'Farm cop' sees growth of agricultural crime in California's Central Valley - Los Angeles Times

Reporting from Ivanhoe, Calif. —

It's not even 11 a.m., and Jordan Whaley's dashboard radio has been crackling all morning with crimes newly committed: crops pilfered, gas siphoned, copper wire stolen.

This latest call is one of the strangest so far. Thieves have taken 54 brass valves from the irrigation system on Ryan Hopper's orange farm. They've also stolen scrap metal from his tool shed and siphoned hundreds of gallons of fuel from a diesel tank on his field.

The crime infuriates Hopper, costing him time and money just before the orange harvest. But it's just one more of the mysteries Whaley tackles on a daily basis.

"It's never-ending," said Whaley, 26, who is himself a farmer. He's also a detective in the Tulare County Sheriff's Department agricultural crimes unit, tasked with catching the people who steal crops, tractors, chemicals and other farm equipment, and then turning the suspects over to the district attorney's office.

Think of him as the law in "Law & Order," farm edition.

Four years of a soft economy have led to a rise in agricultural crime throughout the country. In Ohio thieves are taking tractor batteries. Texas and Oklahoma authorities say bandits are stealing more cattle. And in Ivanhoe, a small farm town of 4,000 near Visalia, they're taking farm equipment.

American farmers and ranchers have been fending off thieves since the heyday of cattle rustling in the 19th century, but the duty of battling rural crime waves now falls to law enforcement. Tulare County sheriff's deputies investigated 105 agricultural crimes in the three months ended Sept. 30, up from 77 in the same period last year.

These crimes can deal a blow to California's economy: The state's oranges, melons, alfalfa and other crops are big business, generating $34 billion a year. But spread over 25 million acres, they are not easy to protect.

"Farmers aren't like most businesses: Their property, produce and everything is out there in the open. They don't have a way to secure it in four walls," said Jody Cox, a detective sergeant in the Tulare County Sheriff's Department agricultural crimes unit.

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Whaley starts his day heading to Hopper's farm, where neat rows of leafy orange trees stretch out toward the flat blue horizon. He drives his white Ford pickup through a small cluster of one-story houses, past orange and nut trees, and pulls off the narrow road. A squad car is parked near a corrugated iron shed, where a deputy is interviewing the victim.

"I went to irrigate today and no water was coming out," an agitated Hopper says. "I was just trying to get some work done."

Hopper says he hasn't had a problem with crime on his 130 acres since 2007, when thieves stole the filter system from his irrigation line. Now he's hearing more about crops and equipment disappearing from neighboring farms.

After walking the irrigation line with Hopper, Whaley takes out a fingerprint kit to use on a broken toilet the thieves hauled out of the shed, then discarded in the yard. He dons black gloves and sprinkles powder over the toilet as a cool breeze rustles the orchard.

He shakes his head. No prints.

It's looking to be slim pickings on the evidence front, but then Whaley hears a shout from Hopper. The farmer has found a footprint in the mud near a diesel tank that the thieves siphoned dry.

Whaley walks quickly through rows of orange trees and kneels next to the footprint. He can make out the name Camel, a brand of work boot. It's not much, but it's something.

"The crooks are getting more sophisticated," says Whaley, who suspects that thieves sometimes change their tires to avoid being linked to the tracks they leave behind.

*****

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Mailbag: If farmers took a year off - Albany Democrat Herald

I had a dream that all of the farmers in Oregon took the year off from farming. They were tired of the politicians, city folk and environmentalists telling them how to farm.

They didn’t need to buy new farm equipment or pay to have used machinery repaired, thus affecting farm machinery businesses and repair shops.

They didn’t need to buy seed, fertilizer, lime and sprays for their fields. They didn’t have to buy fuel for all that farm machinery, affecting trucks and railroads.

Of course, with no income they couldn’t buy new cars and trucks. The family didn’t shop for anything but necessities, affecting vehicle dealerships and local shops.

