WAE: 2018 Top-10 New Products winners announced

TULARE — Results of World Ag Expo’s Top-10 New Products Competition, sponsored by Bank of America, were recently made public. The winners will be showcased Feb. 13-15, during the World Ag Expo in Tulare.

An impressive field of cutting-edge, costsaving, and resource-managing products were submitted for the contest by exhibitors of the largest annual agricultural show of its kind. The contest judges were made up of farmers, ranchers and industry professionals. The Top-10 New Products competition is once again sponsored by Bank of America, which has an industry leading agribusiness group that delivers end-to-end banking and finance solutions to ag producers and related businesses.

The competition is conducted annually by the International Agricenter in conjunction with World Ag Expo, which draws more than 1,400 exhibitors and an estimated annual average of 100,000 individuals from 70 countries. Exhibitors must nominate their products for judging by the Oct. 31 deadline to be eligible.

GUSS — GUSS (Global Unmanned

Spray System) Kingsburg GUSS (Global Unmanned Spray System) is the world’s first fully autonomous, driverless orchard sprayer. GUSS can be used to spray almond, pistachio, walnut, citrus, and stone fruit trees. It utilizes GPS, lasers, and other vehicle sensors to guide itself through orchard rows. GUSS helps alleviate the evergrowing labor challenges faced by the agricultural industry. A single operator in a control van can monitor four to eight GUSS sprayers at a time. GUSS is inherently more efficient than manned equipment being that it doesn’t get tired, need to stop for meal breaks, or call in sick. Precision is maximized by setting exact speeds and application rates into the machine that are maintained across the entire field. A data file depicting coverage, speed, products applied, and application rate is provided to the grower upon completion of the spray job. GUSS is a revolutionary new technology that will help usher in the future of agriculture. — Website: www.gussag.com

ANDROS — MEGABINDER LRV Paso Robles The ANDROS Megabinder LRV is the fastest and most efficient Ag Film recycling system on the market. The Megabinder retrieves and compacts Drip-tape and Mulch film into dense, uniform rolls for easy handling. Extremely efficient film retrieval results in less operator fatigue and lower operational costs. The Megabinder is offered in 4 models, 3pt. tractor-powered, Pull-behind tractor powered, Pull behind w/selfcontained power supply, and Goose-neck or bumper pull models w/selfcontained power supply, and hydraulic multi-roll dumping platform. The Megabinder is equipped with the “ANDROS PCG 3D” retrieval head that allows growers to add multiple lines of film or drip-tape on-the-fly. This feature allows the operator to feed new lines into the retrieval head without having to stop the retrieval process or tie ends together. The Dual Trapezoidal Discharge Spool, ensures smooth ejection of full rolls out of the Megabinder for future transport or storage. The Megabinder’s ergonomic platform includes operator safety features such as, a remote hydraulic dump control valve, torque and speed controls, and an emergency stop safety fence that quickly stops the retrieval process when activated by the operator. — Website: www.androsengineering.com

Metalcraft of Ga, Inc. — Metalcraft 2614 TILT

Louisville, Ga. Come to the World Ag Expo and experience the latest innovation in scraper controls on the new Metalcraft TILT scraper! The Metalcraft TILT scraper will save you time and money by utilizing tilt sensors and GPS controls to create precision slopes without the extra expense of bulldozers and motor graders. The in-cab touch screen operators have the ability to select from three modes of operation: Manual, Auto Slope, or Auto GPS. The Metalcraft system utilizes the tractors solenoid switches to operate all scraper functions and will work with any brand of GPS controller. This system comes installed on the 2614WT and 2814WT ejector scrapers when the TILT option is purchased. These scrapers with their walking beam axles and large capacities have proven to be reliable and increase production. Now with the new tilt feature, they are guaranteed to be the most efficient way to move the earth. — Website: www. metalcraftscrapers.com

Lindsay Corporation — Pivot Control Lite

Omaha, Neb. Pivot Control Lite from Fieldnet by Lindsay is a simple, cost-effective add-on option for remote monitoring and control of almost any brand of electric center pivot. Utilizing Fieldnet by Lindsay technology, this easy-touse, low cost solution delivers many advanced irrigation management capabilities that previously were only available with more expensive and complex solutions. It is an especially great solution for growers who are operating multiple brands of pivots or pivots on leased land, where they have no ownership of the pivot but want the benefits of remote monitoring and control. Pivot Control Lite includes an integrated cellular modem and on-board GPS, giving growers the ability to precisely control the amount of water that is applied — avoiding overwatering and decreasing unnecessary pumping costs. Pivot Control Lite comes with an optional cable theft detection package, so even when the pivot is powered off, it is actively monitoring the span cable. It also is fully compatible with Fieldnet Advisor, the industry’s first, fully integrated irrigation management solution to help growers decide when, where and how much to irrigate. — Website: www.myfieldnet.com

Cargill Animal Nutrition — Reveal

Analysis Elk River, Minn. Reveal Analysis service from Cargill is the first to offer instant, lab quality forage analysis via a convenient handheld device and smartphone app. By combining Cargill’s global forage database with SCIO, the world’s first pocket-sized connected micro-spectrometer, dairy producers now have the power of our lab in the palm of their hands. Industry experts have identified improved dry matter management as a top area of opportunity for improving feed efficiency. Dairy producers can now quickly determine the dry matter of their forage to make ration adjustments in real-time. The service empowers users to analyze an unlimited number of forage samples. Forage can be analyzed by anyone on the farm, at any time. The app saves an electronic record of each analysis that can be conveniently labeled and shared via text or email. In addition, Reveal® will be showcasing an exciting new milk analysis capability at World Ag Expo, giving dairy producers the ability to also instantly analyze raw milk for fat, protein and total solids. — Website: www.cargill.com

