D6—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 29,1984
BUSINESS NE
Microprocessor-based Control Panel has been designed by
Chore-Time Equipment, Inc. for its Drop Feeding Systems.
Chore-Time cites
feed panel
LEOLA Chore-Time Equip
ment Inc., Milford, Ind. has an
nounced the development of a
microprocessor-based Control
Panel designed for use with Chore-
Time’s Drop Feeding Systems.
Modern livestock producers
using the Control Panel will be able
to dispense pre-set amounts of feed
to their animals automatically
with greater accuracy than
electro-mechanical time clock
controls, according to Agri-
Equipment, Inc., the Pennsylvania
Chore-Time distributor at Leola. It
is simple to install and gives to-the
minute accuracy many livestock
producers demand for portion
control feeding of their animals.
The state-of-the-art Control
Panel offers four convenient
programmable functions. The time
Delmarva conference on Feb. 7
SALISBURY, Md. - The 1985
Delmarva Corn and Soybean
Conference will take place
Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Wicomico
Youth and Civic Center in
Salsibury, Md. Theme of the all
day event will be - Looking Ahead.
The program will cover a wide
range of topics including
marketing, the impact of new
technology mi agriculture, new
classes of herbicides, pesticide
drift liability, Chesapeake Bay
cleanup, operating loans and in
terest rates, personal pesticide
• ••
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of day function features an elec
tronic clock with 12-hour display
and P.M. indicator light which
permits programming of feeding
and watering functions to the hour
and minute desired. A maximum
auger running time function allows
the producer to set a limit on how
long the feed delivery system can
run, in case of a system malfunc
tion. The Control Panel also lets
the livestock manager schedule
from one to 12 meals per day. And
the meal starting times feature
gives the freedom to select the
starting time for each individual
feeding period chosen.
Chore-Time Equipment
manufactures automated equip
ment for the care and feeding of
poultry and livestock.
safety, and new ideas in farm
equipment.
The master of ceremonies will be
Tennessee-born humorist Cotton
Ivy, a popular figure at this and
other gatherings.
The conference is being spon
sored by the Delaware and
Maryland Cooperative Extension
services and local agribusiness
firms. It will be accompanied by
an extensive trade and equipment
show. Watch local papers for
further details.
Machinery sales hike to be
small or not at all in 1985
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
W. Va. Farm equipment sales in
1985 could show modest im
provement over the depressed
levels of the past several years,
some manufacturers believe.
Others think there will be no im
provement.
In outlook statements prepared
for the 91st Annual Convention of
the Farm and Industrial Equip
ment Institute this week at The
Greenbrier, the manufacturers,
however, thought any im
provement would be small.
Mervyn H. Manning, vice
president and general manager of
Ford Tractor Operations and
current chairman of the FIEI, said
that while his company expects
industry tractor sales in North
America in increase 4.2 percent in
1985, “slowly rising interest rates,
weak U.S. agricultural exports,
continuing low crop prices and the
lack of major improvement in
farm income will continue to
impact the agricultural industry in
1985.”
Chairman Robert A. Hanson of
Deere & company said “retail
sales of farm equipment next year
might show some improvement
from the low levels of the past two
years. Many farmers have post
poned purchases for several years
now and we believe there will be
need for farmers to replace aging
equipment.”
“The 1985 outlook for
agricultural equipment is not as
favorable now as it was a few
months ago,” said Irvin E. Aal,
president of International Har
vester’s Ag Equipment Group.
“Even with near record levels of
crop production estimated for 1984,
much of which will be marketed
next year, farmers’ purchases of
equipment are not expected to
Purina offers fundraiser to FFA & 4-H
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Local 4-H and
Future Farmers of America
(FFA) members can raise funds
for their chapter and learn about
rodent control, while winning
prizes for their sales efforts by
selling Purina Rat Control Pellets
through participating Purina
dealerships, according to company
Product Manager John Graet
tinger.
“Besides helping raise money
for individual chapters, this fund
raiser is designed to serve as a
learning experience for par
ticipating youth groups,” he says.
“They’D learn how to detect, avoid
and control rodent infestation and
pass this information onto farmers
while selling Rat Control Pellets.”
There are also rewards for group
advisors whose chapters sell 350
lbs. of Rat Control Pellets,
Graettinger says. “Qualifying
advisors will receive a Samsonite
garment bag and shoulder tote. In
addition, all youths selling 30 lbs.
of pellets can choose one of 100 top
selling record albums,” he notes.
This fund-raising effort was
successful for the New Holland-
Middletown, 111. FFA chapter last
year, says advisor Don Miller.
“Two-thirds of our chapter
members participated in the
event, and it worked very well for
us,” he recalls.
Miller feels the fund-raiser was
successful because members sold
a useful product, and had a chance
to meet a wide variety of people
while doing so. “The pellets are
something most farmers need, and
many people in town can also use,”
he says.
