Rushville Republican

Agriculture

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  • Harvest Land's Ben Kramer (left) and Steve Dlugosz (right) explain the process and the equipment used to apply nutrients to crops to Peter Holden (center) of Dow AgroSciences of New Zealand.

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June 29, 2011

Harvest Land Co-op hosts visitors from New Zealand

Rushville Republican

RUSHVILLE — Visitors from New Zealand toured Harvest Land Co-op's Hagerstown Ag Center location on May 23. Dow AgroSciences LLC hosted the businessmen to visit Indiana facilities in the agricultural industry. Harvest Land's Hagerstown location offered plenty to show -- the grain operation, nutrient storage, liquid terminal and fleet equipment.

The New Zealand contingent consisted of Brendan Morahan, category manager from CRT Co-operative; Peter Merson, category manager for PGG Wrightson Limited; Arnie Haydon, category manager for Farmlands; and was accompanied by Peter Holden, national sales manager for Dow AgroSciences (NZ) Ltd.

After introductions, the group learned about the Hagerstown location and Harvest Land's overall capabilities. The Harvest Land Co-op story began with an explanation of YieldPro ª and how it has benefited the Co-op and farmers alike. A tour of the Hagerstown facility generated conversations on the wet Indiana spring season this year and the methods farmers are implementing to battle the high moisture in the fields. Some tactics that were shared related to seed and nutrient management. In New Zealand, all crops and forages must be non-GMO, so different ways of ensuring an abundant crop in such weather conditions were shared.

The New Zealand guests were intrigued by the size of equipment that Harvest Land uses to apply nutrients into fields, as well as how inexpensive the custom application service is compared to pricing in their country. New Zealand's terrain is much more rugged and their orchards and fields are much smaller so it takes more time to apply to smaller areas.

The grain facility offered conversation on storage, technology and the process implemented to manage a diseased grain crop. In New Zealand, much of the corn grown is utilized as silage and stays on the same farm to feed the cattle and sheep. The 1.2 million bushel of storage found at Hagerstown was very large and different.

Harvest Land shared challenges they have overcome with grain, such as vomitoxin the past few years in Indiana and Ohio. Regulations and quality thresholds the grain must meet for human and animal consumption were also discussed. Agriculture is a large industry in New Zealand, as is true in the United States. The differences between the two countries were plentiful, but still share a lot in common.

Harvest Land would like to thank Jamie Boone, Sales Representative for Dow AgroSciences, and Nikki Hall, U.S. Integrated Vegetation Management Marketing Specialist for Dow AgroSciences for honoring Harvest Land Co-op to be on the touring schedule.

Harvest Land Co-op is an agribusiness owned cooperatively by farmers in several Indiana and Ohio counties. Originally organized in the late 1920s, Harvest Land Co-op continues to specialize in providing farmers with the products and services they need to farm effectively and profitably.

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