2020 HP Winter Magazine

Winter 2020

High Performance Magazine

Keeping our farmers going p8 TOPGUN 2020: Meet our new recruits p10

High Performance Magazine Edition 24 Winter 2020

Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/hutcheonandpearce

Contents

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04

Food security video goes viral

06

Adapting to COVID-19

08

10

14

16

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For all editorial and advertising enquiries, contact:

Harriet Forster Marketing Coordinator harriet.forster@hutcheonandpearce.com.au

Welcome to the 2020 Winter edition

TOPGUN 2020: Meet the newbies

Could lime be the key to better nitrogen efficiency?

Stay connected with TECSight

Keeping our farmers going

Are you Spring Ready?

DONATE BLOOD THIS WINTER With winter and the cold & flu season here, many regular blood donors are feeling under the weather.

If you’re fit and healthy, be the sunshine in someone’s life by becoming a blood donor.

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

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Hutcheon & Pearce

Welcome

Welcome to the 2020 Winter edition of High Performance Magazine.

W

ho could have predicted a year like 2020? It’s certainly been an interesting ride so far.

But if I dare to speak of silver linings… how good is the rain? Every farmer knows that the only good

thing about a drought is coming out of it and I think many of us are looking forward to a well-overdue good season ahead.

Meanwhile, like the rest of the world, we’ve adapted in order to get through Coronavirus.

We’re grateful that agriculture has been one of the shining lights throughout COVID-19. A fact that friend of H&P, Sam Heagney, did a fantastic job of communicating with his food security video message that went viral recently (more about that on page 4). Hats off to Sam for communicating that powerful message. It’s a shame that we had to have a global pandemic for agriculture to be the bright light it should always be.

Of course, we already knew that farmers are the ones that keep the rest of world going, especially in times of crisis and that’s why we did everything we could to ensure we kept going, too.

As COVID restrictions came in, we very quickly adapted to ensure we don’t let any of our customers down. It meant doing things a little differently but luckily, we already had systems in place to suit a social distancing approach, such as TECSight’s remote support and online finance applications. At the end of the day, we are willing to do whatever is necessary – whether that’s delivering parts to your door, taking phone orders for kerbside pickup, serving from a safe distance in our branches or taking our machine demos online. No doubt you will see more

Something else you will be seeing more of in future is H&P apprentices. It’s been a bumper season for us, with 16 of the brightest newbies yet joining the fold. You can meet them all in this edition. We’re committed to providing them with very best training and guidance so they can graduate as TOPGUN technicians.

Ultimately, this program is all about ensuring our “bench strength” and capacity to serve our customers into the future and I’m proud of our achievements on this front.

Improving our capacity has been top of mind for us at H&P these past few months as the season continues to improve and our customers move into a potentially big harvest season. If there’s one thing we know about farming, when the season’s on, it’s on – and you’ve got to be ready. We have been busy ensuring new inventory is available and our machine and parts stocks are back at pre-drought volumes.

Plus, we’ve launched the ultimate service package. The idea behind the High Performance (HP) Package is to pack everything we have to offer in one neat bundle to lock down the total cost of machine ownership for the life of the finance package. It’s a completely proactive approach to providing the right service at the right time to insure against unexpected costs down the track. Money in the bank, peace of mind and remote support all in one. Check out the details on page 8 and make sure to chat it through with the team at your local H&P branch.

As always, we wish you all the best for the season – here’s hoping it’s worth the wait – and we look forward to seeing you all (and shaking your hand) again soon.

Arron

online initiatives in the future.

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High Performance Magazine Winter 2020

Food security video goes viral When word of the novel Coronavirus spread throughout Australia, some people took to the supermarkets to buy up big. But farmers across the country – like Sam Heagney from Mungindi – knew that food security was not going to be a worry here in the ‘lucky country’.

S

am Heagney and his wife Annette farm South Bunarba in northwest NSW. The property has been in Annette’s family for more than 100 years and is 50/50 dryland and irrigation. Along with growing wheat, barley, chickpeas and cotton, they run a handful of cattle.

“Based on average wheat yields, this paddock alone should grow enough wheat to make 2.25 million loaves of bread,” he says in the video. “That equates to 22 million Vegemite sandwiches.”

On 24 March this year, Sam was sitting in his tractor thinking about images he had seen of people swamping supermarkets and decided he had a message people needed to know: Australian farmers grow enough food per annum to feed 75 million people – three times our population.

“I was absolutely not expecting this kind of response. As I said to my wife, if I had known that, I would have worn a clean shirt. She says it added to the authenticity!

“There was so much talk at that time about food security and panic buying of food and I just knew that the panic buying wasn’t warranted. It was completely unfounded, and it also meant some people who didn’t have the means to go in and load up two trolleys were struggling to get food at all.