They didn’t have to hire any extra help for the harvest. Do you realize how many young people are hired for summer harvest, not to mention year-round farm crews?

The crews that baled and hauled straw to the ports in Portland had no work. No straw was shipped to Japan, affecting trucks, railroads and ships. No crops meant no local foods. (You do realize chickens and eggs are grown on farms. Milk, fruits, veggies and meats come from a farm.) All food had to be shipped from out of state.

With no income the farmers could not pay any taxes. No money for the politicians to spend. Horrors!

The good news was: No dust in the air or machinery on the road.

Arlene Jelen, Shedd (Dec. 23)

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World Ag Expo 2011 delivers “Tools for Agri-Business” - Western Farm Press

The 44^th annual World Ag Expo, Tools for Agri-Business, will feature the Top-10 New Products for 2011, a new Concert Series, a vast array of educational seminars and a new Beef and Livestock Pavilion.
These are just a few highlights of the world’s largest annual farm equipment show, Feb 8-10, expected to draw nearly 1,500 exhibitors and 100,000 attendees from around the globe.
World Ag Expo is held each February on the 2.6 million-square-foot show grounds of the International Agri-Center, located off Highway 99 midway between Fresno and Bakersfield. Exhibitors display the newest and best products, technology and services for 350 agriculture commodities over the three-day expo.
Admission tickets and information are available online at worldagexpo.com.
Leading World Ag Expo is Chairman Lee Coito, whose team of over 1,500 Orange Jacketed-volunteers provides everything from leadership and policy-making, to forklift service for exhibitors and directions for attendees.
“For just three days in February, World Ag Expo brings together the world of agriculture,” Coito noted. “This expo is where farmers, dairymen and ranchers see great innovations for the first time. Much of this new technology is then adopted as part of their operations. It’s all thanks to World Ag Expo volunteers.”
New for 2011 is a first-ever concert series, kicking off with CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, Blake Shelton. The concert is a fundraiser for a new initiative of the International Agri-Center to support and promote California agriculture.


Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton



Shelton will perform on opening day, Tuesday, Feb. 8, inside the new Entertainment Pavilion on the show grounds at World Ag Expo. Tickets are $40, $60 and $80 each and are on sale at worldagexpo.com. Opening for Shelton will be Warner Brothers recording artist Jason Jones.
The second night of the series is a fund-raiser for the new College of the Sequoias agriculture program and will feature Grammy nominee David Nail with opening act Stealing Angels. Tickets are available online for $75, $40 and $20.
World Ag Expo attendees will get to experience agricultural equipment first-hand in the Ride and Drive test area where Toyota, American Honda, Dodge, John Deere, Topcon and Gehl allow attendees to test drive the newest products in real, on-the-farm conditions. A vast array of dairy products, technology and services will be on display in the 70,000-square-foot Farm Credit Dairy Center. Pavilions A and B will feature general agriculture and irrigation exhibits, while Pavilion C features agri-chemicals, fertilizer and spray equipment exhibitors. New for 2011, Pavilion D will feature a beef and livestock emphasis, with a beef and livestock demonstration area where exhibitors can showcase new technology.
A daily seminar schedule, detailed on the web site at worldagexpo.com, includes presentations on topics such as beef production, forage, dairy, export, labor, irrigation, safety, advocacy and water. All seminars are free with paid admission.
Other highlights of the 2011 World Ag Expo include:
• The Top-10 New Products Pavilion will house the 2011 winning entries and 10 honorable mention products. Attendees can help select the Attendees Choice award winner from the Top-10 by voting online and at the New Products Pavilion.
• Download the new for 2011 World Ag Expo iPhone or Android app, powered by MC Solutions, or bookmark the mobile show grounds, for smart phone and web-enabled devices. These two new features will help attendees reach exhibitors before, during and after the expo. Visit worldagexpo.com from a smart phone for details.
• A new partnership with the Fresno Convention & Visitors Bureau means special rates and discounts from member hotels, restaurants, entertainment outlets, airlines and ground transportation providers for those staying in Fresno the evenings of the expo. Park and Ride shuttle service to and from the expo has been added from Fashion Fair Mall in Fresno and Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis. Round trip tours cost $25 per day, or $60 for a three-day pass. Passes may be purchased at worldagexpo.com.
• Admission tickets may be purchased online at worldagexpo.com and attendees are automatically entered to win prizes including one of three Honda Big Red 4X4 MUVs.
• Regional FFA programs will again benefit from a fundraiser with support from Toyota. FFA members are selling tickets and one winner will drive off a new Toyota 4X2 Tundra Grade Crew Max.
• The Forage Challenge, presented by Mycogen Seeds, will recognize the top forage entries, all vying for prize money. The forage display is located in the New Products Pavilion in the southeast corner of the grounds.
• The E.M. Tharp “We Believe in Growing” scholarship will be presented to two high school seniors again this year. Applications are due Jan. 14, 2011.
Free parking is available on the show grounds, and a free shuttle service is available from several locations in Visalia and Tulare to help attendees avoid congestion on surrounding roads.
The International Business Center helps connect buyers and sellers through trade lead exchanges, and offers informative export seminars.
And, not to be overlooked is the wide array of food booths, all operated by local non-profit organizations, located on the show grounds.
“World Ag Expo is truly an experience, and there is something new and different to see each year,” Coito added. “It is a blend of impressive big pickers and tractors, the latest in technology, a chance to see old friends and great food that supports great causes. We’re proud to support the world’s most important industry. ”

