VOLUME 17 ISSUE 2 WINTER 2008

IRRIGATION aDVanCeSConserving water, energy and labor

FEATURE STORY

Precision agriculture solutions benefit Kansas farmer

Page 6

INSIDE

Lindsay combats copper theft with CopperCuff

Page 4

IrrigationAdvances

Dealer View

Editors: Dirk Lenie, Brenda Christensen

Writers: Jodi Hoatson, Ken Wurdeman, Bridget Rohan

Art Directors: Bill Ervin, Tom Ervin and Kathy Troia

Irrigation Advances is published at the corporate office of

Lindsay, Omaha, Nebraska, for the educational purposes

of growers, customers, dealers and employees. Editorial

correspondence should be directed to Brenda Christensen,

Editor, Irrigation Advances, Lindsay, 2707 N. 108th St., Ste.

102, Omaha, NE 68164. Questions or comments are

welcome. Call Brenda Christensen at 402-827-6514.

© 2008 Lindsay. All rights reserved.

All brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks

of their respective companies.

FeaturesPivotal Moments Award Winning Products, Cattlemen’s Ball and recent retirees.

Page 2

Q: Can anyone learn how to use FieldNET?

A. Yes, we’ve had customers that didn’t know how to receive text mes-sages come in. We showed them how to send and receive messages and how they can move their pivot(s) with FieldNET. Some customers brought in their wives to help learn the web-based irrigation system. We have a demo panel and FieldNET RTU (Remote Telemetry Unit) set up in the office that helps the customer see how easy FieldNET is to learn.

Q: Have your customers found it easy to set up FieldNET?

A. It only takes 20 minutes if you have a FieldVISION or FieldBoss panel. It’s easy to install on any Zimmatic pivot and it only takes a little longer on other pivot brands.

Q: Has SmartDesign helped your growers?

A. Lindsay’s SmartDesign is a great tool that shows our customers the layout of their fields. In a matter of minutes, we can have a picture of their field with a Zimmatic center pivot that also shows the span configuration and the irrigated acres.

Q: Do your customers trust FieldNET?

A. At first, some customers were very skeptical about FieldNET. I know some of the guys would go out by the pivot and start and stop the pivot with their phones just to make sure it worked. Once they did that – on their own – they were hooked.

Q: What are some other benefits of FieldNET that growers in your area like?

A. FieldNET has also been a helpful tool in troubleshooting pivots. It keeps a history of events, so we can go back and see when the pivot was having issues.

Precision TechnologyTechnology offers tremendous labor and fuel savings.

Page 6

EQIPGovernment program cost-shares conservation practices.

Page 10

GeoLateralTwo growers discover the advantages of 98% coverage.

Page 12

AustraliaPivot system gives poultry processor wings.

Page 14

2 I

CopperCuffNew copper theft deterrent protects pivots.

Page 4

Tough. Durable. Field Proven.Uneven terrain, unpredictable weather and extreme growing conditions – it’s all in a day’s work for Zimmatic.® Built to stand up to anything your fields can dish out – day after day, season after season. With features you won’t find in any other pivot irrigation system, like the industry’s most durable drivetrain, the exclusive Uni-Knuckle® span connector and precision technology. So you can grow in more areas, more confidently with the field proven strength of Zimmatic.

For more information, see your local Zimmatic dealer or visit www.zimmatic.com

© 2008 Lindsay. All rights reserved. Zimmatic and Uni-Knuckle are registered trademarks of the Lindsay Corporation.

My fields deMand strength. so i got ZiMMatic.

Brian Scheele & Matt Heidemann

Plymouth Irrigation Plymouth, NE

1 I

Brian Scheele and Matt Heidemann discuss the benefits of FieldNET.

CASH COWRaising Funds for Cancer Research at Cattlemen's Ball

In June, a number of Lindsay employees went to work at the Niewohner family farm near Albion, NE. They weren't working on a center pivot, but something much more personal – they were part of the 2008 Cattlemen's Ball.

The annual event raises money for cancer research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. This summer, they raised a record $796,000 to battle the disease.

As in every community across the globe, our employees and their families have been touched

by cancer sometime during their lives. A few of the Lindsay employees who were on hand to raise awareness included: Charlie and Pam Meis, Kevin and Kay Nelson as well as Greg and Peggy Tiefenthaler.

Pam & Charlie Meis

Kevin & Kay Nelson

Greg & Peggy Tiefenthaler

With the fluctuation of crop prices and higher input costs, growers need as much help as they can get to achieve the highest yields out of their fields. Two products from Lindsay do just that, earning awards in the process.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has given the company AE50 awards for both their Corner 4x4 and GPS Controller in 2008. These awards are given annually for innovation in engineering products that enhance grower value by saving time and money, while increasing yields.