“I just wanted to try and reassure people that there wasn’t any problem with food security, and at the same time use that as an opportunity to highlight how good Australian farmers are at growing food and what we do. I wanted to get a bit of social licence back by highlighting that Australian farmers work hard to make sure everyone gets fed.”

To demonstrate, Sam made a video filmed right from his tractor cab as he ran through some calculations of average wheat, chickpea and barley yields.

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Hutcheon & Pearce

Since posting the video to Facebook and Twitter, it has been viewed more than 500,000 times.

“The idea was to get a message out there and it seems to have done that but I certainly didn’t expect a response anything like this. I think it just reiterated the point of the message that so many people a) wanted to hear a positive message and b) were interested in their food security and where their food comes from and how it gets grown and made.

“I believe that all of us as farmers are responsible for advocating on behalf of our industry, and I think anything we can do to try and improve the way people view us and get a better understanding of what we do is worthwhile.

Especially now when there seems to be so much pressure on us as an industry that hasn’t existed in the past. There’s a lot of misrepresentation of what we do, whether it’s how we handle animals or the chemicals we use or how we go about our businesses as farmers. I think it’s even more important now than ever that we are out there advocating for ourselves.”

For Sam, apart from going viral on social media, COVID-19 hasn’t really changed life that much.

“It has a bit, but not nearly as much as I think it has for people in the cities. Partly because we just get up in the morning and go to work on the farm and that certainly hasn’t changed. From a work perspective, we put a few protocols in place just to try and restrict COVID-19 from coming into our farm workforce and also to try to stop it from spreading if it does come in.

“But essentially not much has changed other than the kids have been staying home. But they’re little, so nothing too stressful for them. And they have plenty of room to run around or go ride their bikes. They just get to play at home, really. They’re quite happy about it.”

For people who have been more challenged by the restrictions of COVID-19, Sam’s message is clear:

Mungindi, NSW

“In Australia, we’re really fortunate that we have a safe, affordable, secure supply of food because of the work Australian farmers do, and because of their professionalism and sustainable approach to farming.

“In other words, don’t panic. We’ve got you covered.”

Fun fact: Sam and Annette met in Wagga when Sam was a grain broker with Agfarm and Annette was working for John Deere (and later Hutcheon & Pearce).

The Heagney family: Sam, Charlie (3), Annette, Walter (7 months) and Sybil (4).

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High Performance Magazine Winter 2020

Business as (almost) usual: Adapting to COVID-19 For three generations, Hutcheon & Pearce has supported our farming communities through thick and thin. COVID-19 is no different. While it has come with its challenges, much like our farmers, we got on with the job and found new ways of doing what we do best – serving our customers.

L

ike many businesses across Australia and around the world, the start of 2020 presented H&P with many challenges we didn’t expect to have to face.

As Sales Operations Manager Andrew Watt tells it, keeping up with the pace of news coming to hand was a task of its own at first.

“Through the beginning of the crisis, we were having daily meetings to assess the situation as it unfolded and make sure we were doing the right thing by our customers and staff, and to take direction from the government.

“We figured out quite early in the piece that, heading into a busy season of seeding, cotton picking and spraying, we’d need to keep the doors open as much as possible to support our farmers. So we had to take measures in-store to abide by social distancing requirements – tape on the floor to show customers where to stand, physical segregation between people at the parts counter, and really looking at what close contact our staff have with each other.

“One of the big changes we made was in the workshop. We asked staff to buddy-up so that if they were working with one person, they continue working with that same person. That was particularly important so we could minimise crossover contact, because a lot of our mechanics and technicians are in contact with the general public.

“We’re also now holding remote meetings with a lot of those guys and making sure they’re not coming into the workshop or spending any time in the showroom. Now, when they need to pick up parts, they’re going to a designated area grabbing what they need without seeing anyone and heading back out into the field. We’ve also had proactive conversations with our customers, asking them to talk us through the problem by phone and the field technician works on their machine without any face-to-face contact.”

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For the management team, the focus has been on trying to minimise the amount of customer-facing disruption.

“We wanted to do as much as possible behind the scenes so it’s relatively seamless for the customer. And like the way most Australians have approached it, our customers and staff have quickly adapted.

“We haven’t had any negativity at all to the measures we’ve taken. People are quite sensible and are happy to do what needs to be done to ensure everyone stays safe and there is limited interference to our service.”

One of the challenges presented by social distancing was the need to adapt larger scale events, such as a planned 8RX roadshow.