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1989 JD 4455 Tractor Sells for $62,000 on Michigan Auction

This tractor sold for $62,000 on a December 15, 2010 farm auction in southeast Michigan

I knew this would be a good sale.

The farm estate auction for Lawrence Allen in Jackson, MI on December 15, 2010. I saw the sale bill with all those low hour Deere tractors and the 1994 JD 9400 combine with only 1,739 “1 owner” hours. Most all the equipment on this auction was “1 owner” stuff.

How good was this sale by Sheridan Auction Service? How about $62,000 for the 1989 JD 4455 MFWD tractor with 2,636 hours. That’s the 3rd highest auction sale price I have ever seen on a JD 4455 tractor and we’ve got (282) sale prices on 4455′s in our web site, so the 3rd highest sale price….one to remember.

Oh, and the 1994 JD 9400 combine with 1,739 hours? It sold very high as well. See for yourself, here’s a Youtube video I posted with highlights from this auction:

About Machinery Pete: Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson has been working in the agricultural industry for 21 years and details agricultural equipment prices and trends at his website, Machinerypete.com. Greg also writes columns for Successful Farming magazine, Implement & Tractor magazine, Agriculture.com web site and also appears on the Machinery Show on RFD-TV.

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Deals & More: Novariant grabs $4.5M for hands-free farm equipment - VentureBeat

Today’s funding announcements include technology to run farms efficiently, monetize videos and monitor theft in stores:

Novariant gets $4.5M for GPS technology: The Fremont, Calif.-based company has raised funding as part of its fifth round, according to a filing with the SEC. The firm, a spinout from Stanford University in 1994, creates products for the agriculture, mining and aerospace industries that perform functions like automatically steering farm equipment and landing aircraft.

Auditude brings in $4M to bring ads to online videos: The Palo Alto-based company raised a third round of funding, according to a filing with the SEC. Big name clients including Comcast, Sony Music and Universal Music Group use Auditude’s ad platform to monetize online video content.

3VR gets $17M to watch over businesses with video surveillance: The company has raised a new round of funding led by Menlo Ventures with participation from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, DAG Ventures and Focus Ventures. The San Francisco-based company develops video search technology that helps retailers, banks and hotels fight theft and fraud.