The patent-pending Corner 4x4 is ideal for tackling the challenges of tough field conditions and improves the performance of a corner system. It has four wheels that work together, providing better traction for the MAXfield Custom corner.

That is especially important to those growers with the added

challenge of sandy or heavy soil and clay, which causes corners to get stuck more often than normal.

Rocky Hagan is one of those growers. Born on the land he farms, Hagan is part of Grant & Hagan, Inc., in Hazelton, ID. Farming 6,000 acres (2,420 ha), they are diversified between potatoes, sugar beets, malt, barley, hay and corn. With 36 center pivots spread out over 18 miles (28.9 km), their operation feels enormous during the busiest time of the year. And if a pivot gets stuck, it could take some time to work it out.

“We have pretty heavy ground that gets muddy in the low places,” Hagan said. “Sometimes we’re down a half day trying to get a pivot unstuck – and during the hot time of the summer, it’s critical to keep water on the crops.”

Bryce Beck at Butte Irrigation in Paul, ID, suggested they take a look at the Corner 4x4. They saw a couple of them in the area and were impressed. Hagan says they bought two and knows they’ll make a world of difference.

“We were all happy this summer when we weren’t burning up out there trying to get the pivot unstuck,” he said. “And I wasn’t worried about my crops drying up.”

The Corner 4x4 also works with older Zimmatic corner machines, as well as competitors’ corner systems and offers better tracking in ruts and on ridged crops.

The patent-pending GPS Controller uses the power of global positioning satellites to identify the exact location of the controller in relation to the pivot point. This allows growers greater control of water and fertilizer applications through end-guns and sprinklers – maintaining precision application while enhancing any pivot system, regardless of brand.

Said Barry Ruffalo, president of North American Irrigation for Lindsay, “We’re honored to be recognized for our efforts, but these awards also belong to the growers we work with around the world who provide us with valuable feedback that make our products even better.”

Award Winning ProductsIn November, Lindsay Corporation’s vice president of engineering, Charlie Meis, was awarded the Irrigation Association’s Industry Achievement Award at the 2008 Irrigation Show in Anaheim, CA.

Honored for his outstanding contributions to the development of the irrigation industry, Meis was singled out by the association for his lifelong dedication to engineering better and safer farm equipment.

His endeavors have become standard on farms around the world:

•Designedacenterpivotsystemwitheight-inch pipe to allow more water

Bob Snoozy, Lindsay vice president of sales and marketing, is retiring after 35 years with the company. He began his career at Lindsay in 1973 as a research engineer, promoting center pivot systems for land application of municipal, agricultural and industrial waste water.

Asked to reflect on his long-time involvement in the irrigation industry, Snoozy says the introduction of low pressure nozzles and drops has had the most impact on growers, allowing them to not only save energy but also millions of gallons of water.

“The center pivot has been called the fourth most important agricultural innovation following the plow, combine and tractor,” he says. “It has been exciting to see first-hand

to irrigate 500+ acres (202+ hectares) on a full section

•Developedalongerspan and reduced the amount of towers needed (from 10 to seven) to irrigate a standard quarter – cutting down on cost and wheel tracks

•Createdalateralmovesystem to allow center pivot structures to be hooked to a power tower and move in a straight line down a field as water is pumped from an open ditch

Lindsay salutes Charlie for his decades of service and dedication to making irrigation better for growers around the globe and wish him the best in his retirement.

the improvements that have been made to center pivots over the years and how these innovations have allowed growers to be more productive.”

Snoozy and his wife, Teresa, will celebrate their 40th

wedding anniversary later this year. They have two children.

In retirement, Snoozy plans to collaborate with his long-time Lindsay colleague, Charlie Meis, in documenting the history of the Zimmatic pivot.

“It should have been written by Art and Bernie Zimmerer, the two brothers who invented the Zimmatic center pivot. But since they are both deceased, it will be written in their honor.”

Meis Wins Irrigation Association’s Industry Achievement Award

L to R: Rocky Hagan, owner; Jason Mills, foreman; Mike Lauder, foreman

Bob Snoozy Retiring After 35 Years With Lindsay

Pivotal Moments

I 2 3 I

CopperCuff users can also place reflective warning signs on their fences and on the pivot itself, not unlike home security signs placed on houses with security systems – deterring the criminals from even attempting to steal from that site.

CopperCuff is inexpensive compared to the average costs of repairing a theft-damaged pivot. After thieves have stripped 2–5 miles (3.2–8.0 km) of wire off an irrigation system, growers can expect to pay around $5,000 to replace the wiring and repair damage on the system.