“We originally planned to do eight customer nights and a roadshow across all of our locations to showcase the 8RX and get customers into branch. But, of course, we’ve had to modify that. Now we’re going to a one-on-one by-appointment targeted demonstration on-farm adhering to social distancing practices. On 5 May, we also had our first-ever Facebook live event (pictured below) streamed into the loungerooms of our customers rather than have them come to us. It’s just one of the ways we’re embracing technology to get us through this time of physical separation.

Warren Lappen Field Parts Sales Representative Albury, NSW

PARTS AND PARCEL – Delivery to your door For Field Parts Sales Representative - Warren Lappen, COVID-19 has changed a few aspects of his role.

From a rural merchandise background, Warren was brought into the Albury Branch in May last year to proactively engage in conversations with clients in the field – all part of H&P thinking outside the square and adding value to customers and their assets.

“My regular schedule takes me to Corowa, Yarrawonga, Holbrook, Henty, Rand, Culcairn, Kiewa, Wangaratta and Corryong. Ahead of time, we let our customers know we’ll be in their area. In addition to the parts for delivery, I carry a range of filters, lubricants and workshop consumables such as grease, parts cleaner and spray paint that farmers might need, and I just invoice them afterwards.

“We had also planned demos of seeding equipment and these have been changed to one-on-one targeted demonstrations, mainly around Temora. Those guys had a good finish last year and a fantastic start, so have some decent stubble we can showcase the machinery on. The focus in Temora also comes off the back of our partnership with FarmLink and the equipment there.

“If customers are interested in seeing the 8RX or want more information on seeding equipment, they should talk to their branch team as pricing for model year ’21 has just been released.”

Despite needing to change business practices, Andrew said the H&P team is handling things well.

“It’s almost like we’ve been training for this for a while, with our focus on remote support, online applications for finance and package deliveries. In some ways it’s like business as usual with a couple of extra steps added in.

“We’re also lucky in that we get to ride off the back of our customers’ positivity – with the season shaping up the way it is, on-farm optimism is the best it’s been in four or five years. That positivity rubs off on our teams and has really increased the positivity in-branch.

“Like Arron [Hutcheon] says, we’ve been through the tough times and the good times over the last 67 years. We’re no stranger to getting through hard times together with our customers and we’ll be there at the other side of this, just as we always have been.”

“Whether they’re big or small, every parts order is crucial to every farming operation, and I’m happy to drive an extra 20kms round trip to make sure people have what they need, rather than have a part sit at a depot in the next big town an extra couple of days.”

Mindful of how isolating the current lockdown conditions have been, Warren said he often spends a little extra time talking to his customers – from an appropriate distance of course.

“Our customers live where they work. At the moment they might only be seeing their partner, family or a farm worker with sport, schools and other community gatherings on hold. Beyond delivering the parts, it’s nice to have a social conversation and check in to see how they’re doing.

“My biggest problem is my natural inclination is to shake hands.

Whether you know someone or not you shake a person’s hand and it just feels weird not to do that!”

Despite these changes with COVID-19, your uptime is still our priority. If you need a part delivered, talk to your local branch about: •

Parts delivered to your door: We will organise with you the safest place to leave your parts. Charges may apply.

•

Phone orders: Order ahead of time and we will leave the parts for you outside or in a safe place.

•

Pick-up in-store: You are still more than welcome to visit us in store, keeping in mind COVID-19 regulations.

•

Placing your parts on a taxi truck: Depending on existing taxi truck services.

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High Performance Magazine Winter 2020

Keeping our farmers going: The ultimate service package There’s little doubt Aussie farmers keep our nation going, even when times are tough. But who makes sure you keep going? Hutcheon & Pearce is proud to play our part in keeping farming operations going year-round with the introduction of our High Performance Package.

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ith its locked-in pricing, scheduled servicing and 24/7 support, the High Performance (HP) Package is the ultimate service commitment to our farmers.

Spike Orr and his brother Tim are fourth generation farmers from Wilga, just west of Parkes. Spike was one of the first of our customers to sign up for the HP Package.

“We farm about 8000 acres, and about 3000 acres a year goes into crops. We also have a self-replacing Merino flock, a Merino stud, and handful of Poll Hereford cattle.

“We signed up to the HP Package because we are replacing a little front end loader tractor with a 6140M model. We went to see Chris Green at the Forbes Branch and he told us about the HP Package.

“It just made sense to buy a new tractor and lock in servicing at the same time. Basically, the maintenance has been budgeted into the price of it, so we don’t have to worry about that. We know it will get looked after, and that in five years’ time, we can turn it over and do it again without the price tag.”

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Spike said that while there are many benefits to the package, such as locked-in pricing, extended warranty and access to TECSight support, the ability to factor in maintenance into the purchase price was the biggest drawcard.

“This package is good for us because we know everything’s paid for. We know it’s right. We don’t have to worry about it.