Revolution Foods gets $20M to bring healthy lunches to schools: The Oakland-based company has raised a new round of equity funding to provide high-quality lunches to students in more than 100 schools, according to a filing with the SEC. The business, started by graduate students at the UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business, works with partners like Whole Foods Market and Berkeley Farms to serve schools in California, Colorado and Washington, D.C.

Next Story: Zumbox raises $9.7M to kill the post office with a digital mailbox
Previous Story: Pruning rotten apples from your company

Companies: 3VR, Auditude, Dag Ventures, Focus Ventures, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Menlo Ventures, Novariant, Revolution Foods

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Are Land Prices & Machinery Sales Helping The Economy In Your Community? - CattleNetwork.com

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Zoomed Out: John Deere Scale Models

John Deere machines aren’t playthings, but that doesn’t stop some from creating cool toys on a miniature level. Here’s a look at some great scale model tractors. Like their full-size counterparts, you can clearly see the detail it took to bring them to life.

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John Deere Construction and Forestry Dealers Join MachineFinder

MachineFinder aims to bring you enterprise-wide equipment listings, and toward that end, it has now expanded to include used construction and forestry machines from our John Deere Construction & Forestry ( C&F ) dealers. This transition will result in no change or disruption to your normal dealings on MachineFinder.com.

The change took place December 1st, when MachineFinder replaced UsedConnection as the construction and forestry web portal.

Buyers of construction and forestry equipment will enjoy several enhancements as a result of the move, including a user-friendly site, multi-lingual formats, greater public traffic, mapping technologies, quicker inventory searches, thumbnail pictures for dealer inventories, ability to track specific dealer listings, and construction appeal and graphics.

The move by Equipment Remarketing Services to incorporate the C&F division into MachineFinder means one corporate listing point for end-users.

The change has occurred seamlessly. While the UsedConnection site will remain active through January 31st, it will cease to be maintained following that date. C&F dealers will continue to list using the same processes, and users will now find used C&F equipment fleets at www.MachineFinder.com.

Used Construction Equipment

Used Forestry Equipment

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Seattle Sports H2Duo/Uno Stainless Steel Bottle (1000/800ml, Pack of 2)

Seattle Sports H2Duo/Uno Stainless Steel Bottle (1000/800ml, Pack of 2)

Product Features

• Includes a 1000 mL H2Duo and 800 mL H2Uno stainless steel water bottle; three-pack of MyBottle silicone bands in red, blue, and yellow
• H2Duo two-part bottle allows you to twist it open in the middle for easy cleaning, loading with ice, and turning it into two separate drinking containers
• Cap features flow-thru threads, glow ring, and flip-up finger ring
• MyBottle silicone bands allow you to customize your bottle with a splash of color

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Product Description

This water bottle set from Seattle Sports includes a unique H2Duo bottle one traditional stainless steel water bottle, and a set of three sport color silicone bands which allows you to customize either bottle. The H2Duo offers a a screw-off upper half, allowing you to easily add ice cubes and clean it easily (most stainless bottles have a small, narrow opening). You can also use the top or bottom pieces to drink from: the bottom is a nice camp cup you can drink out of naturally while the top can be flipped upside down to double as a goblet-style cup.

The H3Duo measures 10.2 inches tall and has a 1000-mL capacity. For those wanting a more traditional bottle, this set also includes the H2Uno, a stainless steel bottle measuring 8.75 inches tall and an 800mL capacity. The screw cap of both bottles features flow-through threads that allow you to pour from the loosened cap without having to remove it completely. The cap features a recessed flip-up hanging ring and a small glow-in-the-dark accent, allowing you to easily find your bottle in the middle of the night.