The new theft deterrent device is also easy to install – taking under one hour to complete a quarter-mile (.4 km) pivot instead of one day to repair spans that have seen criminal activity.

“We wanted to design something that would be easy to install for the grower, but extremely difficult for criminals bent on stealing away their profits,” said Jeff Herrick,

Magazines, newspapers, radio and television stations all requested information on CopperCuff. The Omaha World-Herald even ran a story and photos on their front page

during the second day of the show – and AgDay featured it during their new product segment.

Lindsay is working on additional anti-theft solutions for future release.

the CopperCuff was developed,” he said.

Lindsay designed CopperCuff to fit all major brands of irrigation systems. The theft-deterrent product locks the pivot’s cables in place, making it difficult for would-be thieves to steal the copper wire.

The 11-gauge, galvanized steel band encircles the pipe and securely clamps down the copper cable. With multiple cuffs on each span, criminals will quickly realize they won’t be able to strip the system without a great amount of time and effort.

And with reflective strips around the band, criminals attempting to steal wire at night will see red stripes bounce back when their flashlights find the spans.

director of parts and services. “If a system’s wiring is damaged or stolen, you’ll disrupt the crop’s irrigation that can be crucial to yields in the hotter growing months, like July or August.”

CopperCuff – Lindsay’s entry product into the cable theft-deterrent market – became available in the United States and around the world in November.

The product was on display at Nebraska’s Husker Harvest Days this past September. CopperCuff gained attention, not only from growers looking for an inexpensive and effective alternative, but the new theft-deterrent solution also saw great attention from the media.

The U.S. Energy Department says skyrocketing metal prices have made copper theft a $1 billion problem nationwide. And since center pivots have between 2–5 miles (3.2–8.0 km) of copper wiring, they have become targets for thieves.

Criminals are stealing copper from sources like power lines and water pipes. Farms have also been part of this disturbing trend. In response, Lindsay now offers a solution – CopperCuff.

“Last year, we noticed a spike in span cable orders and started hearing about the thefts from dealers in the Great Lakes region,” said Barry Ruffalo, president of North American Irrigation for Lindsay.

“This past winter, we heard reports of the thefts nationwide and saw it as a growing issue that needed to be addressed. We asked our product design team to come up with ways to protect the machine wiring and after numerous tests –

Cuff ‘em!Increasing Copper Theft Affects Growers Across the Globe

Lawmakers Cracking Down on Metal TheftIn October 2008, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed bills to give law enforcement more power to fight and prosecute criminals who steal metal – from agricultural equipment to utility companies.

In California, thieves have been after everything from brass and aluminum to of course, copper. They’ve hit construction sites, utility outlets and farms, stealing anything they could – from manhole covers and fire hydrants to guardrails and fences.

Co-sponsored by the California Farm Bureau, Assembly Bill 844 requires scrap metal buyers to fingerprint and hold payment for three days from anyone coming to them to sell metal. They are also required to photograph the metal and document origin as reported by the seller. If recyclers fail to do so, they face fines and jail time.

If a seller is caught, prosecuted and convicted – they are ordered to pay restitution for the materials and any damages realized during the theft. In the case of center pivots, that amount could total $5,000 or more to replace and repair a system.

Other states have also passed copper theft laws, including Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee. Some lawmakers would like to see federal legislation on the issue.

For More Info:For more information about CopperCuff, talk to your local dealer or visit www.coppercuff.com

Easy to install at any desired location on the pipeline.

Copper Wire

For ultimate protection, four CopperCuffs are recommended per span.

I 4

pivot monitoring system, but – up to that point – had not owned any Zimmatic pivots.

When the previous lease on their remote pivot monitoring system ran out, Vulgamore looked to FieldNET – the irrigation industry’s first and only full control Web-based irrigation management system.

“I was impressed with the FieldNET Web portal,” Vulgamore said. “It had a lot more features and record keeping capability than our previous system.”

To learn more, he contacted his local Zimmatic dealer, Harold Crossland of American Irrigation, just 25 miles (40 km) down the road in Garden City, KS.

The Vulgamore’s understood the enormous benefits of technology and how it can positively impact the bottom line. Lindsay’s simple and affordable irrigation solutions were a perfect fit.

are the best labor and fuel savings technology purchases they’ve made in the past eight years. This becomes even more evident as inputs continue to rise and good help becomes more expensive and harder to find.

“A remote pivot monitoring system ranks right up there with auto-steer when considering the best purchases we’ve made for the farm,” he said. “I highly recommend this type of technology. The labor and fuel savings are tremendous.”