It’ll be kept in good working order and it’s a tractor we use a lot. Being a front end loader, we’re on them all the time.

It’s good to keep them in good condition, but also keep them turned over relatively regularly. This sort of package suits that idea.

“And having your machinery working is a must. Obviously, it depends on the time of year, but at sowing or harvest, it can be thousands upon thousands of dollars if you have a machine down because you mightn’t get the crop in before the next rain and that puts it back two weeks. Those two weeks might make all the difference at the other end. The same at harvest. Even if a machine breakdown holds it up for a day, and that day’s the difference between you stripping the last couple hundred acres or not before the rain, that can add up to a lot of money.

Chris Green with Spike Orr and his brand new 6140M.

“As margins all get tighter, you can’t afford things like that. It can be very costly. Years ago, if you had an ordinary paddock of grain for the year it wasn’t a huge drama, but now, one bad paddock can be the difference between a reasonable year and an excellent year.”

Spike and Tim are long-time customers of Hutcheon & Pearce and have other John Deere equipment like the 8420 tractor, the 9300 tractor and 9750 header.

“We were John Deere before Hutcheon & Pearce took over the Parkes Branch and we’ll stay that way. We think the product is good and the service from Hutcheon & Pearce is pretty good, too.

“Over the years, we have probably done a few minor repairs but with all the technology they have in them these days, it’s just not feasible. Even the guys who train as mechanics struggle to keep up because things change so fast. I’m more than happy to leave the servicing to the experts. They know what they’re doing. Even when we change the oil, we still get the guys at Hutcheon & Pearce to give it a good look over, just to make sure we’ve not missed anything!”

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High Performance Magazine Winter 2020

TOPGUN 2020: Meet the newbies

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his year marks our sixth intake of TOPGUN recruits, and we’re excited to welcome this fresh crop of apprentices on board. After a big start to the year, we asked our newest kids on the block to introduce themselves.

TOM BREUST Nickname: Breusty Hometown: Temora H&P Branch: Temora Branch Apprenticeship: Mechanical Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

I started off being a welder and I was always stuck in the workshop doing basically the same thing every day, so I decided to try something where I’m always out and about and doing different things. Also, I grew up on a farm and wanted to get back to working with farm machinery.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

I like working with agricultural machinery because it’s a lot larger which means parts are not tiny and hard to assemble and because it’s what I grew up doing.

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program? (Where 1 feels like: I haven’t got a worry in the world because I was born ready and 10 feels like: This is a massive fail - I’m terrified and regretting my decision already) 2 – I’m ready to learn everything that I can, and I really enjoy what I’m doing.

If you had to choose, would you be on Farmer Wants a Wife or I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and why?

It would have to be Farmer Wants a Wife because there are all good looking country chicks on there and that’s what I’m after.

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SALVATORE BETTIO Nickname: Sally Hometown: King Valley, Victoria H&P Branch: Albury Branch Apprenticeship: Mechanical Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

I wanted to do my apprenticeship at H&P because they can provide me with the best training possible to become a skilled technician.

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program?

2 – I feel like I am ready to progress and am keen to learn but I also know that there are going to be some challenges along the way.

If you had to make a lifelong decision, would you choose a mohawk or pink eyebrows and why?

I would definitely choose the pink eyebrows as they would look good with my work uniform.

SAM DOIDGE Nickname: Dodge Hometown: Hay. The mighty Hay H&P Branch: Griffith Branch Apprenticeship: Mechanical What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

Trying to keep up with the constant evolution of the machinery’s technology.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

Because I love agriculture and I love working on machinery. This gives me the best of both worlds.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

I really enjoy working outdoors and I also enjoy working on the big green gear.

Would you rather marry Lady Gaga or Miley Cyrus and why?

Miley Cyrus for sure. She’s a bit of a hottie.

MITCH BOWDEN

HAYDEN CUMMINGS

Nickname: Midnight Oil

Nickname: Haydo

Hometown: Cowra

Hometown: Canowindra

H&P Branch: Cowra Branch

H&P Branch: Forbes Branch

Apprenticeship: Parts Sales

Apprenticeship: Mechanical

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

The opportunity to work with John Deere equipment and for a well-regarded local business.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

Testing my knowledge of so many bits of equipment and being part of such an important industry.

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program?

3 – I’m pretty confident however I acknowledge there will be challenges ahead.

If you had to go on a reality show, would you go on Married at First Sight or Love Island and why?

MAFS – I believe it reaches a wider audience, which means I could make more sales of teeth whitening products on Instagram, as most former contestants seem to do.

BRODIE UPTON Nickname: Uptown Funk Hometown: Coleambally H&P Branch: Coleambally Branch Apprenticeship: Parts Sales What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

I think it will be understanding all the parts and their role on the machine.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

I would have to say the productivity. One week you have a bare paddock then the next thing you know, you have a fully functional crop.

