HP Magazine - Autumn 2019

Autumn 2019

High Performance Magazine

Battling the cold for TECSIGHT hot topics p4 Best on farm: Meet the Andreazzas p14

High Performance Magazine Edition 19 Autumn 2019

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Contents

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For all editorial and advertising enquiries, contact:

Michael Casey Group Marketing Manager michael.casey@hutcheonandpearce.com.au

Welcome to the 2019 Autumn edition

H&P TopGuns: It’s only just begun.

Battling the cold for TECSight hot topics

No ‘Plan B’ to enter a trade

Versatility at your fingertips

Technology triumph at Temora Agricultural Innovation Centre

Best on farm: Meet the Andreazzas

XUV865M - Crossover Utility Vehicle

In Australia, one blood donation is needed every 24 seconds.

Giving blood feels good.

The Hutcheon & Pearce Community can really show that they have the JDNA by visiting their local Blood Service Centre. Just one blood donation can save up to three lives!

Ring 13 14 95 to make an appointment or visit https://www.donateblood.com.au and sign up to the Hutcheon and Pearce Community.

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Hutcheon & Pearce

Welcome

Welcome to the 2019 Autumn edition of High Performance Magazine.

I

t feels a little late to be wishing anyone a happy New Year when January (and sadly the cricket and tennis) is already a distant memory … but I certainly hope that everyone’s 2019 has started with promise for a great year to come.

While preparing for seeding and harvesting, and dealing with the costly water conditions, has been front of mind for many in our region, the Hutcheon & Pearce team has been working right alongside our customers to find the best water, money and time-saving on-farm solutions.

One farming family that certainly knows a thing or two about how to adapt to the tougher conditions is long-time H&P customers Glen and Julie Andreazza, who took out the 2018 NSW Farmer of the Year Award. The Andreazzas are a terrific example of farming excellence and adaptive practices, and a resilient and thoroughly engaged farming family who have our congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. This edition, we’re happy to share some of their story with you.

Congratulations should also be extended to our final-year apprentices who graduated from our TOPGUN program at a ceremony in January, which also formed part of the 2019 orientation for our new recruits. TOPGUN is a great source of pride for the H&P family as well as a great source of talent. We are fortunate to have most of the graduating apprentices and trainees staying on at H&P, and our new recruits are some of the strongest we’ve seen to date.

There’s been much debate recently about gaining a trade versus university qualification. Here at H&P, we have team members from both camps but with our TOPGUN program and supportive culture, we’re firm believers that a trade is a hard-to-beat option for many young people and employers. Our motto is hire on attitude and train for skill. So, for us, finding the right employee is more about the individual than the qualification.

And, of course, once you’re here at H&P the training never stops.

Just ask our TECSight Integrated Solutions Manager, Sam Horan who started the year with a trip to the US and Canada to learn about the latest in ag-tech.

You can read more about TOPGUN, the trade benefit and emerging technology in this edition.

Before I sign off, I also wanted to congratulate the efforts of Bill Sidle and the team behind the much-loved annual Header Drivers Convention held in Narrandera in February. More than a postharvest social gathering and whole load of fun, the day is a fantastic fundraiser for CanAssist and we’re always happy to throw our support behind it.

I hope you enjoy this edition of our magazine and I hope to see you out in the paddock.

Arron

Autumn 2019

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

Battling the cold for TECSight hot topics W

ith integrated solutions a big part of the Hutcheon & Pearce vision for the future, our TECSight team is constantly looking ahead to which products and service trends will have the biggest benefits for our customers.

Earlier this year, Manager of TECSight Integrated Solutions, Sam Horan attended an Integrated Solutions (IS) Managers’ tour of the United States and Canada.

Jumping at the chance to trade 40 degrees for minus 14, Sam spent a ‘priceless’ 10 days at the epicentre of IS research and development and brought back some great insights he’s keen to put into practice.

Here, Sam shares a few highlights from his trip.

1

The LEAD (Leading in Economic and Agronomic Decisions) Demo Event

This event was designed to show customers how to use John Deere technology, machinery and data management to impact the bottom line and build a greater return on investment. Steven Shirtliffe, a professor in the Plant Science Department at the University of Saskatchewan, spoke about Canola Crop Response to Management before we stepped through some interesting topics including: Higher Profits through Data-Enabled Decisions, Even Stand Drives Successful Harvest, Effective Nutrient Management Strategies, Application Precision Drive Yields, and Harvesting Canola Right Choice.