Rural Economy Improvements: Outlook Looks Good - Seeking Alpha

The rural economy continued to improve in December, driven by rising farm income and high grain prices. The USDA estimates that 2010 farm income increased 31% from 2009, which has led farmers to reinvest cash flows into farmland and farm equipment. The healthy rural economy has also led to improving employment numbers and lending conditions.
The overall Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) continued to increase this month to 55.4 from 53.3 in November, according to the survey of bank CEOs in a 10-state region. This marks the second straight month the index is above growth neutral 50.0, and the fourth straight month the index has increased.

“Very healthy farm income is rippling across the Rural Mainstreet economy. Businesses heavily dependent on the farm economy continue to experience very strong economic conditions,” said Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, co-author of the report.
Agriculture
Farmland prices have been increasing very quickly over the past few months. The farmland price index was above 50.0 for the 11^th straight month at 76.9 in December. This is the highest the index has been since March of 2008. Rising farm income has allowed farmers to reinvest their cash flows back into farmland to expand their operations.

“This month bankers were asked to name the biggest threat to the Rural Mainstreet economy for 2011. Over one-third or 35 percent indicated that a bursting of the farmland price bubble was the number one threat to the economy for next year. More than one in four or 27 percent of the bankers named low agricultural commodity prices as the number one risk for the Rural Mainstreet economy,” said Goss
Farmers have also been expanding their operations by investing in new farm equipment. In December, the farm equipment sales index expanded to a record high 77.8 from November’s 68.7.
Banking
Loan volumes sky rocketed this month to 52.3 from last month’s 35.3 as land and equipment buying has increased the demand for ag lending. The other two banking indicators, checking deposits and certificates of deposits, were above growth neutral for the tenth straight month.
Survey respondents expect the Fed could increase interest rates sooner, rather than later. Bankers were asked this month when they thought the Federal Reserve would increase interest rates and 62% thought that is would occur in 2011 and 38% thought in 2012.
The rural economy finally began to add jobs in December as the hiring index increased to 50.1 this month marking the fifth straight month of improvement. Goss noted that “While many metropolitan areas continue to shed jobs, agriculturally dependent small towns have begun to see improving job prospects.”
Bankers confidence in the economy six months out dipped slightly as the index declined to 62.2 from 63.8 in November, although is well above last December’s reading of 53.7.
Outlook
This month, bankers responded that the bursting of a farmland price bubble posed the biggest threat to the rural economy, but we are skeptical, due to the nature of the surveyed question. Bankers had to decide whether a change in federal alternative energy policy, low farm commodity prices, or the bursting of a farmland price bubble would be the biggest threat. We would have responded with the same choice, although of potential risks in 2011, this is near the bottom of our list.
We are very excited about the improving prospect of the rural economy. Agricultural fundamentals are the best in decades, due to low supplies, increasing exports, and sustained demand for biofuels. The improving economy is reflected in the expansion of the RMI, demand for farmland, and increased purchases of farming equipment. Farmer balance sheets are at the most conservative levels in over 40 years, which helps us feel comfortable that even if the unexpected happens, farm economy is well positioned to capitalize on the increasing demand.
Read more about agriculture and farmland here.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

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More Bullishness at final HAT Farm Show Seminar - Hoosier Ag Today

More Bullishness at final HAT Farm Show Seminar
12/16/2010
by Andy Eubank

The Hoosier Ag Today seminar series wrapped up Thursday at the Indiana-Illinois Farm Equipment Show with a second day of bullish thoughts for corn growers. A day after Chris Hurt�s presentation, market analyst Jim Riley and Lee Goss, a commodity broker with EFG Group in Chicago, said $6.70 corn in the coming year is within reach.

Goss told HAT that mark for July corn is not really such a big rally.

�With July corn trading in the $5.70 range now you�re talking about another dollar up. Is that possible? Well we have the situation of a possible Chinese interest in corn, the dry conditions in Argentina that will impact their corn crop, and we believe the carryover number USDA has given us is still a little overstated. And with any type of production problem at all in this country, a dollar higher is quite realistic. If the stars align and get into the right position that can certainly happen.�

Goss explained it�s hard to know when Chinese imports of U.S. corn will really break out, but if they can bring food inflation down to a more acceptable level and need to replace the reserve corn they�ve been selling, China could become an aggressive corn buyer as soon as 2011. That makes $6.70 corn even more realistic.