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program?

I’d have to say a 7. I’m pretty confident on the warehousing side just a bit nervous about learning and dealing with the customers.

If you had to choose one, would you be the lead singer of a successful rock band or a chiselled international super model and why?

I would be the lead singer. I am not afraid of a challenge and could lead a great group of friends.

I’m more of a practical learner, so the most challenging thing would be having to learn all the things at TAFE and remembering everything.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

Good company, great people, challenging apprenticeship to make everyone a better Service Tech.

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program?

I would say about a 3. It’s a challenging apprenticeship. I’m always up for a challenge, so I’m excited.

If you had to make a decision, would you be an NRL cheerleader for a match or be a fake Santa in a mall for a weekend and why?

NRL cheerleader because you’d be able to get front row seats to the game.

JACSON REARDON Nickname: Jaco Hometown: Temora H&P Branch: Temora Branch Apprenticeship: Mechanical What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

Getting my head around the new software and the electrical issues.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

I liked the TOPGUN program and hope it can make me the best mechanic I can be.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

Working on the tractors and the big machinery. It’s something different to what I’m used to, having not grown up on a farm.

If you only had $50 to you name, would you buy a new tool or spend it on a girl and why?

Probably a new tool as my toolbox is still pretty empty looking.

Continues on page 12...

I feel like Hutcheon & Pearce are the leaders in the ag machinery game, and I would get the best education here because of this fact.

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High Performance Magazine Winter 2020

MATT GRECH

ANGUS JOHNSTON

Nickname: JT

Nickname: Smooth

Hometown: Cowra H&P Branch: Forbes Branch

Hometown: Cargo H&P Branch: Cowra Branch

Apprenticeship: Mechanical

Apprenticeship: Mechanical

What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

Learning and processing all the information learnt on the field and at TAFE and applying it to day-to-day activities to ensure the best quality of work is achieved.

Understanding how electrical components work/diagnosing electrical problems and completing paperwork.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

I already have a passion for agriculture and come off a farm so this fits in well with my other life experiences and helps to build on them. I feel like H&P are the leaders in the ag machinery game, and I would get the best education here because of this fact.

I have grown up with John Deere tractors on our family farm and this has created my love for the brand. I have always been passionate about wanting to learn about the mechanical side of these tractors, which made me want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce so I could apply my knowledge in the field.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

I have always been passionate about the industry. I want to be able to learn all about the machinery so if something goes wrong, I’m able to have a better idea of the problem and try and fix it.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, would you pick Broccoli or a Big Mac and why?

I would pick a Big Mac because it’s more filling and has more flavour. Also, a Big Mac would keep the industry going as it has more ingredients in it.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program?

A 2 or 3. Some days I feel like I can fix most things and am ready to have a crack. Other days, some projects begin to get on top of me but after seeking help I can get the job done.

If you had to make a lifelong decision, would you rather sing happy birthday or do a little dance every time you met someone new?

Happy birthday because it’s easier to hide and you don’t necessarily have to sing it out loud to them.

SAMUEL THOMAS JASON KEARINES

Nickname: Cowboy

Nickname: Lady Killer

H&P Branch: Wagga Branch

Hometown: Euabalong H&P Branch: Griffith Branch Apprenticeship: Mechanical Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

I grew up on Euabalong Station and farm machinery has always interested me. I heard great things and Matt Duffy [H&P Mentor] is such a good bloke and mentor.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

I’m off the farm and I realise the importance of reliable machinery. The technology and capabilities of the machines turn me on.

Apprenticeship: Mechanical What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

Overcoming the changing work environment and taking on more responsibilities as I continue on my apprenticeship.

Learning how to push myself to do a high standard of work during the apprenticeship and into qualified working life.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

I’ve been around agricultural gear all my life and wanted to go into it in more depth.

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program?

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program?

2 – I love it and there is no where I would rather be. It’s a great team at Griffith and Simon Garbett is an amazing manager.

2 - I have some worry, but I think they will be easily overcome.

If you had to make a lifelong decision, would you wear a plastic crown or a tutu all day every day and why?

I would definitely wear both. I hear chicks like a bloke with a feminine side.

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Hometown: Mulwala

Hutcheon & Pearce

What would you rather have for the rest of your life, hair down to your waist or be bald and why?

I would rather be bald because long hair would annoy me and it probably would get caught in something. I will become bald anyway.

ALEX ROGERS Nickname: Rog Hometown: Deniliquin H&P branch: Wagga Branch

NEIL SIMPSON

Apprenticeship: Mechanical

Nickname: Manu

What do you will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

Hometown: Temora

I think it’s the pressure we’ll have on us as customers rely on you all the time to get the job done and to a high standard so they can continue to work.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon and Pearce?