One thing I picked up is the industry is definitely pushing us toward the use of planters over seeders for canola to achieve better plant spacing and establishment.

2

Full factory tour of the Hagie Factory – Clarion, Iowa

This factory tour was amazing! It had a great family feel and we went right through the production line to see how everything is designed and built.

John Deere Pavilion - Moline, Illinois

I was impressed to see that all orders are completely customisable and the build quality is excellent.

Following the tour, we talked with the Hagie development team about what’s coming and what changes are being made to the 2019 line-up. We even got a sneak peek at a new machine in R&D. I cannot wait to get one of these amazing machines into our area and demo, demo, demo!

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Dealer and customer visits Saskatoon, Des Moines, Olathe

Meeting with John Deere Dealer Western Sales to see what they are doing with their Integrated Solutions Department was a great opportunity to benchmark our efforts at Hutcheon & Pearce.

We also attended a meeting of New CO-OP – a farmer cooperative funded by around 5000 farmers. While we have nothing of this scale in the grower-funded space in Australia, it was certainly an interesting experience.

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AgTech company visits

Agrimatics is a company that makes a simple plug and play system where, as long as the grain cart (chaser bin) has load cells fitted, you can fit a small Bluetooth transmitter to the chaser bin and an iPad to the cabin of the tractor to do away with the existing cables and monitor.

This would be a great system for Australian grains producers.

Swat Maps is a specialty ag product that helps define and account for variability in field. It combines all three maps into a full field variability map using Dual Band EM data 50 cm and 1M, RTK elevation sata, and strategic soil sampling in combination. It allows you to get a good look at in-field variability which can be used for VR, moisture probe positioning and field management.

I think this would provide a great agronomic service in dryland and irrigation farming.

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5

Sprayer Works and Cotton Factory, Des Moines, Iowa

The Cotton Picker and Sprayer factory tour was a great experience.

An old WWII factory houses a leading technology and processes building JD cotton pickerspickers, while an impressive state-of-theart sprayer shed houses the sprayer factory and assembly line.

With a sprayer rolling off the line every 45 minutes, this shed was a lesson in precision planning and maintaining flow in production, all while keeping parts and workers out of the punishing minus 25 degree weather!

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Integrated Solutions Group Des Moines, Iowa

Despite facing Snowmageddon and one of the area’s worst snow storms of the year, the visit to ISG (Integrated Solutions Group) was the highlight of the trip.

Arriving at the John Deere ISG headquarters, we knew that we were in the right place when we were greeted by 20 GPS receivers mounted to the roof of the building and a John Deere weather station in the front garden.

We kicked off with a tour of the software testing department were software goes through at least 5000 hours of tests before moving to on-farm testing then finally being released.

Then we looked at the hardware testing department, with booths set up for testing extreme heat and cold on any new hardware to make sure it can stand up to the harshest of climates and conditions.

And we finished with a look at one of the USA’s DTAC departments where John Deere technicians from all over the world send in cases that need more help in the field or in the shop.

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Region 4 Precision Ag Business Meeting with JD leadership

What a huge meeting! And great opportunity to share knowledge and extend our international contacts with 2012 precision ag managers from across Australia, US and Canada present to align goals with John Deere’s current direction around artificial intelligence, automation and data-driven decisions.

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Develop with Deere Conference

The Develop with Deere 2019 was a great conference with more than 20 third parties that have APIs with John Deere’s My Operations Centre. There were more than 600 people in attendance, and 152 dealer groups from around the world, including the My John Deere operations in 57 different countries.

Notable mentions included: PCT Ag Cloud, T3RRA and Metos Pessl.

PRECISION MAKES A GREAT FARM EVEN BETTER If you’re looking at how precision ag technology can take your farm’s productivity to the next level, talk to one of our precision ag specialists today.

PRECISION PAYS * Conditions apply. Finance available through John Deere Financial Limited to approved commercial applicants only. Offer is based on 25% deposit and 36 month term. Fees and charges apply. If not amended or withdrawn earlier, the promotion expires on 31/05/2019. Contact your local Hutcheon & Pearce Dealer for more information.

