Noah Newman:

Come on in. Thanks for joining us on another edition of the Precision Farming Dealer podcast. My name is Noah Newman, associate editor. Before we get started, I want to tell you about the Precision Farming Dealer Summit. It's coming up January 9th and 10th in the great city of St. Louis and registration is currently open. Head to precisionfarmingdealer.com to register. The summit offers a mix of general sessions featuring top industry experts, profit boosting, dealer to dealer panels and highly interactive roundtable discussion. So definitely recommend heading to precisionfarmingdealer.com to learn more about the summit. All right, joining us for today's podcast is Dana Dahms Precision Farming Associate product marketing manager for CNH Industrial. That's a long title. Managing editor, Michaela Paukner goes one-on-one with Dana to talk about New Holland's, new precision technology and how they're a good fit for hay and forage operations plus much more. So let's waste no more time. To the conversation we go. Here's Dana and Michaela.

Dana Dahms:

So my name is Dana Dahms. I am an associate product marketing manager, specifically in precision farming for CNH Industrial. I focus on precision farming. So all that comes in with marketing those products, parts set up, helping with marketing materials, getting those created, supporting our field sales and training teams, so whether dealers are coming to them with questions or needing extra training materials, as well as putting together any offers or programs on any of our precision farming product lines.

Michaela Paukner:

And today we're talking about two of New Holland's Precision technology products for hay and forage operations. Could you give,

Dana Dahms:

Correct.

Michaela Paukner:

Us an overview of those products?

Dana Dahms:

Sure. The XCN-750 display is a seven-inch-high definition touchscreen display. It comes standard with Precision IQ firmware and it's paired with a guidance controller. The display is suitable for any operation needing basic precision technology. It's pretty user friendly and it uses an Android operating system. It's compatible with both wifi and Bluetooth. And on its own it can only work as a universal terminal, so a monitor that can control multiple pieces of equipment. But to do anything else, it has to be paired with a guidance controller.

So today we'll talk about the NAV-500 guidance controller. This is also intended for basic accuracy applications. The controller is capable of receiving corrections from five satellite constellations, including GPS, GLONAS, beidou, Galileo, and QZSS. And the NAV-500 comes standard with sub meter repeatable accuracy, meaning it's accurate within a meter. It's designed for customers that don't require the ultimate level of accuracy, precision, but it's a great starting point and it allows for the addition of any assisted steering devices such as EZ-Steer, EZ-Pilot, EZ-Pilot Pro. So the XCN-750 and NAV-500 are paired together for an affordable system to use Precision technology and hay in forage farming.

Michaela Paukner:

Why are these two pieces of equipment being that they're more of the basic Precision technology, why are they a good fit for hay operations in particular?

Dana Dahms:

Sure. So kind of the ideal customer would be anyone that's new to Precision or wanting to try a cost effective solution. Hay and forage is typically broad acre farmers, so they don't necessarily require the highest accuracy precision, but if they're maybe looking to save on some of those input costs and increase their yield, running a more efficient operation, this is a great solution for those kind of customers.

Michaela Paukner:

Makes sense. And then how long have this display and the guidance controller been available to customers?

Dana Dahms:

Both the XCN-750 and NAV-500 have been available since December of 2019. They're suited any size operation. They're specifically able to be upgraded as well. So I don't think I hit on that yet, but they come with kind of a basic set of accuracy, but there's also plenty of room for growth within the display and guidance controller to upgrade to more specific accuracy or utilizing some built-in ISOBUS capabilities as well as assisted steering. So they've been around since 2019 and lots of opportunity for expansion of their capabilities.

Michaela Paukner:

And what type of feedback have you gotten from users of this equipment since 2019 when you first introduced it?

Dana Dahms:

Yeah, so I think the biggest piece of feedback would be that it is a great starting point. So some of the benefits to the customer are that they're able to utilize equipment that they already have. This pairing since it's capable of a sub meter repeatable accuracy, this level of accuracy allows farmers to drive up and down their fields with more accuracy than they would just relying on looking at tire tracks or soil markings. And it's important to maintain that past to past distance while driving through the field to increase their efficiency. So some of the benefits that farmers are seeing by using this solution is saving time. It's preventing skips and overlap, so it's saving on those input costs, you're getting less waste and just a more efficient farming operation.

Michaela Paukner:

And then where are these products currently being used? I know hay and forage operations, but geographically where are some of those located?

Dana Dahms:

Yeah. So really all over the country. Like I said, broad acre farmers that aren't requiring the highest accurate precision is really where it's helping. Just kind of an example, the alfalfa plants go pretty tall and wide, so the fields are difficult to see those rows. So utilizing the XCN-750 display and NAV-500 controller, they can use that GPS to see where to line up and where the rows are, just by visually you're unable to, and then maybe they're adding on some of those additional capabilities, maybe section control for fertilizer, so they're able to make sure that they're on the row using the system as well as with some of those additional options, adding on additional capabilities. In this case, we can say they're using fertilizer, so they're saving on costs and they're making sure they're getting the highest accuracy, so they're not running an inefficient operation.

Michaela Paukner:

Then since this can go on equipment that the farmer already has, are there any compatibility specifications?

Dana Dahms:

So both of these products can be considered retrofit. Both the display and guidance controller are designed to go in any piece of New Holland equipment, whether it's an older generation or newer piece of equipment. It can also be installed for any customers that have existing steering solutions, if a customer's looking to maybe upgrade their current display or receiver. So they are both compatible with any new piece of New Holland equipment.

Michaela Paukner:

So if somebody was wanting to install this with an existing steering operation, would it make it more accurate or what would be the benefit of doing that?