Hydrox Technologies — Solar Shrink Mulch Film Sumner Park, Queensland, Australia

Solar Shrink plastic mulch film, developed by Hydrox Technologies in Australia, is manufactured to have shrinking forces trapped into the plastic so that, after laying sunlight heats the plastic and causes it to shrink tightly to the growing bed, preventing the sheet from flapping in the wind. A tight sheet transmits more heat to the soil allowing for an earlier start to the season and prevents the sheet from billowing in the wind, which pumps out heat and moisture from beneath the sheet. The friction caused by a loosely laid, flapping sheet rubbing against the plant causes damage allowing disease to gain hold. In addition, Hydrox’s unique manufacturing process makes Solar Shrink up to 200 percent stronger, 35 percent thinner, and 25 percent more cost effective and environmentally friendlier compared to any other mulch film available. Being stronger and containing extra UV light protection, Solar Shrink can be easily picked up by machine at the end of the season, with minimal loose debris, saving time and money. A thinner film results in up to 35 percent more film on the roll, efficiently reducing the number of stoppages for roll changes and makes for less weight of plastic to dispose of to landfill — all of which reduce costs of labor, fuel and initial outlay and reduces the amount of plastic contamination in the environment.” — Website: www.hydroxtech.com

Sweco Products Inc. — Sweco Orchard Mastersutter The Sweco Orchard Master is a brand new product from Sweco Products Inc. This implement is a 3-point mounted product that can be pulled behind a minimum 80 hp orchard tractor. The Orchard Master is designed to incorporate any weeds or harvesting debris into the soil using a newly designed ground driven incorporating roller. This ground driven incorporating roller follows a series of rippers that open the ground for it to break up the soil and incorporate the debris. Following the ground driven incorporating roller is our shaper bucket that levels the soil and leaves a nice flat surface for the rear roller drum to compact the soil. The Sweco Orchard Master leaves a final product that has been tilled, leveled and rolled. This machine is designed to eliminate the growers need to use a mower, disc, land plane and roller. With the Sweco Orchard Master you get a better final result with the need for only one machine. Current practices using all four implements that are typically pulled at around 2-4 mph takes more than four times the labor to perform, considering that the Sweco Orchard Master is designed to be pulled at a minimum of 6 mph. This allows the Grower to complete his work in as little as one quarter the time with only one machine. — Website: www.swecoproducts.com

Truck Claws — Truckclaws/ Truckclawsii/ Truckclaws Quick Connect Harrisonburg, Va. Truckclaws are a patent-pending, all-season truck traction aid to help drivers get unstuck, saving them time and the expense of tow truck services. Simple to use and easy to install, Truckclaws feature a traction cleat that attaches to a drive tire on the rear of a vehicle with a customized reinforced strap and heavyduty ratchet. It takes less than 60 seconds to install each claw. The devices can free a truck stuck in mud, snow, ice and sand and may be installed over tire chains but also work great without them. You can even add multiple Truckclaws to each tire for even more traction. Other traction aid products are made of plastic or rubber and often only good for one or two uses. Truckclaws commercial is made of high grade steel to move large trucks from big rigs to commercial farm equipment and more. Truckclaws II is made of aircraft grade aluminum to move lighter trucks, Pickups, SUVS and RVS. Truckclaws high quality rugged construction makes them one of the most effective and reusable traction aids on the market allowing you to get your truck unstuck and help others in need time and time again. — Website: www.truckclaws. com

Environmental Technologies Inc — Thymox Footbath 1p Selah, Wash. Thymox is a highly concentrated liquid footbath effective at controlling hairy heel warts (digital dermatitis). Hairy heel warts (Digital Dermatitis, a highly contagious infection) have been plaguing the life of dairy farmers for over 30 years, and the disease is now the second most costly infectious disease found in dairies, after mastitis. Unlike mastitis, hairy heel warts do not have an easy treatment. To control the disease multiple measures must be used, among which are footbaths. The conventional footbath treatments, Copper Sulfate and Formalin, are becoming more and more difficult to tolerate: Copper Sulfate is not biodegradable, and will slowly make crop land sterile and less productive, while Formalin is biodegradable, it is also carcinogenic, and presents a major health hazard when shipped and handled. Both chemicals are becoming scrutinized at the state level. Thymox Footbath 1P is a replacement solution for dairy farmers who want to protect their health and their land. Unlike Copper Sulfate and Formalin, Thymox Footbath 1P has the advantage of not burning the skin. It instead allows the wounds to heal naturally. Natural healing helps prevents future infection on the hoof, which in turn reduces the risk of infection of other cows. The active ingredient in Thymox, thymol, is found in thyme oil. It is a highly potent antimicrobial compound, yet is safe enough to put in food. The product has also been registered in Canada as the only drug to control Hairy Heel Warts. — Website: www. etidairy.com

Eno Scientific LLC —

Well Watch 700 Hillsborough, N.C. The Well Watch 700 is an intelligent water well management system for agricultural applications. The sensor monitors water levels using sound waves, providing real time level data down to 7000 ft. The controller allows for easy integration into any telemetry/ SCADA system along with data logging, resource management and pump control capabilities. One of the many reasons this product is so groundbreaking is that it is all non-contact. The hardware is easy to install, external to the well and built to last. There is no risk of well contamination, no well decommissioning during installation and no equipment to risk being sucked into the pump. This product will provide the user with the knowledge to make intelligent water usage decisions. To know which fields to farm or which crops to plant you need to know you will have the water to do it. Smart irrigation is key, but the key to smart irrigation is the water supply. We have connected every farmer to that data with this sensor. — Website: www.enoscientific.com