“Our hired help used to spend two hours driving in pickups two or three times a day just to see

applications to remote monitoring systems, the Vulgamores definitely know a few solutions that can make farming a little easier and a lot more profitable.

No stranger to precision ag technology, the Vulgamores currently operate John Deere equipment with Greenstar II platforms coupled with Mapshot’s EASiSuite GIS software. In the past, they had also used a basic remote

The Vulgamore’s were shown how FieldNET could help optimize the efficiency of their irrigation operation. Their fields were mapped to show the features and benefits of FieldNET via an online demo right from the Vulgamore’s office computer.

After the demo, Vulgamore was convinced that FieldNET had the features that he and his neighbors – who he now shares the FieldNET radio network with – were looking for.

He claims that remote pivot monitoring and control systems

In Scott City, KS, there’s a grower who believes that precision farming is a simple and cost-effective way to make big improvements to a farming operation.

Precision farming allows growers the opportunity to save valuable time and money, especially when it comes to rising input costs and labor costs.

Brian Vulgamore and his family use center pivots to irrigate wheat, corn, sunflowers and soybeans. The Vulgamore farming operation includes his father, Larry, and his brother, Myles.

Besides being busy in the fields, Vulgamore and his brother also run Precision Ag & Seed Services – selling Pioneer seed as well as consulting with area growers on precision agriculture solutions.

Precision farming can mean many different things. From GPS-guided tractors to variable rate seeding, fertilizer, pesticide and watering

For More Info:Rain Maker Irrigation Box 1308 Outlook, Saskatchewan S0L2N0 (306) 867-9606

Precision technology Put to work

FieldNET Subscriber Makes the Switch to Zimmatic

L to R: Brian, Myles, and Larry Vulgamore

“ Today we only drive out to manually check

the pivots once in the morning. The rest of the

day we watch them with our cell phones and

can easily be at any pivot within 30 minutes

of receiving a text message notifying us of a

problem. This frees up a lot more of our time.”

– Brian Vulgamore, Scott City, KS

Photo courtesy of Vulgamore farming.

continued on next page

I 6 7 I

machines from virtually anywhere at anytime. All we had to do was plug in our existing FieldNET devices from our older pivots into the GrowSmart panels on the new pivots and we were instantly upgraded to FieldNET Premier service. This unique feature of FieldNET is one of the main reasons we chose to buy Zimmatic.”

This fall, Vuglamore and his family were busy bringing in the crops grown with the help of FieldNET. In retrospect, he said that combining a new technology into their operation wasn’t always a smooth transition, but “we’re happy with the Zimmatics and the FieldNET system.”

if the pivots were running,” he added. “Today we only drive out to manually check them once in the morning. The rest of the day we watch them with our cell phones and can easily be at any pivot within 30 minutes of receiving a text message notifying us of a problem. This frees up a lot more of our time, which allows us to work on other things that need to get done or even take a little extra time off on the weekends to be with the family.”

Besides investing in FieldNET, Vulgamore also purchased five new Zimmatic pivots to integrate into his existing FieldNET system – giving him full control from the Web.

“We had already purchased the FieldNET system, and we liked the idea of having full control of the pivots from the Internet and our cell phones,” he said. “It made a lot of sense to purchase Zimmatic pivots with GrowSmart computer panels to have full control of our new

For More Info:American Irrigation 2611 West Jones Ave. Garden City , KS 67846 620-275-4114

“The year 2008 marked a long-term peak in all commodity markets and something we probably won’t see again for a long time.”

Still, he predicts gross farm income and net farm income per acre will be good in 2009. Agriculture has always run countercyclical to the general economy and even during a recession, people still have to eat. Plus, basis levels have shown significant improvements in farm country.

“The challenge for growers will be to maximize gross value because other input costs will be higher,”

Brock says. “Marketing timing strategies will be more important than ever as we go back to a normal marketing pattern. Growers should sell when prices are profitable and not get greedy.”

He predicts irrigation costs will drop substantially in 2009 because diesel fuel and natural gas costs will be much lower than the previous year. At the same time, other input costs such as fertilizer, will be higher.

“It will pay for growers to make the most of their irrigation as a means of maximizing gross value per acre.”

Richard Brock, president of Brock Associates in Milwaukee, WI, says it’s going to be hard to top 2008’s heady days of $7 corn and $15 soybeans. But the well-known agricultural commodity analyst is still positive about ag profitability in 2009.