Autumn 2019

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

Versatility at your fingertips Representing versatility, comfort and great value for money, John Deere’s 6M Series tractors are hard to beat – in the paddock, the dairy, the vineyard, the orchard or as part of a mixed farming operation.

Our Sales Operations Manager Andrew Watt explains what makes the 6M a real standout.

S

ince their introduction in 2012, the 6M Series has developed a well-earned reputation as definitive allrounders.

With their versatility and integrated technology to improve performance and save costs, Andrew described the 6M as Hutcheon & Pearce’s “bread and butter utility tractor”.

“This has been our high seller representing about 30% of our total tractor sales across the group.

“That’s because it applies to a wide range of farmers, beef, lamb, dairy and wool producers – as it allows you to run a variety of heavy ground-engaging implements while remaining small and nimble, and capable of lighter work. It’s small enough to get into vineyards and fixed plantings of orchards and nut farms, while being very capable and heavy enough to do those groundengaging tasks.”

In terms of performance, Andrew points to the wide range of transmission options available, including the new CommandQuad™ Plus, clutchless gear and range shifting with AutoClutch™ braking feature.

“Clutchless shifting means better performance in the paddock as it gives you greater versatility in terms of speed matching when changing speed. AutoClutch is fantastic for loader applications, where, instead of having to put your foot on the clutch to slow down, you just hit the brake and that’s it, the transmission engages the clutch for you so the tractor doesn’t stall.

“The Integrated AutoTrac™ option reduces overlap and input costs, and soil compaction. It also reduces operator fatigue. Just put the receiver on the roof and a display in the cab and you’re

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away – no need for any additional electric steering wheels or after-market options.

“The 6M is also perfect for loader work as the frame is designed to carry the load. Loader suspension, huge lift capacity and unbelievably fast latching/unlatching of attachments also also provides enhanced versatility.”

Versatility is just one of the many drawcards of the 6M Series, with value for money another key consideration for customers.

“These machines offer incredible fuel economy due to reduced engine speed requirements. The power curve on the John Deere engine delivers maximum horsepower throughout the rev range, so your engine speed can run lower to save fuel, while still delivering maximum horsepower. That’s extremely important for guys growing wheat or canola or barley. With this machine, they can run their tractor at 1750 revs rather than 2100 RPM and still get the same amount of performance.

“Unlike some of our competitors, we only need diesel to run these tractors, so there’s no requirement for AdBlue™, which is an additional cost.

“And when using genuine John Deere oil and filters, there’s no need to service at the typical 250 engine hour mark. You can extend that out to 500-hour service intervals, which basically halves your costs in servicing, too.”

Andrew added that the excellent resale value of the 6M adds to its value for money reputation.

Feel the difference With many livestock and mixed farms being owner-operated, comfort also plays a big part in deciding on the most suitable tractor.

“Having TLS front axle suspension and the cab suspension makes a huge difference compared to previous models and competitor products. It provides a smooth ride as well as increased pulling capacity.”

“The cab is also spacious and low noise, which helps provide a stress-free work environment. I took a look at the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab (the industry body responsible for testing elements of all new tractors), but I couldn’t find a competitive tractor that had a lower noise level in the cab than the 6M.” Andrew was also quick to point out that Hutcheon & Pearce offers a top-notch after-sale service, genuine John Deere parts and over-the-phone technical support.

superior uptime.”

“Having industry-leading parts available in-store, in-country, and direct from the factory, is all part of the Hutcheon & Pearce, and the John Deere, standard.”

“And a qualified technician is only ever a phone call away with our team of TECSight specialists, who provide fast answers to increase uptime and reduce costs.”

If you’re interested in taking a closer look at the 6M Series, your next step is simple.

“We’ve got plenty of demo models in stock, so you can talk to your local dealership to arrange a stress-free demonstration on your own farm, giving you the opportunity to use the machine at your own pace and ask any questions that come up.”

For more information about the 6M Series, talk to your local Hutcheon & Pearce dealer.

“We have 66 years of experience and we put that to good use in our after-sale support and service, to deliver our customers

Autumn 2019

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

Best on farm: Meet the Andreazzas Local farmers Glen and Julie Andreazza of Wilbriggie have been named NSW Farmers of the Year for 2018.

