High Yielding Crop Varieties Breathe New Life into the Plow

OSCEOLA, IA, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ - A practice nearly as old as agriculture itself sees fewer and fewer North American manufacturers in the business of making moldboard plows. However, some firms have realized there still is a place for plowing in modern agriculture, especially in light of today's high yielding crop varieties.

"This country was built with a plow - and successful farmers understand it is an essential tool on modern farms, just as it was for our ancestors," says Jim Danielsen, National Sales Manager for Salford Farm Machinery. "Healthy soil is essential to crop production."

Michael Wegner, of Wells, Minnesota, is part of the growing number of farmers turning back to plowing to manage tough crop residue and improve soil health. Michael and his brother run a 5,000-acre operation that includes corn, beans, cattle and hogs. "I never thought I'd buy another (moldboard) plow, but with the higher yields newer genetics bring, I'm noticing the trash is not going away," says Wegner. "Last year was tough for everyone in the mid-west, and we had to reevaluate our farming practices. I switched from using two chisel plows for corn-on-corn, to half chisel plow and half Salford plow."

"The many benefits of today's crop hybrids can bring challenges, such as managing the tough residue they leave behind," says Jim Boak, Salford's soil specialist. "Farmers north of I-80 have a smaller window for natural residue decomposition," explains Boak. "If you lack the conditions required for rapid residue decomposition and these tough crop residues are left untouched there is increased likelihood of disease. Not to mention leaving a carpet of residue your planting equipment is challenged to penetrate," says Boak. Boak notes that the plow can help control diseases such as anthracnose, grey leaf spot, and mycotoxins like fusarium that cause vomitoxin.

Salford plows range from 3 to 14 bottoms to keep pace with large commercial operations, and to meet the needs of small family farms. Operator's can set their Salford plow to cover residue completely or change wear parts to incorporate different percentages of residue. Durable and easy to operate, Salford's high clearance design keeps farmers in their tractors, instead of being out un-plugging their plows.

For more information about Salford plows, visit Salford's new interactive website at www.salfordmachine.com or call 1-866-689-0433.

About Salford

Salford Farm Machinery Ltd. is a dynamic, growth-orientated manufacturer of cutting-edge tillage and seeding equipment. With Salford's reputation for providing solid performance through innovative design, the company is recognized as a leader in customer service and dealer assistance throughout North America. With production and sales facilities in Iowa, Canada and Russia, Salford has a growing international customer and sales base around the world.

SOURCE Salford Farm Machinery Ltd.