Ag Commodity Analyst Predicts Solid Year Ahead

A: Interest rates have been trending higher. However, financing programs still remain attractive thanks to manufacturer support from companies like Lindsay Corporation. Seven-year financing may be more popular in the future than three- or five-year financing since it offers payments that are lower, preserving cash flow.

Q: What are some suggestions you have for growers looking to finance their equipment?

A: Continue to service your debt according to agreed-upon terms. This will keep you in good credit standing with your lenders. You may experience lenders asking for more information in order to provide financing. Working with them on these requests will provide the quickest route to the credit you need under the best possible terms.

Growers who have decreased some of their risk through forward contracting, crop insurance, etc., will be looked upon favorably by lenders considering new financing requests.

Q: What are your predictions for the ag economy in 2009?

A: Record farm income in 2008 should give irrigation system sales and financing a good start next year, while heightened uncertainty regarding commodity prices and input costs will be a reality. Manageable debt loads and strong balance sheets will be working in favor of growers, and the U.S. Farm Bill may continue to provide a key safety net along the way.

Steve Norris is vice-president of Irrigation Finance Solutions. The 39-year-old Omaha, NE, company works with farm equipment manufacturers to provide financing options to growers.

Q & A with Steve Norris, Vice President, Irrigation Finance Solutions, Omaha, NE.

Q: How has irrigation and ag financing in general been impacted by problems in our nation’s financial sector?

A: Credit is still available to farmers with a good credit history and repayment capacity, although at a higher cost than they’ve seen recently.

Q: Are growers being more cautious about financing irrigation systems?

A: We don’t see any hesitation to finance systems. In fact, more farmers may consider financing in the future to conserve cash.

Q: What are some trends you’re hearing about in the field?

Equipment Financing Tips for Today’s Economy

continued from page 7

9 I

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers who promote agricultural production and environmental quality. EQIP may cost-share up to 75-90 percent of the costs of certain conservation practices. To qualify, participants must demonstrate:

1. Reductions of nonpoint source pollution, such as nutrients, sediment, pesticides, or excess salinity in impaired watersheds consistent with total maximum daily loads where available, as well as the reduction of groundwater contamination and reduction of point sources such as contamination from confined animal feeding operations;

2. Conservation of ground and surface water resources;

3. Reduction of emissions, such as particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds, and ozone precursors and depleters that contribute to air quality impairment violations of National Ambient Air Quality Standards;

4. Reduction in soil erosion and sedimentation from unacceptable levels on agricultural land; and

5. Promotion of at-risk species habitat conservation.

EQIP offers contracts with a minimum term that ends one year after the implementation of the last scheduled practices and a maximum term of 10 years. These contracts provide incentive payments

and cost-shares to implement conservation practices. Persons who are engaged in livestock or agricultural production on eligible land may participate in the EQIP program. EQIP activities are carried out according to an environmental quality incentives program plan of operations developed in conjunction with the producer that identifies the appropriate conservation practice or practices to address the resource concerns. The practices are subject to National Resources Conservation Service technical standards adapted for local conditions.

EQIP may cost-share up to 75 percent of the costs of certain conservation practices. Incentive payments may be provided for up to

three years to encourage producers to carry out management practices they may not otherwise use without the incentive. However, limited resource producers and beginning farmers and ranchers may be eligible for cost-shares up to 90 percent. Farmers and ranchers may elect to use a certified third-party provider for technical assistance. An individual or entity may not receive, directly or indirectly, cost-share or incentive payments that, in the aggregate, exceed $450,000 for all EQIP contracts entered during the term of the Farm Bill.

For More Info:For more information, visit www.usda.gov

EQIP Offers Financial And Technical HelpGrowers can benefit from conservation practices

Farm Bill by the Numbers$250 million Funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency systems for farmers, ranchers and rural small businesses

$5 million Funding to help educate vehicle fleet owners about the benefits of biodiesel

$1.3 billion Funding for the Wetlands Reserve Program

$75 million Funding for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program

32 million acres New ceiling on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres to help meet the need for increased demand for food, feed and fuel

$7.3 billion Funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Collected from information released by USDA, House Committee on Agriculture, and American Soybean Association

For More Info:For more information, www.nrcs.usda.gov/PROGRAMS/EQIP

11 I

the concentrated farming methods required by today’s growers, according to Al Kuta, Zimmatic product manager.

“As labor and energy costs continue to rise and water availability drops, growers need a system to maximize irrigation efficiency,” Kuta says. “The Zimmatic GEOlateral irrigation system

applies water with efficiency and uniformity. It also operates on lower pressure and conserves fuel.”