Implementing a range of innovative farming practices, Glen and Julie have been recognised for balancing environmental practices with making a profit. Long-time Hutcheon & Pearce customers, we know the Andreazzas as a tightknit family with a keen eye for opportunity and a courageous approach to business.

For the past 15 years, the NSW Farmer of the Year Award has recognised the state’s rural champions and demonstrates excellence in farming.

When Glen and Julie Andreazza, from Wilbriggie, near Griffith, attended Parliament House in Sydney on December 5 they did not expect to come home winners of the prestigious award.

“It was very overwhelming initially because we didn’t think we’d get it,” Glen explained. “We thought we’d be the runner-up.”

“It was wonderful to win it, and it’s a huge honour. And I attribute it back to the area we live in. We have had a lot of comments that it was very good for the area. People were very happy to see it happen as it puts us back on the map, and shows our city counterparts that we can do things in hard times.”

Julie adds, “There’s so much in the media with the drought and all the fish kill that’s happening now, and it’s quite upsetting that farmers are being blamed for all of that. We are proof that you can farm efficiently, be waterwise and recycle and still make a good living out of it.”

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Glen has lived in the Riverina all his life and first worked on his father Angelo’s property before buying his first farm in 1991 with Julie.

They currently own 370 ha and lease a further 265ha, balancing environmental practices with making a profit. They mainly grow rice in summer and wheat in winter using residual moisture from the rice production. The farm recycles all of its water, with quick-flow irrigation systems and solar panels, which offset the cost of electricity and help reduce emissions created by fossil fuels.

The realisation that they needed to be waterwise came with the Millennium drought.

“We suffered a lot in the first drought, and I think that was the main reason we changed and made so many adaptations to everything we do,” Julie said.

“That drought taught us a lot. It was a really, really rough time for our family, as it was for everyone else. We didn’t want to go through that again, and realised we needed to drought-proof the farm. Everything revolves around water. Anything we can do to save water; recycle water, save energy, save costs. Water drives everything.”

This realisation saw the Andreazzas put in a bore in the middle of the last big drought, with Glen using their overdraft to convert part of their general security water to high security.

“We put in the bore when we should have been securing ourselves instead of spending money. We were spending fair licks of money to try and implement all that stuff, but it’s paid off.

Actually, putting in the bore has paid off over and over and over and over again, and this year it’s paid for itself again. That’s how we manage a lot of it.”

Glen said that land forming and water go hand-in-hand.

“The land forming we’re implementing now is saving more water again. We’re using larger, flatter bays, and they can be adapted to any sort of farming very quickly. For example, the beds that the corn is in were rice paddies. Within a month and a half, we had ripped them up and put beds in and had it prepared for corn. So, we can change crop type very, very quickly, which is the idea behind that sort of land forming.”

Seizing on such opportunities is all part of Glen and Julie’s business model.

“We scrutinise all opportunities and assess most of all on the bottom line – how much money you’re potentially going to make out of it versus how big a loss you will have if it goes pear-shaped,” Glen said.

“For example, growing rice as opposed to growing corn. We took the option of growing corn this year as we went through the numbers and worked out what was going to make us the most money per hectare.

Article continues on page 10

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

“People have made a lot of comments about us growing corn and not rice, especially as I am a director at SunRice, but it comes down to our business model and this year growing rice just didn’t stack up. The company paid what it felt was a fair price and that just didn’t cut it against corn.

I needed an extra $50-$100 a tonne to make the numbers work purely because rice uses more water (8-9 megalites per hectare for corn versus 14 megalitres for rice) and with the water situation the way it was this year, we ran with corn. It was a business decision.”

“The Millennium drought was the turning point. I think at that point they all agreed they wanted to be part of the business.

We were even thinking about selling the farm back then. It was either sell the farm or sink a bore and none of the kids wanted to leave, so we made some hard decisions and they all agreed to work,” Julie said.

Future focused

“Even the career paths they’re all following tie back into the farm in some way. For example, our youngest is thinking about doing agronomy at university. They all want to bring something back in their own way.”

Glen and Julie are focused on using new technologies to improve their bottom line.

The couple say their children were proud of their parents being named NSW Farmer of the Year.

