17 September 2013
Article from a blog by Valley Irrigation: growingtheconversation.blogspot.com
The value of farmland in the Corn Belt rose 13 percent for the year ending October 1, 2012, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago survey1, as commodity prices rose to record and near-record highs. This environment makes it more important than ever to make the most of cropland to get the highest possible yield. Valley® continues to respond to this need with products to help growers accomplish just that.
"We recently did a study and found that growers can increase their profits by at least $600 per acre on corn in Nebraska, just by irrigating more of the land they already have,” says John Kastl, Valley Product Manager. “That’s why we offer Bender, DropSpan™, and corner products.”
Bender30
For a low investment, growers can gain up to six acres in each direction. The Bender30 can be placed on any drive unit, providing the ability to bend around trees, feed lots, roads, wells, or other obstacles. If the Bender30 adds just 3.5 irrigated acres, it will pay for itself in one year.
Bender160
As the name indicates, the Bender160 can bend your machine up to 160 degrees, allowing irrigation around large obstacles, like houses, grain bins and barns. Exclusive to Valley, the Bender towerbox controls the end guns and allows the machine to always know the bending angle. It takes only an additional nine irrigated acres for a one-year payback – and the Bender160 can irrigate up to 32 additional acres.
Valley Corner
The Valley Corner is the original corner machine, introduced in 1974. It is the simpler, more mechanical corner, efficiently and economically irrigating the corners of square, rectangular, or odd-shaped fields.
Valley Precision Corner®
The Valley Precision Corner is the leading corner in the industry. It has variable drives for smooth operation, more accurate water application, and efficient use of electricity.
DropSpan
With DropSpan, growers can drop the outer spans, so the rest of the machine can irrigate acres behind barriers. At the edges of the field, DropSpan allows growers to drop as many spans as necessary, and then reattach them as the machine returns.
For more information on the Valley Bender30, Bender160, Valley Corner, Precision Corner, and DropSpan options, contact your nearest WaterForce Branch