Available in hose-fed and ditch-fed models and designed to replace wheel-line or flood irrigation, the Zimmatic GEOlateral provides 98 percent coverage of square and rectangular fields. The system’s unique pivoting feature

The system includes specially designed GrowSmart™ controls with multilingual and metric capabilities. The modular pivoting cart is available in four-wheel or six-wheel platforms.

Beck says ease of operation makes the system ideal for his Idaho farm. “I especially like that

allows growers to quickly rotate the system to adjoining or offset fields to increase irrigated acreage without increasing costs.

For Idaho grower Bob Beck, that’s a huge benefit. Beck uses his Zimmatic GEOlateral to irrigate potatoes, sugar beets and alfalfa – all grown on rectangular or irregular-shaped fields.

“I decided to go with the Zimmatic GEOlateral because I have two fields and they aren’t the same shape. The Zimmatic GEOlateral allows me to water one field and then spin it around and water the other field,” Beck says.

“It irrigates the full length of the lateral the same way versus pivots that can change. A lateral irrigates a consistent amount of water all the way across. And, when you change a nozzle you don’t have to figure out which size it is because the nozzles are all the same. That makes it easier.”

Kuta says the Zimmatic GEOlateral uses standard center pivot components for simplicity of field maintenance and service needs. For existing flood fields, growers can use their present water delivery system with the Zimmatic GEOlateral.

Lindsay’s new Zimmatic GEOlateral system eliminates up to 90 percent of the labor associated with surface irrigation and, for high-value crop growers like Vicente Esquit, that’s reason enough to consider converting additional towable pivots to GEOlaterals.

“The GEOlateral system is definitely the lower operation cost system compared to pivots and traditional laterals,” says Esquit, field manager at a sugar cane farm in Ingenio La Union, Guatemala. “The GEOlateral is shorter and we don’t need a tractor to tow it, which means less labor involved compared to a traditional lateral.”

The Zimmatic GEOlateral system is designed specifically for

I can move the hose with my pickup. That saves a lot of time and labor, and I can set it and be gone without having to worry whether or not my crops are being watered evenly.”

Guatemala grower Esquit uses a concrete ditch-fed version of the Zimmatic GEOlateral system and plans to add more Zimmatic GEOlaterals in the future.

“We chose the GEOlateral system because it is versatile, efficient and low-cost,” Esquit says. “We are planning to convert more towable pivots to GEOlateral systems.”

Short Run

Short Run

Pivot back to start Pivo

t at e

nd o

f field

pivoting laterals can handle offset fields and adjacent fields utilizing its uniQue pivoting feature.

GEOlateral’s pivoting feature allows growers like Bob Beck of Paul, ID to irrigate multiple fields efficiently and more cost effectively

new zimmatic geolateral combines advantages of pivot and lateral systems to provide big cost savings

Vicente Esquit irrigates using a four-wheel, ditch-fed GEOlateral on a sugar cane field near

Ingenio La Union, Guatemala

Versatile ditch-fed cart with engine generator set utilizes a traveling weir assembly for Esquit’s

concrete ditch operation

KEY POINTS • Provides up to 98% coverage

and uniform water application on rectangular fields

• Versatile cart allows growers to irrigate multiple crops auto-matically

• Available with Zimmatic’s standard, medium and high-clearance tower options to meet specific crop height needs

• Specially designed GrowSmart controls with informative display featuring multilingual and metric capabilities make irrigation management easier than ever

“we chose the geolateral system because it is

versatile, efficient and low-cost. we are planning to convert more towable pivots

to geolateral systems.”

Bob Beck, Paul, ID

Takin

g The geolaTeral ouT for a

spin

I 12 13 I

Since 1993, the owners of Inglewood Farms have operated their 2,420 hectares (6,000 acres) of organically certified land, processing 5,000 chickens a day at their Poultry Processing Abattoir at Inglewood South East Queensland, Australia. They wanted to break into the tough Asian organic poultry market, but that meant finding a consistent supply of organic crops for their chickens to feed on.

To produce enough poultry for export, Inglewood would need to partner with Nulla Farming from Cunnamulla, a remote area of Queensland, New South Wales (NSW). They also wanted to break into an organic operation. But to help supply Inglewood with enough food, both farms would need to improve their yields by improving their irrigation practices.

They began to research best practices in irrigation. The farm managers wanted a state-of-the-art system – one that was big enough to efficiently cover more than 1,345 hectares (3,325 acres) of Nulla’s farmland.

“We knew we needed a solid performing pivot system for precision water application that increased yields to make sure

we could supply our livestock with consistent feed,” said Clive Wylie, Director of Inglewood Farms. “We also knew we needed a solid partner to provide their expertise on the project.”