To help chapter leaders train
their members on proper rodent
control, a rat control lesson plan
and film and cassette on .the
subject are available on a loan
basis mi request from Purina,
Graettinger points out.
exceed the low levels 0fJ984 by
more than 3 to 5 percent.”
Jerome K. Green, president and
CEO of JI Case, also thought sales
should increase 3 to 5 percent.
“Farmers are still faced with
heavy debt burdens, and farm
borrowing power will continue to
be challenged by erosion of land
values. But improved farm income
in 1985 should allow some debt
reduction and replacement of work
equipment,” he said.
Roy W. Uelner, president of
Allis-Chalmers Agricultural
Equipment Company, feels gross
farm income should be higher in
1985 and the farmers’ financial
position should strengthen as land
values start recovering. He said he
expects sales next year to improve
moderately.
Steiger Tractor’s president,
David D. Koentopf, who has been
serving as president of FIEI’s
Farm Equipment Division, said
the farm equipment industry
appears to have the most difficult
adjustments behind it. He said his
company expects four-wheel-drive
tractor sales to increase about four
percent.
Robert N. Spolum of the Melroe
Company is another industry
spokesman who expects business
to pick up in the three to five
percent range next year. Bernard
L. Nielsen, vice president and
general manager of New Idea
Farm Equipment Corporation
agrees, “given the low level of
sales to date in 1984 it is reasonable
to assume a moderate increase
will be experienced in 1985.”
Not everyone is looking for an
increase in sales, however, Horace
G. McCarty, Sperry New Holland’s
president said “concerns over
government deficits, land values,
interest rates and government
involvement have created an at-
“These learning materials will these pests transmit such disease
give chapter leaders an ideal as leptospirosis to hogs and cows.”
opportunity to show members the FFA and 4-H chapters interested
extent of damage rodents can hi launching this fund-raiser can
cause, as well as effective control contact their local Purina feed
methods,” Graettinger adds, dealership for further information,
“Most people don’t realize, for Graettinger says. Requests for the
example, that one rat eats about 25 - film, cassette and lesson plan can
lbs. of grain a year, and could he sent to RATS, DORF PUBLIC
contaminate ten times that amount RELATIONS, 518 sth AVENUE,
with droppings and urine. Also, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10036.
White reports tractor plan
OAK BROOK, 11. Farmers
planning to purchase a new tractor
this fall could be interested in an
offer from White Farm Equipment
Company, which allows no
payment until January, 1986 and
no interest charges.
The new tractor sales* program
which is available through Oct. 31,
allows customers to finance a
White Farm Field Boss tractor of
85 or more horsepower, interest
free for over three years and
waives the first of only three
payments until January, 1966.
According to John Peterson,
White Farm’s director of
Marketing Operations, “This
get over three
tractor and the
1986.
on this White
isn’t due until
mospnere of extreme caution
regarding all major purchases,
including farm equipment” and he
expects sales to remain at about
the 1984 level.
“Unit sales of farm equipment in
1985 will likely show little change
from levels of 1983 or 1984,” FIEI
vice chairman Howard Bren
neman, cheif executive officer of
Hesston Corporation said.
“Conditions critical to a recovery
in farm machinery demands show
no sign of improvement at this
time.”
Victor Rice, chairman of
Massey-Ferguson Ltd., said “there
is little to suggest a significant
change in the offing and farm
machinery sales in both the United
States and Canada will remain
very depressed for the remainder
of 1984 and 1985.”
The president of FIEI’s Agri-
Equipment Division, Wemer R.
Eugster, president of Butler
Manufacturing Company’s Agri
Products Division said “1985 will
be another tough year for
manufacturers and marketers of
farm equipment -- both
domestically and internationally.”
“Since the farm sector has not
shared in the economic recovery of
other industries, equipment sales
are sluggish and it appears the
weakness will continue through
1985,” James C. Mainwood,
president of Lilliston Corporation,
said.
Joseph J. Lund, president of
Farmhand, said the outlook for
next year was “poor” sales being
flat to possibly declining 10 per
cent. Carl Gerhardt, senior vice
president of Alfa-Laval’s
Agricultural Group, said “1983 was
bad, 1984 a little bit worse, and 1985
is not expected to be any better
until possibly late in the year.”
program allows customers to use
the tractor ‘for up to 15 months
before the first payment.” After a
customer negotiates the best
selling price and makes the down
payment, which can include a
trade-in, the remaining balance is
paid in three equal payments on
Jan. 1,1986,1987 and 1988.
“I don’t know of any other
company that makes such an of
fer,” Peterson says. “Most
companies compete on interest
rates or they offer one year in
terest-free. The White Farm
Equipment program offers 40
months absolutely interest-free”.
years of interest-free financing
first of three annual payments