I wanted to join H&P because when I left school I worked on a farm for two years driving tractors and doing general farm work and just had a great interest in fixing things and driving green tractors. So I thought why not put those two things together and apply for the TOPGUN program.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

You get to work on a great diversity of machines. You go from one day working on little 50hp machines to 600hp machines. You also don’t have to spend all your time in the workshop. You get to go out in the field quite often.

If you had to make a lifelong decision, would you get a tattoo of a unicorn on your forearm or wear women’s underwear every day?

Definitely the tattoo. I don’t think I could handle tiny undies for the rest of my life and having a never-ending wedgie!

H&P Branch: Temora Branch Apprenticeship: Parts Sales What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

Getting used to looking at computer screens for most of the day.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

Long-term career stability.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

I love the engineering behind the machines. The way everything comes together and works.

If you had to choose one act for your birthday, would you have Hi-5 or The Wiggles and why?

The Wiggles. Anyone that has done a long road trip with young kids and listening to Hi-5 would understand…

JACK WERNER Nickname: Yeah but Hometown: Kyabram

JACKSON BENNESS Nickname: Jnr Hometown: Ungarie H&P Branch: Condobolin Branch Apprenticeship: Parts Sales What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

Talking and building good relationships with the customers, as strong as my supervisors/trainers who have been in this business for years.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

I saw the job as a great opportunity to make a very solid career for myself – a start to help me on my way through different positions within Hutcheon & Pearce and open doors to new and different experiences.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

It gets me out of my comfort zone of motorcycles and cars and allows me to see a whole different side of an industry with different mechanics.

If you had to choose a permanent ring tone for your phone, would you have Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake it off’ or Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ and why?

Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ because it represents being able to rise up and overcome every challenge or problem that may occur.

H&P Branch: Finley Branch Apprenticeship: Mechanical What do you think will be the most challenging part of your apprenticeship?

I believe the entire TOPGUN program will be difficult as there is a high standard placed upon you to perform to your best and become the best in an evolving industry.

Why did you want to work at Hutcheon & Pearce?

I wanted to work at Hutcheon & Pearce because I believe in the John Deere product being the best and most advanced technology in the agricultural industry. Hutcheon & Pearce has an outstanding reputation around the country as John Deere dealers and I am proud to be working for them.

What appeals to you about working in the agricultural machinery industry?

What’s appealing is the opportunity to work on such a broad range of equipment from tractors to harvesters and sprayers.

Getting to meet new people and face different problems each day gives me great satisfaction. I believe in the agricultural industry having a bright and reliable future.

On a scale of 1-10 how confident are you feeling about what is ahead of you in the TOPGUN program?

I am confident going forward in the TOPGUN program as there are plenty of technicians around me who want to help and, I am looking forward to the future and can see the end result being exciting and incredibly rewarding.

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High Performance Magazine Winter 2020

Could lime be the key to better nitrogen efficiency?

Today, Agriculture is often high-input, high-output with tight margins and little room for error.

That’s what makes research into the efficiency of those inputs – like nitrogen – so important to the future of food production. That’s where Brooke Kaveney comes in.

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rowing up on a farm west of Young, Brooke Kaveney has long been fascinated in soil and what it can produce. Completing a PhD at Charles Sturt University, Brooke has dedicated the past four years to researching nitrogen use efficiency in the hopes of benefiting local farmers.

“I find it fascinating that everything comes from the soil. It sounds a bit cliché, but we depend so much on what’s in that soil environment to grow a crop. There’s processes in the soil that we can’t see with the naked eye because they’re performed by microbes, but what happens at that level can really change farming efficiency.

“My research is focused on nitrogen in the soil. Typically, we can have losses up to 50% of the nitrogen we apply. It is lost to the environment, into the air or into the waterways or consumed by microbes. I’m looking at the microbes to try and work out ways we can prevent nitrogen being lost in this way.”

As Brooke points out, nitrogen is one of the building blocks of life, but it is an expensive input.

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“Plants need nitrogen. If they don’t have it, they won’t grow.

So, the more nitrogen that stays in the soil and gets into the plants rather than being lost to the environment, the better.

“If you’ve only got a 50% efficiency – if you’re applying one unit of nitrogen and only half of that’s going to the plant – that would be unacceptable in any other business system.

It’s something we need to improve. If I can even bring that efficiency up to 70%, farmers are saving a lot of money by applying less nitrogen at the start but also having more plantavailable nitrogen, which means greater yields and higher protein. And bigger yields and a better quality product is what everyone wants.

“My research is based around using a specific chemical called an inhibitor to stop microbes eating the nitrogen, but the inhibitor only works on bacteria that live in neutral soils.