“Precision agriculture plays a big role and is going to play an even bigger role into the future,” Glen said.

“They thought it was great, aside from it coming right smack bang in the middle of harvest!” Glen said.

“It’s expensive to get into but once you’re into it, it pays dividends. Obviously, it can save you money, it can save you time, it definitely saves driver fatigue. I can do longer hours and not be as fatigued at the end of the day. It allows me to work at night.

“I just said to our eldest son, ‘Right, you’re on the header’ and to our other son ‘you’re on the chaser bin’. They handled it very well and wished us good luck and were very happy when we rang with the good news.”

“We’re doing everything from yield maps from the header sending data to the cloud all the time through to variable rate fertilizing and using satellite for our land forming gear. In fact, I was viewing data from the header when I was sitting in Sydney picking up this award!”

“It’s like every other business,” Julie adds. “You can’t run any business without some form of technology, and if you don’t keep up, you get left behind. Farming’s no different.”

Another integral part of the Andreazza’s operation is family.

The couple’s adult children Daniel, Laura, Brendan and Teneeka all pitched in when needed.

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“They are all happy to sit on a header, tractor or chaser bin to help us out and Daniel works three days in town and two days out here with me,” Glen said.

Hutcheon & Pearce

Julie encourages other farmers to apply for the award.

“A lot of people sometimes feel it’s a little bit embarrassing or something. But we probably aren’t doing anything too different to most of our neighbours. There’s a lot of very good farmers around our area.

“I just thought, ‘We’ve done a good job. I’ll put Glen’s name down and see how we go’, and it’s been a great experience. It helps you see how your business is going and allows you to track that against others.

“And it’s been a rough few years for our family on a personal level, so the fact that we’ve been able to come out at the other end and win this award made it a really, really proud day. I’d encourage everyone to apply.”

AFTERMARKET CATALOGUES OUT NOW! VISIT YOUR LOCAL HUTCHEON & PEARCE DEALER TO PICK ONE UP TODAY!

SEEDING INSPECTION PROGRAM Last chance to book your Seeding Bar in for our fixed price inspection program!

Contact your local Hutcheon & Pearce dealer for more information.

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- All recommended service repairs are completed using genuine John Deere parts.

- Travel for on-site inspection is included in price (up to 150kms from nearest Hutcheon & Pearce location).

Autumn 2019

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

It’s only just begun for H&P TOPGUNS The new year marks a new start for many of Hutcheon & Pearce’s TOPGUNs, as the new recruits embark on a brand new career and our graduates take theirs to a brand new level.

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ith 12 new apprentices and trainees joining the family, and five graduating apprentices and three trainees moving up the ranks, January was a busy time for our TOPGUN Mentor, Matt Duffy and Human Resources Manager, Sarah Johnson.

Now in its fifth year, the TOPGUN recruitment program attracts apprentices and trainees from right across the Hutcheon & Pearce footprint.

This year is no different with 11 mechanical apprentices and one spare parts trainee commencing in January across the Cowra, Finley, Forbes, Griffith, Orange, Temora and Wagga Wagga branches. While all come from within the region, most have moved to join the program.

As Sarah explains, the recruits kicked things off with a two-day orientation session to familiarise them with both their new roles and the organisation they’ll be working for.

“We spent two full days working with our apprentices, introducing them to H&P – who we are, what we do, what we stand for, what makes us unique as an employer and how we support our customers – and also what we expect of them. We invited a number of departmental representatives from within the group to give an overview of their department and discuss the expectations they have of employees.

“The second day was more focused around their apprenticeship, what will be expected of them over the next four years in terms of their training at TAFE, their commitment to training and their obligations.

“It can be a bit of an information overload but we try to cover all of these things to make sure they’re right across it.”

Now that the recruits have been through orientation, they will spend the first few months becoming familiar with their branch and work processes.

“They will be sorting out their tools, getting advice from the techs and figuring out how day-to-day work goes,” Matt said.

“Not only will they be learning the day-to-day running of being a mechanic, they are aged between 17 and 22 so most are also learning all the adult stuff like shopping and washing clothes.”

One of the highlights of orientation was the graduation dinner of the final-year apprentices.

Harold Norman talking to the new TopGuns about being ‘the best they can be’ over the next 4 years and beyond.