After careful consideration, Inglewood called Team

Irrigation, a Lindsay dealership in nearby

Dubbo, NSW.

It became the largest irrigation system installed in Team

Irrigation’s six years of operation – taking 12 team members a total of 10 weeks to completely construct and install.

Team Irrigation used 4.1 km (2.5 miles) of irrigation equipment with nearly 120 tons (270,000 lbs.) of steel spans to create five Zimmatic laterals and one center pivot in a remote area of the country.

The system’s three lateral pivots measured nearly 700 meters (2,297 ft.) long and another two that measured 780 meters (2,559 ft.), the center pivot was 465 meters (1,526 ft.) long and covered a 64 hectare (158 acre) rotation. According to Team Irrigation’s Craig Chandler, who directed the project with Bob Johnson, it takes approximately 36 hours for the systems to walk down the 3.5 km (2.2 miles) during an irrigation run.

“These were large operation systems that were time, labor and fuel efficient,” said Chandler. “This system has an incredible capacity to irrigate the crops Inglewood and Nulla Farms need to meet their business expansion goals.”

The entire system was fitted with Nelson Irrigation 3000 series ‘spinner’ sprinklers: computer-designed nozzles that spray in a plate pattern to insure the correct water application of 220-250 liters of water per second (3487-3963 GPM). With a pressure of 1 bar (15 psi), the system operated at a low pressure to maintain precision application and to minimize soil compaction and wind drift.

Team Irrigation applied advanced irrigation technology to run the pivots efficiently and keep the need for on-site monitoring low.

“The technology we used included a GrowSmart Voice Command monitoring system linked to Australia’s 3G mobile cell phone network that allows the grower to dial up the pivot from anywhere and check on the system,” said Chandler.

The system allows them to make changes to the operation of the pivot simply by using a cell phone’s keypad. They can also monitor the system’s status, pressure, travel speed and application rate.

Chandler says they plan to link the pivots to a FieldNET system in the future once it is released in Australia so pivot location

can be viewed via the Internet.

“We were thrilled with the final product,” said Wylie. “It’s allowed us to expand into a market that none of us could have successfully entered alone.”

The lateral move and pivot irrigated wheat in the winter during the first irrigation period. They will rotate to field peas or soybeans for a smaller summer planting. The organic yields were enough to feed the poul-try at Inglewood Farms – now Australia’s leading producer of organic, free-range chickens.

“In the end, both farms were happy to be able to achieve their goals by putting Zimmatic laterals and pivots in their fields,” said Chandler. “And we were satisfied with a project well done.”

Queensland poultry processor looks to Lindsay for large irrigation solutions

TEAM Irrigation Wins Rural Achievement Award

Congratulations to TEAM Irrigation Pty Limited which won the Inaugural Silver Rhino Award for Excellence in Rural Achievement from the Dubbo Chamber of Commerce and Indus-try. The award was presented at the recent Rhino Outstanding Business Awards Banquet in Dubbo, NSW.

TEAM Irrigation Pty Limited

69-71 Fitzroy St., Dubbo, NSW 2830, Australia (+61) 26885 5220

Queensland

“We knew we needed a solid performing pivot system for precision water application that increased yields to make sure we could supply our livestock with consistent feed.”— Clive Wylie, Inglewood Farms

Largest Irrigation

Project completed by

TEAM Irrigation Pty Limited

to date

Areas Irrigated1,345 hectares (3,325 acres)

Total Equipment Delivered290 tons (580,000 lbs.)

Construction Time10 weeks

I 14 15 I

New Advances

An upcoming study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has found that ethanol production is more energy efficient than previously thought. The research was praised by the

National Corn Growers Association for showing how much of a difference technology improvements can make.

"We are looking forward to seeing this research publicly released," said Steve Ruh, chairman of NCGA's ethanol committee. "It's going to go far in dispelling one of the most persistent and incorrect myths about ethanol. But even beyond improved energy efficiency, there are many reasons why Americans should be embracing domestic biofuels for increased energy independence."

The research was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Kenneth Cassman of the university's Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research, and has been submitted to the Journal of Industrial Ecology, one of the top peer-reviewed journals for research on lifecycle analysis.

"Recent research conducted at the University of Nebraska clearly shows that estimates for the energy balance of corn-based ethanol are much more favorable – in fact two to three times more favorable than previous estimates," Cassman said. "That's because most of the published values for energy efficiency of corn-ethanol are 'backward looking' in the sense they evaluated older technologies with regard to energy use in corn production, the biorefinery, and co-product utilization."

Cassman, who is also a Heuermann Professor of Agronomy at the university, said it is important to understand that ethanol has a substantial net positive direct energy balance – that 1.5 to 1.6 more units of energy are derived from ethanol than are used to produce it.