“I have done a lot of research on soils based in the Wagga and Young regions where I’ve been looking mostly at acidic soils, which is a large problem around this area. So, to just apply the inhibitor in acidic soils like the ones found around here would be wasting your money.

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After completing her studies, Brooke hopes to continue working in agricultural research. To read Brooke’s final findings, keep an eye on the Graham Centre website: www.csu.edu.au/research/ grahamcentre/our-people/profile/ research-students/brooke-kaveney

“There are certain groups of microbes that prefer acidic soils, but if we apply lime, which is quite a common practice to raise the pH and make the soil more neutral, that process can change the group of microbes in the soil. So, you get the benefit of increasing the pH, which is really good for the crop, but you also change the microbial community by doing that liming application. You change the group of bacteria to one the inhibitor works against and can therefore control the rate at which they consume nitrogen.

“This inhibitor isn’t commonly used in Australia yet, but in Europe, New Zealand and America, it’s used a lot to control nitrogen emissions. For example, in Europe it’s legislation that you have to use this chemical with every nitrogen application. I believe it won’t be too long before this inhibitor will be a thing that we have to use in Australia, so I’m focused on finding out how it acts in our soils now.”

For Brooke, this research is quite personal.

“I grew up on a farm and am still involved – you know, driving the tractors and trucks and the header, and buying new machinery. I’ve always loved the farm, loved agriculture, and loved science. It made sense for me to come to Wagga and study agricultural science and then my love of research just grew from there.

“I had a fantastic opportunity with a really good soil scientist as my PhD supervisor and the ability to go home and tell my parents about what I’m doing. To be relevant to them is something that I take a lot of pride in. I always want to be involved with the grass roots of farming, and I want my research to be relevant to people that mean a lot to me.

“I plan to submit my research in July and would like to graduate this year. Right now, I’m writing and double checking the data, so I’m at the pointy end of the project but hopefully soon there’ll be a shiny book at the end of it that I can give to my Mum and Dad. It will make a good door stop!”

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High Performance Magazine Winter 2020

Stay connected with TECSight In a time when social distancing is the order of the day, staying connected is more important than ever. The team at TECSight has been working hard to keep our customers on the move – and have had a move of their own.

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OVID-19 has presented many challenges for businesses around the world, and Hutcheon & Pearce is no different. Fortunately, our TECSight team is used to providing remote support to keep our customers and their machines going.

TECSight Integrated Solutions Manager Hamish Ross and his team have been providing phone support from the office and from home.

“Our team offers remote diagnostics and remote software updates and support, so we are lucky in that we can dial it in from anywhere.

“If anything, COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of the John Deere Connected Support offering and people being able to access support remotely. Our team has been physically spreading out a bit – some people working off-site and some in our TECSight call centre – and it’s actually pushed us to work even more flexibly than before, with guys out on the road now picking up call centre calls when necessary.

“Just the other day, we were short a couple of guys who were on leave, and I was able to concierge calls from out in the field. It’s been a good learning opportunity for us, and we’re hoping that our offering will improve as a result. A positive to come out of all this upheaval.”

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For the farmer, Hamish said the need for social distancing highlights the importance of having a connected machine.

“Coronavirus is something that everyone has had to think about. Our customers are no doubt asking themselves, ‘Do I need to go off farm for this, or can it be done remotely?’

“When you’re using connected equipment, the machine is always sending precision ag data up to the Cloud.

Not only can you use this information to make better decisions in real time, the team here can also monitor your machine alerts, so when there are issues at hand, or services are about to fall due, we can be more proactive and take that off the farmer’s desk. It’s all part of wanting to make things as easy as possible for our customers and ensure they are only heading into a branch when absolutely necessary.

“In my opinion, it’s going to be a very different world after all of this, and I think people are going to look to do as much as they can remotely. That’s what we’re trying to do at TECSight. We’ve got a call centre based in Wagga and we’re supporting our customer base wherever they are.

We can shorten the diagnostic process, save travel where possible, and send out a well-informed technician who’s aware of social distancing protocols when needed.

“Basically, we want to help maximize uptime in the field by doing as much as we can over the phone or online.”

Amid the challenges of Coronavirus, the TECSight team has also met the challenge of moving offices.

“We have moved our operations out to AgriPark, which is an initiative of Charles Sturt University. It’s designed to bring together international agricultural companies, agribusinesses, food producers, innovative small-medium enterprises and researchers in an ecosystem of collaboration.

“The move took around three weeks and was quite the task considering COVID-19 and social distancing, but we had our first full day on April 16 and the move was completed at the end of April. AgriPark will eventually be a new complex and it makes sense from our perspective to get out here now, to get in on the ground floor, in anticipation of being close to research and development, close to students, and being able to collaborate with the other industry players.