Dana Dahms:

Yeah, so a lot of times if customers have kind of an older display, it may not have as high definition or GPS capabilities as well as with the NAV-500 controller. It's not compatible with, or I guess it has more compatibility with the different steering solutions. So if some of their older solutions might be outdated and they can upgrade to this display and receiver to get the most up-to-date solutions.

Michaela Paukner:

Okay, that makes sense. And then can you walk me through what the installation is like for,

Dana Dahms:

Sure

Michaela Paukner:

Products?

Dana Dahms:

Yeah. So the XCN-750 display attaches to your vehicle using the universal RAM mounts and the NAV-500 guidance controller uses magnetic mounts. So both can be removed without any tools. The hardware can be installed by the customer in less than an hour. However, when it's paired with more advanced ISOBUS or steering solutions, the customer may want to reach out to their local New Holland dealer because they have the technical staff with knowledge to assist. Between the New Holland training team and field staff, we're able to provide as much training as the dealership staff would need to support those customers. So since it is such easy installation and it can be easily transferred between vehicles, a customer really could in a hay and forage example, be using the system on a mower in the morning and then they can take it out, reinstall into the baler and use it while bailing in the afternoon. So a selling point from a dealer to a customer may be, depending on the operation size, a customer may only need to purchase one system. So one display, one controller if they have a smaller operation.

Michaela Paukner:

And then talking more about dealers, and what should they know about these products?

Dana Dahms:

So any New Holland dealer can take advantage and sell these products. So there's no special certification or requirements to be able to sell the XCN-750 and NAV-500. I think another great selling point is that they can both be used with new and older generation New Holland machines. So the customer is able to utilize some of that older equipment. And then another point is it's a low entry cost investment and there's a lot of opportunity to upsell to the customer over the following year. So maybe starting them with manual guidance. So they're just using the XCN-750 display and NAV-500 guidance controller. The following year, maybe adding on an assisted steering solution like EZ-Steer, EZ-Pilot, EZ-Pilot Pro, or maybe utilizing some of the ISOBUS capabilities with section control, maybe the following year, upgrading their display or controller if they're looking for increased accuracy. So that's a great point to dealers that this is a good point of entry for a lot of Precision customers.

Michaela Paukner:

And then you mentioned that there was some training that could be involved from the dealership side of it. What would that look like?

Dana Dahms:

Sure. So we have a full field team and New Holland training team that will make sure dealers are informed and here to support dealers as they're selling these Precision technology products. So whether it's in field training, providing demos or training videos, we're here to support New Holland dealers in any way that they need.

Michaela Paukner:

And then just in general, what do you think are some of the marketing challenges that dealers face when it comes to selling Precision products?

Dana Dahms:

Sure. I think getting the customer started. So the idea of technology in agriculture is something that can be intimidating to farmers that haven't had a history with Precision. That's where some of those demos and field trainings really help getting the customer more comfortable with using technology, using these displays and controllers and really seeing how they can use it in their operation. So getting them out in the field, getting them using it. In speaking with the field team, a lot of times some of the most apprehensive growers are the ones that are adding on additional systems to their equipment or these additional auto guidance options, readily utilizing it. And once they see what they're saving on these input costs and how it's making them more efficient, saving money, especially fertilizer is very expensive at the moment. If they're saving on fertilizer costs, it's a great selling point, is them seeing. And that's where again, those infield demonstrations really come in handy.

Michaela Paukner:

And with this, you said it's pretty simple to use and kind of a basic way to get started. So if people can get familiar with this, then they can move on to other things or keep doing what they're doing, but either way, they're going to be saving.

Dana Dahms:

Yes, exactly. And this again is a low, fairly low point of entry cost. So it is, the XCN-750 and NAV-500 paired together is an affordable option to get customers started with Precision. It's a great kind of entry point for them.

Michaela Paukner:

Was there anything else you wanted to mention that I haven't asked?

Dana Dahms:

Yeah, I did have another example that I think is a really good point to maybe something that farmers wouldn't have considered this for. So the XCN-750 and NAV-500 paired together, even without the addition of any auto guidance, so if the farmer is just running it on manual guidance, it has capabilities of accuracy, GPS. And one example that I've heard great stories on is that farmers are able to map their fields so they can set a boundary, know their field size, if they're using fertilizer, they're able to see how many acres they've covered. And the key thing is they're avoiding skips and overlap. So that's where they're really saving on those input costs and really maximizing their yields so they're not spraying something twice or missing crops as well as a great example I've heard is if they're using it at night, so for example in hay and forage, let's say they're mowing in the middle of the night when it's dark out, they can use that GPS to make sure that they're on the row and that they can figure out where they've already mowed.

They can also mark obstacles in the field. So let's say they had a tree in the middle of the field and they're working at night, they can mark that as a landmark and as they're driving they'll see that pop up so that you know to avoid it, and that's just with the basic capabilities of the XCN-750 and NAV-500 without any additionals. So even if a customer wants to start out very, very basic, there's lots of capabilities available to them just using the system.

Michaela Paukner:

And with the cost of diesel fuel right now too, any way that they can avoid making extra passes is definitely a cost saver.

Dana Dahms:

Exactly. So these two, the XCN-750 display and NAV-500 guidance controller, it's a great pairing and very affordable, kind of a low entry cost for these growers to be increasing accuracy, performance, and just having a more efficient farming operation.

Noah Newman:

And that'll wrap things up for this week's podcast. Thanks to Dana Dahms and Michaela Paukner for that highly informative interview. And before we go, I want to remind you once again about the Precision Farming Dealer Summit coming up January 9th and 10th in the great city of St. Louis. To learn more and to register head to precisionfarmingdealer.com. Thanks so much for tuning in. Great to have you with us. As always, my name is Noah Newman. Have a great day.