Goss also sees no reason for a drop-off in Chinese soybean imports from the U.S. �They only grow about 15 million metric tons a year themselves. They�re going to grind about 100 million metric tons next year with the increase in crush capacity that they have now, so their demand for soybeans is definitely going to continue.�

or right-click here to download mp3

Goss added, �This near term situation that we have now where their crush margins are under a little pressure and they�re delaying some shipments of beans, that�s basically because the government is trying to force down the price of beans and meal to control inflation. But they�re not going to be able to do that forever, and we believe that whether it�s copper, soybeans, cotton, sugar, whatever they import, they�re eventually in the very near term going to come back to the market very strongly.�

They�ll have to Goss says, because of the demand created by 1.4 billion people.

WebReady^TM Powered by WireReady�NSI

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Used John Deere Combine Sells at Auction During Blizzard

November 11, 1940. October 31, 1991. Now December 11, 2010.
Three of the most famous blizzards in Minnesota history. Last Saturday’s storm was a doozy. But I had a blast covering a late-model farm machinery auction in Fairmont, MN. The sale went on despite the trying conditions. Hearty folks showed up, plus a heavy internet bidding crowd made for a very successful farm sale.
The blizzard conditions certainly made for some “interesting” video. Here’s a clip I shot of the 2010 JD 9770 STS combine with 258 engine hours selling on the sale:
About Machinery Pete: Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson has been working in the agricultural industry for 21 years and details agricultural equipment prices and trends at his website, Machinerypete.com. Greg also writes columns for Successful Farming magazine, Implement & Tractor magazine, Agriculture.com web site and also appears on the Machinery Show on RFD-TV.

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Have a Very John Deere Christmas this Year!

Our favorite John Deere machines have a way of making it onto our Christmas trees and into our homes this time of year. Whether it’s an ornament or a child’s toy, the telltale green and yellow logo is never far. So let it happen, and have a very John Deere Christmas!
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John Deere: Monster of the Forest

John Deere: Monster of the Forest

The John Deere Construction and Forestry Division was established in the mid-1950′s, back then called the Industrial Equipment Division. Deere began producing forestry machines in earnest at that time, but in reality, Deere products have been working in the woods since the early part of the last century. Today’s tough-but-smart machines can cut an entire tree into precisely measured sections in a matter of seconds. After rapidly sawing the tree from the base, the processing head keeps hold, dropping the tree parallel to the ground then quickly pulling it through, delimbing and cutting to desired length. It’s the very latest technology for an age-old profession.

John Deere H480 Harvester Head in Action

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John Deere 1270E Harvester: See how it all works

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John Deere Forestry Harvester

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John Deere 1270D Eco III

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John Deere 1470D

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Close up View of 1470D Eco III

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Tree Harvester

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Timberjack 759G

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John Deere Timberjack

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Timberjack 1470D

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Deere Harvester

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Record Price: John Deere 6030 Tractor Sells for $40,000

The hottest collector tractor?
Ask me and I’d tell you it just may be the John Deere 6030, made by Deere from 1972-1977. Confirmation came last month at a tractor collector auction in Wesley, IA. This sale by Ryerson Auction & Realty featured (2) JD 6030′s. A restored 1975 model 6030 sold for a record high auction price of $40,000. I caught up with my auctioneer friend Gene Ryerson the week after for a video interview (click on video above).