"Using dated information simply doesn't work in a world where the technology and efficiency of corn and ethanol production are rapidly improving over the years," he said. "Moreover, if the goal is to reduce dependence on imported oil, we estimate that 13 gallons (49.2 liters) of ethanol are produced for every gallon of petroleum used in the production lifecycle for corn ethanol."

In a March 2008 report, the Argonne National Laboratory's Center for Transportation Research found that ethanol facilities in the United States are using less energy and water than five years ago, but producing more ethanol. Water consumption is down 26.6 percent, grid electricity use is down almost 16 percent and total energy use is about 22 percent lower.

New Research Confirms Ethanol's Growing Energy Efficiency

Upcoming Shows

Source: National Corn Growers Association news release

Eastern Idaho Ag Expo January 20-22, 2009 Pocatello, Idaho

World Ag Expo February 10-12, 2009 Tulare, California www.worldagexpo.com

SIMA February 22-26, 2009 Paris, France www.simaonline.com/en

Commodity Classic February 26-28, 2009 Grapevine, Texas www.commodityclassic.com

Ag Expo & North American Seed Fair March 4-6, 2009 Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada www.exhibitionpark.ca

World Potato Congress March 23-25, 2009 Christchurch, New Zealand www.potatocongress.org

3i Show May 6-8, 2009 Garden City, Kansas www.3ishow.com

Useful WebsitesFor more information, visit these websites.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)www.nrcs.usda.gov/ PROGRAMS/EQIP

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)www.ncga.com

See Lindsay at a show near you.

Nebraska Farmer magazine ran an article on Lindsay’s new CopperCuff,™ designed to protect against copper wire theft. See the October 2008 issue for more information. www.nebraskafarmer.com

The Omaha World-Herald recently reported on the upswing in thefts of copper wire from center pivots, and Lindsay’s answer to the problem with CopperCuff. See the September 10, 2008, edition for details.

IN thE NEwsRecent stories in farming publications showcase CopperCuff,TM Zimmatic's medium clearance tower and Zimmatic's Corner 4x4.

New Product Spotlight

Successful Farming magazine detailed the new Zimmatic medium-clearance tower and the new Zimmatic Corner 4x4 drive system in its August 2008 edition.www.agriculture.com

Lindsay Corporation Remembers Paul Zimmerer

Lindsay founder Paul Zimmerer passed away July 31, 2008, at the age of 94.

In 1968, Paul and his sons Art and

Bernie, developed one of the first electric center pivots that made its first circle on a cornfield in Newman Grove, NE, a short distance from his farm machinery business in Lindsay. Today, more than 25,000 miles (40,233 km) of Zimmatic center pivots have been built at the original plant site founded by Paul Zimmerer.

Rick Parod, president and chief executive officer of Lindsay Corporation, said: “Mr. Zimmerer’s entrepreneurialism and innovation helped advance irrigation technology used throughout the world. Lindsay Corporation is proud to be a part of his legacy.”

Having your pivots checked annually means:

• Less downtime during growing season

• Fewer hassles and field visits

• Higher trade-in value

• Better ROI (Return on Investment)

• Longer life

• Lower operating costs

© 2008 Lindsay. All rights reserved. Zimmatic is a registered trademark of the Lindsay Corporation.

Reserve your spot today for a 20-point inspection to keep your pivots running smoothly

Plus, your local Zimmatic dealer can service any pivot, no matter what brand it is.

Visit your Zimmatic dealer for your annual maintenance quote.

17 I

CopperCuff Cable ThefT DeTerrenT

TM

Lindsay2707 N 108th St, Ste 102 • Omaha, NE 68164

Address Service Requested

Protect your pivots with CopperCuff™ Theft Deterrent.

Thieves are harvesting copper from pivots, but now there’s a way you can stop them. CopperCuff is the theft deterrent device that eliminates costly repairs and downtime due to copper theft from irrigation systems.

Why CopperCuff?

• Designed to fit all major pivot brands with 6 5/8” pipe diameters and all cable sizes

• Securely locks pivot cables in place with 11-gauge galvanized steel band

• Easy to install on a full system in less than one hour

Each unprotected pivot lets thieves quickly strip 2-5 miles (3-8 km) of valuable copper. With average repair costs on a theft-damaged machine costing as much as $5,000, the best method of protection is the CopperCuff.

Visit www.coppercuff.com or talk to your Zimmatic® dealer for details.

© 2008 Lindsay Corporation. All rights reserved. Zimmatic and CopperCuff are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Lindsay Corporation.