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Back row (L-R) – Travis Wilson (Griffith), Jacob Zieltjes (Forbes), Richard Pattinson (Temora), Callum Campbell (Finley), Oliver Dean (Cowra), Luke Fruin (Orange).

Front row (L-R) – Jack Pekin (Finley), Zac Liley (Finley), Harry Pillow (Wagga), Alex Nicholas (Wagga), Will Cartwright (Temora)

“We held a formal, sit down dinner at the RSL Club and invited our inducted first year apprentices. It gives them an opportunity to see what’s in store for them at the end of four years,” Sarah said.

“It’s also a great opportunity to network as we invite not only the graduating apprentices but also service managers and branch managers, plus the functional management team.

We provide graduates with their certificates of graduation from the Hutcheon & Pearce High Performance Academy and the TOPGUN program and Harold Norman, toasted the five graduating apprentices and three trainees – something he likes to call The Tennessee Salute!”

Matt said most of the graduating class is staying on with Hutcheon & Pearce in mechanic and parts sales roles – proof that the TOPGUN program is a big part of the group’s growth strategy.

“The program ensures that we have sustainable growth year on year, providing top-class service technicians that are not only John Deere trained but Hutcheon & Pearce trained as well.

“And we need this program. TOPGUN has to work for us because there’s not a lot of tradesmen out there to choose from thanks to the lure of the mines over the past 15 or 20 years.

“From my point of view, it’s very gratifying to see them finish at the end of their four years and you can definitely see the difference between an apprentice of six or seven years ago and the ones coming through TOPGUN now. Today, these guys are a whole lot more capable, and not just on the mechanical side of it, from a personality side and dealing with customers, too.”

In what has become a yearly group bonding tradition, the apprentices band together in a paintball skirmish against Hutcheon & Pearce managers. Paintball is usually followed by a formal dinner, but this year due to extreme temperatures, participants headed to the Murrumbidgee River for a swim followed by a barbecue dinner. Matt was happy to concede defeat to the junior ranks.

“It was a good battle but in the end,we were outnumbered!

The program ensures that we have sustainable growth year-on-year, providing top-class service technicians that are not only John Deere trained but Hutcheon & Pearce trained as well.

“I’m expecting big things from our new recruits.”

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

No ‘Plan B’ to enter a trade Job security, competitive earning capacity, on-thejob-training... There are many reasons a trade should be considered as a serious and first choice career option for school leavers.

H

utcheon & Pearce Human Resources Manager Sarah Johnson says apprenticeships are still placing second to going to university, with many school leavers, parents and career advisors believing a trade is a ‘Plan B’.

“There is a huge push for students to consider university and there is a perception among many that a degree is more esteemed than the sub-standard trade.

“The thing is, both a trade and a university degree have their own merits, offering two completely different career pathways.”

HR Mentor Matt Duffy believes that not enough is being done to help school leavers consider both pathways.

“When I was at high school, no one really talked about uni until Year 11 or 12, but now when I go into schools to talk about apprenticeships and traineeships with Hutcheon & Pearce, the universities are in there talking to students from Year 7 right through. And the same is not happening for the trades.

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

“Some schools are great at talking to students about a range of options and really helping them explore their interests, personality traits, skills and aptitudes.

These careers advisors are fantastic at working in with their kids and talking to them about TAFE as well as university, and that’s what we like to see.”

Second year diesel mechanic at the Wagga Wagga Branch, Mitch Luff said that knowing he would have a career at the end of his apprenticeship was a big factor in his decision-making.

“The work is hands-on, which appealed to me, and you also get paid to do your training, unlike uni. In this career, you can keep building and getting better as you go, and I know I will likely have a job here at the end of my apprenticeship. That’s very reassuring.”

Sarah said that a range of jobs exist in a trade like diesel mechanic, with plenty of opportunities for career progression and a foot in the door right from the start.

“The way our service department is structured means career opportunities don’t stop as soon as you become qualified.

“At Hutcheon & Pearce, we have got progression in place for our qualified techs to continue to grow within their careers. First, they do their apprenticeship, then they go to a qualified service technician role, and then as they continue through their career they can step up to a diagnostic technician, then a master technician. There’s then foreman opportunities and service manager opportunities and at each of those levels, there are remuneration incentives as well.

