New from Deere: Save seed costs with Swath Control Pro for planters

Aug 29, 2007 12:18 PM, by Kurt Lawton

Adel, Iowa, farmer Lowell Garrett saved an estimated $7,000 on his seed costs this spring (2 to 3% seed savings over 5,000 acres) by investing $4,000 in John Deere’s new Swath Control Pro technology. And that savings occurred on basic rectangular fields with no point rows and only headlands — where the least amount of benefit is usually seen.

“For growers who are still new to precision farming technology, our new Swath Control Pro for planters may be the initial piece that entices them to get into precision farming due to quick payback on valuable technology,” says Kayla Reynolds, product marketing manager, John Deere Ag Management Solutions (AMS).

When teamed with Deere’s integrated system of GreenStar 2 (GS2) rate controller and GS2 display, along with a StarFire iTC receiver, Swath Control Pro turns sections of a planter on and off so previously planted headlands and point rows are not over-seeded. “Growers truly appreciate the ability to minimize the double planting in headland areas,” says Mike Park, Deere’s AMS marketing manager.

“Early tests show seed reduction of at least 3%,” he says. “We’re also excited about the optimized yields that growers will experience in the headlands and around terraces due to the reduction of over-planting.”

Swath Control Pro is compatible with the existing one-half or one-third width disconnects found on most John Deere planters. Growers who want to divide their planter into small control sections for even greater accuracy and less over-planting can add air-clutch units, available from Tru Count.

Listen to Iowa farmer and John Deere employee Brent Madden as he talks about the benefits of Swath Control Pro and other new precision products.

Swath Control Pro is available for the 2008 planting season. Contact your John Deere dealer today for more information.