“We are hopeful that one day we can explore the opportunity of a grad program where agronomists sit side-by-side with mechanics to help our customers with their machine diagnostics and precision agriculture needs.”

But in the meantime, Hamish says customers can count on the same TECSight service.

“From a customer perspective, it’s business as usual – COVIDstyle. With the change in location, there will be no disruption to service at all. Just plenty more opportunity to follow. Watch this space!”

Maximum potential Hamish and the team also have some housekeeping news for growers.

“With everyone looking at sowing with the soil moisture we now have, TECSight remains focused on making sure that we are open for business at our customers’ busiest time in whatever way, shape or form they need us. We need to make sure that we can keep the wheels turning.

“So, in terms of housekeeping, Deere released a software update in March along some new terms and conditions to their operations centre interface. If everyone can log in and accept those terms and conditions and ensure they have the latest software installed, it will go a long way to helping us do what we do best.

“And for those with connected machines, are they using the various interfaces to their full capacity? If any of our customers need guidance on how to use the gear, or they’re not sure that they are using it to its full potential, I encourage them to reach out because we can help them gain additional efficiencies. It’s as easy as picking up the phone.”

To talk to the TECSight team, call (02) 5924 5111.

To talk to the TECSight team, just call (02) 5924 5111.

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High Performance Magazine Winter 2020

Are you spring ready?

Lawn and garden priorities change in winter. It’s tempting to stop working outdoors due to the cold, gloomy days. However, if you put in effort during the cooler months, you can make your lawn look vibrant and healthy for spring.

Here are our top tips!

WEED MANAGEMENT Lawn weed control is a year-round duty, especially if you want to reduce lawn care issues for spring. Because grass growth tends to slow down over winter, weeds will find it easier to take over. So handle them as soon they emerge. Investigate a good herbicide that is powerful enough to kill weeds but does not cause damage to your lawn. There are also some more natural solutions available, such as vinegar, that can be helpful in combatting some winter weed worries.

AERATION Aeration is recommended for decreasing compaction. One of the best things you can do for a lawn is to aerate, as it allows increased amounts of air, water and nutrients to penetrate the soil to help strengthen the grass roots making it more resilient for whatever the next season brings.

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MOWER SERVICE Chances are that your mower has been sitting relatively dormant for a few months over winter.

Avoid unnecessary repairs with a pre-spring service and Expert Check.

We’ll change the oil and filters, grease the service points, check the battery and cables, and look over the blades and deck.

A yearly tune-up is important to ensure all parts of your mower are functioning properly and safely and there’s no better time than before the weather warms up again.

MOWING

Remember to never mow wet grass, as this can clog your mower.

It is important to mow when the conditions are suitable, if your lawn is damp the moisture can weigh down your grass. It can cause your blades to bend making it hard to cut your grass straight.

Damp or wet grass can lead a build-up of clippings that will not spread evenly along your lawn, allowing these clumps to smother the grass beneath or clog your mower.

FERTILISE Once you’ve conquered all those nasty weeds, a light sprinkling of fertiliser will give your lawn the boost it needs to spring into spring.

Always follow specified rates on the label.

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2021 TOPGUN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN! Think you have what it takes? hr@hutcheonandpearce.com.au www.hutcheonandpearce.com.au/careers/apprenticeships-trainees

Matt Duffy - 0428 613 284 ALBURY PO Box 823 222 Travelstop Way Albury NSW 2640 Phone: (02) 6058 6800 COLEAMBALLY 32 Bencubbin Way Coleambally NSW 2707 Phone: (02) 6954 4280

www.hutcheonandpearce.com.au

Applications close 6 September 2020

CONDOBOLIN 1a May Street, Condobolin NSW 2877 Phone: (02) 6891 2222

FORBES Angus Clarke Drive Forbes NSW 2871 Phone: (02) 6862 1666

ORANGE 26 Scott Place Orange NSW 2800 Phone: (02) 6362 9988

COWRA PO Box 160 64-68 Young Road Cowra NSW 2794 Phone: (02) 6341 4800

GRIFFITH Cnr Oakes Rd & Irving Place Griffith NSW 2680 Phone: (02) 6969 5300

TEMORA 101 Kitchener Road Temora NSW 2666 Phone: (02) 6977 1100

FINLEY 16 Riverina Highway Finley NSW 2713 Phone: (03) 5883 1655

LAKE CARGELLIGO 63 Canada Street, Lake Cargelligo NSW 2672 Phone: (02) 6898 1305

WAGGA WAGGA 57 Moorong Street Wagga Wagga NSW 2650 Phone: (02) 6933 7900 TECSight Support Centre (02) 5924 5111