Census – the largest youth survey in Australia – which found that young people undertaking an apprenticeship reported the highest levels of wellbeing out of all post-school pathways. They were closely followed by those engaged in a traineeship.

“The results of the Youth Census did not surprise me at all. As a university graduate myself, I’ve watched kids go to university, despite having no idea what they wanted to do, because the pressure from parents and schools to go straight into a degree was huge.

“These people would often have no understanding of what they would do at the end of study. They would burn out, and they would either drop out in 12 months or shift between different degrees until they found something they enjoyed. I think that there’s a lot of confusion out there among these kids who are going straight into a university degree. That same uncertainty is not present with a trade.

“An apprentice like Mitch gets to be hands-on right away, so he knows exactly what he’s doing and there’s a very defined career path at the end of it. I think that it’s a comfort to know exactly what your next step is going to be.”

Both Sarah and Matt are keen to point out the added benefit of starting an apprenticeship or traineeship with Hutcheon & Pearce – the care provided outside formal training.

“What we offer is support and guidance outside of their employment,” Matt said.

“That might mean everything from helping them find rental properties or figuring out where to do their washing right through to helping them with paperwork to support a home loan application. Some of the things we talk to them about are just fundamental to living.

“I don’t think a lot of places offer that, but when they’re 17 or 18 and living out of home for the first time, we want to help them find their way in the world.

This support means they can focus on building their career without those extra pressures.”

Sarah added, “With all the benefits of entering the trades, we’d encourage school leavers and their parents to really look at trades not as a back-up plan if they don’t get into uni but as a well thought out, specific ‘Plan A’.”

“We offer ongoing training through our High Performance Academy and John Deere University, so the opportunity to learn and progress is substantial. The earning capacity for our top performing techs is very, very good.”

Matt adds, “There is no doubt that you can live a fantastic life as a tradesman in a regional area. We have third year apprentices asking for letters to take to the bank for housing loans.”

Beyond earning capacity, the wellbeing of their apprentices and trainees is paramount to Hutcheon & Pearce. Sarah pointed to the Skillsroad 2018 Youth

Autumn 2018

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

Technology triumph at TAIC 2018 was a big year for our friends at FarmLink. Hutcheon & Pearce was happy to be able to partner with them on their farming system change at the Temora Agricultural Innovation Centre (TAIC).

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e caught up with Eva Moffitt, Senior Research Officer at FarmLink, to discuss what was involved in this change and the outcomes of the 2018 harvest.

For TAIC, the 2018 change in farming system involved moving from a conventional tyne-based system to a controlled traffic, disc-seeded, stubbled-retained system with a greater focus on using technology to increase efficiency and profitability.

“This transition has been enabled through a five-year agreement with Hutcheon & Pearce who are providing equipment and support for TAIC during this period.”

This transition involved a number of steps: Accurate surveying of the TAIC paddock boundaries to prepare for controlled traffic farming (CTF).

This enabled TAIC to create a set of boundaries and guidance lines that will be used by all machinery working on the farm.

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Hutcheon & Pearce

Seeding with a John Deere 1890 singleshoot disc seeder with 1910 air cart.

This assembly proved beneficial to crop establishment by conserving limited soil moisture at seeding through limited soil disturbance.

Collection and interpretation of data to inform nutrition decisions for the 2018 season.

This included an EM38 survey during April, which was used as the primary data layer to develop soil management zones across TAIC. All data was uploaded and stored on the My John Deere platform, along with seeding, application and yield maps.

Fertiliser application made with a 7.5m³ Coolamon trailing spreader, calibrated to a 36m pass width to fit with the 12m controlled traffic farming system. The spreader is Variable Rate enabled and ISOBUS compliant. This technology minimises overlap by shutting the spreader off automatically when the tractor passes over an area that has already been spread.

Spraying of commercial crops with a 36m R4045 selfpropelled sprayer equipped with individual nozzle section control.

This technology was particularly beneficial in paddocks containing trials, which were designed to fit within the CTF layout.

These areas were mapped in as exclusion areas (nil rates) prior to spray applications, meaning the corresponding nozzles would shut off as the boom passed over them.

Harvesting with a John Deere S780 harvester and either a John Deere 740D draper front or Shelbourne XCV-42 stripper front.