The Wesley, IA auction November 13, 2010 featured a few other very nice Deere tractors:
* 1971 JD 4020 with only 2,987 hours
* 1968 JD 4020 with 5,200 hours & JD 58 loader
* 1972 JD 4320 with 2,700 hours
Also on the auction was a cool restored 1968 Chevy pickup and a 1926 Ford Model T “Rat Rod” car. Check out the video to see what all this stuff sold for.
About Machinery Pete: Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson has been working in the agricultural industry for 21 years and details agricultural equipment prices and trends at his website, Machinerypete.com. Greg also writes columns for Successful Farming magazine, Implement & Tractor magazine, Agriculture.com web site and also appears on the Machinery Show on RFD-TV.

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Digging Into Agriculture With Deere and Titan - Seeking Alpha

Where we’re going, we don’t need paved roads. The agriculture sector is comprised of several quality companies. Market experts dwelling on diversification and getting exposure to commodities are demonstrating, quite simply, prudent investing. Where does an investor start? The mere mention of futures contracts furrows brows and increases heart rates. Let’s take a look at two companies profiting from the upturn in global agriculture.

John Deere - Plastic Pedal Tractor


Let's begin with “Big Green,” John Deere & Co. (DE). The United States has some of the most productive farmers in the world and supplies roughly 40-50% of the world’s food supply. The remainder is pooled from dozens of other countries, some of which have just begun to tap their production potential. Deere & Co. is literally everywhere; just view its website's homepage and pick a country. The company just raised its dividend on December 1, from $0.30 to $0.35. Deere currently has a $32 billion market capitalization with a TTM of 18 times earnings. It is independent and strong; as its motto has it, "Nothing runs like a Deere."

Not everyone “bleeds green” in the world of agriculture, though, and for those who do not, an alternative named Titan Machinery Co. (TITN) exists. This company is based in North Dakota and services multiple states throughout the Midwest. It operates 72 stores that lease and sell equipment primarily from CNH Global (CNH). Small ($385 million market cap) compared to Deere, but this stock has a built-in triple-play at 29 times earnings. Gain the exposure to Titan as a dealer, and to CNH’s agriculture/construction-industry manufacturing.

Equipment manufacturers currently have a “virtual hedge” by being exposed to agriculture and construction trends. There may be a short window of time where construction activity returns in full-force while agriculture stays strong. It certainly is possible, but buyers beware!
In these unprecedented times, the fear of an inflation monster lurks over the market and commodities are the benefiting class. The general agriculture space is seeing increased margins due to rising commodities prices. When farmers make money, they would rather take an income deduction by “buying paint” (machinery), than pay the taxman. Large equipment purchases can approach $200,000-300,000.
Keeping this in mind, the party in machinery-related stocks like Deere and Titan will likely be over if commodities fall steeply. Many wise traders have spoken these words: Commodities take the stairs on the way up, and the elevator on the way down.

Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

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Nov 24, Cub Cadet GT 2550 Riding Garden Tractor

by Vince
(McKinney, Texas)

I regret buying this mower. From day one it leaves two uncut lines down each pass. I have had it back to the shop three times and they can't seam to do anything for me. They keep telling me to lower the deck but its as low as i can for terrian and type of grass. I bought the heaver model thinking it would perform better and hold up longer. Wrong. Another problem is it gets off center very easy and you end up stuck.

Having to mow two acreas at least twice each time and getting off center two or three times makes a hour and half job take three.

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Deere boosts quarterly stock dividend 17 percent - BusinessWeek

MOLINE, Ill.

Deere & Co. plans to boost its quarterly stock dividend 17 percent because company officials are confident in the farm equipment maker's prospects.

The Moline, Ill.-based company said Wednesday that it will pay 35 cents per share on Feb. 1 to investors who held shares on Dec. 31.

Deere CEO Samuel Allen says officials are confident about the company's future as it focuses more on its core equipment business after selling off its wind energy unit.

Solid global demand is helping farmers in most of Deere's key markets, so the company has predicted equipment sales would rise 10 to 12 percent in its new fiscal year.

Deere said last month that it rebounded from a loss last year to earn $457 million in its fourth quarter this year.

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