smart Spraying also measures in-field conditions...
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MachineryLink
Small communities are often protected by all-volunteer fire departments. Of the total 29,452 fire departments in the U.S., 18,873 are all volunteer and another 5,335 are mostly volunteer. The author's sister was one of those...
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AGCO's Grain Unit Present in Ukraine
AGCO's Grain and Protein Unit is keeping a presence in Ukraine and working with farmers there to rebuild from the nation's devastating war with Russia. The unit has seen sales rise to record levels last year and is promoting a...
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Machinery Industry Sees Positive Signs
Among the farm equipment sales tracked by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, combines and big tractors are the better sellers these days. But supply chains and labor shortages continue to hurt overall industry...
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Images Enable Deere Autonomous Tech
No matter the sophistication of the visioning technology, autonomous systems will always encounter a situation not anticipated by developers and engineers. Here's how Deere is using cameras and images to steer what will be a...
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Deere Uses Images for Autonomous Tech
No matter the sophistication of the visioning technology, autonomous systems will always encounter a situation not anticipated by developers and engineers. Here's how Deere is using cameras and images to steer what will be a...
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Equipment Roundup
In this Equipment Roundup, DTN/Progressive Farmer looks at Gibbon Fire adding new grain rescue capabilities, AGCO's Precision Planting winning the Davidson Prize, Polaris opening an equipment exchange, New Holland sending tractors to...
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Future of Food
Connectivity, data and intelligence will boost grain yields.
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Focus on New Holland T7 Long Wheelbase
Here's a two-minute look at New Holland Ag's T7 Long Wheelbase tractor with PLM Intelligence. The 6.7-liter engine delivers 280 horsepower max power for draft work and 300 horsepower at the PTO.
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A Quick Look at the Great Plains VT1100
Here's a two-minute look at Great Plains Ag's new vertical tillage VT1100 Turbo Max with its larger frame for new finishing attachments, new finishing baskets and adjust-on-the-go option for the cab.
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Ag Technology by the Numbers
It used to be that all the talk surrounding a new tractor was its engine size, torque and hydraulics. Today, driver-optional tractors and sprayers are already working fields, and managers are working to consume the ins and outs...
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Equipment Roundup
In this Equipment Roundup, DTN/Progressive Farmer looks at Massey Ferguson offering a new hay quality-control technology package for 1800 series small square balers, Case IH Puma winning an AGROTECH award, and JohnDow selling a...
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Equipment Roundup
In this Equipment Roundup, DTN/Progressive Farmer looks at Case IH adding AFS Connect to its larger Puma tractors, Pegasus Robotic launching a high-capacity drone, and AGCO expanding its technician training program with Parkland...
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FurrowVision Gives Live Look at Seed
John Deere is revealing FurrowVision, a new automation that gives operators a real-time visual look into the seed trench to check for correct placement and depth.
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Raven, Augmenta Launch New Crop Tech
Raven Industries, along with newly acquired technology innovator Augmenta, are bringing new lines of "Sense & Act" camera imaging and artificial intelligence technologies to crop spraying operations.
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Hot Combine Sales Reveal Run for Tech
Farmers continue their pursuit of technology, as evidenced by the large number of combines they are buying. Sales last month rose 165% over February 2022. In the month just ended, manufacturers sold 530 combines compared to...
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Deere Sells Russian Leasing Arm
Deere reached an agreement in January to sell its financial services business in Russia. The completion of the transaction is expected in the second quarter of 2023. Deere does not expect a significant gain or loss from the sale.
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Trimble Talks About Its Autonomy Strategy
Before a group of its agricultural customers, Trimble showed off its systems and offered thoughts on its future. An important part of the presentation focused on Trimble's work in autonomy and managing the data systems that...