Using the Shelbourne front where possible in cereal paddocks enabled significantly more standing stubble to be retained than in adjacent paddocks where the draper front was used (particularly in the low barley crop).

JD Link connectivity (wireless telemetry) to provide remote access to the Gen 4 display, as well as automatic syncing of machine data, yield data, alerts and information about fuel consumption, location and the maintenance status of the machine. Accessible from smartphone or laptop, this enabled harvesting to be monitored from the FarmLink office or off-site, which was useful for planning and grain handling logistics.

Eva said that despite the farming system change, TAIC’s performance in 2018 was above average for the farm relative to the conditions.

“Across the board we averaged 1.83t/ha wheat, 2.73t/ha barley and 820kg/ha canola, which we were happy with considering our total growing season rainfall was only 157mm.

“The main factors that contributed to our improved performance were the even establishment obtained from the disc seeder, which enabled us to capitalise on the little available moisture at sowing, and having equipment on hand for timely sowing, spraying, spreading and harvesting.”

Operationally, the technologyenabled John Deere equipment has been of great benefit for TAIC in several ways.

“This ranged from simplifying guidance management/setup of controlled traffic farming systems, to the benefits of section control on the seeder bar and boomspray, particularly working around the 17 ha of trial plots contained within commercially cropped paddocks in 2018.

“The automatic syncing of coverage and yield data has assisted record keeping and analysis of crop performance through the My John Deere platform. When coupled with other activities undertaken at TAIC this year such as EM38 surveying and grid soil pH, phosphorous and cation exchange capacity (CEC) mapping, we were able to gain a much more precise picture of within-paddock variability, which has fed into sitespecific management of a number of inputs.

“Such inputs going forward will include lime, gypsum and manure,

FarmLink events to look forward to this year: National John Deere dealer IS training (4 – 15 March) FarmLink Annual Dinner (21 June) Canada Study Trip (6-20 July) FarmLink Open Day (13 September)

to be spread during February and March 2019 pre-cropping. This will be achieved through the ISOBUS enabled 8370 RT equipped with Gen4 display and Variable Rate equipped 10.5m³ Coolamon trailing spreader (CS105).”

Eva is convinced that access to data has made a significant difference.

“There is no doubt the value of data collection at TAIC to inform these decisions has been huge. It has enabled us to prioritise paddocks for amelioration and accurately match inputs to requirements, allowing us to cut back our inputs in places and stretching our program further.

“We are excited about the prospects for 2019 and beyond, and look forward to seeing the benefits of our hard work realised through improvements in the productivity and profitability of the farm.”

Autumn 2019

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High Performance Magazine Autumn 2019

XUV865M Crossover Utility Vehicle John Deere have taken the comfort and quality you’ve come to expect in a JD cab and applied it to their new XUV Gator Range.

The new XUVs are full-size utility vehicles designed for primary producers and those with territories to cover to help them maximize productivity and comfort in all types of conditions and terrain.

The XUV865M in particular has more than enough power and speed to get things done, fast.

Some of the great features of this Crossover Utility Vehicle include:  22.8hp (17kW), 51km/h Maximum Speed 907kg Towing Capacity, 454kg Tray Capacity  Powerful 854cc DOHC 12-valve diesel engine - superb starting, idling, and throttle response  Extra-durable deluxe cargo box ensures hard-working performance and longevity  Safety restraints, 3 -point seatbelts and multiple grab handles.  Dual A-arm front and rear suspension for a smooth rideover challenging terrain and excellent hauling characteristics  Equipped with power steering

For more information on our new range of Gators, talk to your local Hutcheon & Pearce Dealer

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Hutcheon & Pearce

HUTCHEON & PEARCE

2020 CANADA 3 - 15 JULY FROM $12,50 0 PER PERSON TWIN SHARE

INCLUDES: • RETURN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS • ENTRY INTO CALGARY STAMPEDE • VISITS TO LOCAL JOHN DEERE DEALERS, RESEARCH CENTRES & THE BOURGAULT FACTORY IN ST BRIEUX

There are 40 places available on this tour. To secure your place, a $1,500 deposit is due before April 1 2019. To book or for further information, please contact Wildlime Events on 0422 165 271 or kellie@wildlime.events.ccom.au

Hutcheon & Pearce whatever the job, get it done.

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