Take on Harvest Challenges with SteerCommand™
Despite the crop damage from the August derecho winds across much of Iowa and Illinois, there is no question that one way or another the crops will move out of the field come harvest. This year harvest will bring added challenges to many farmers, which is driving many to look to technology to help shoulder the burden.
Automated steering with repeatable accuracy is a necessity now more than ever to manage in these difficult conditions.
Central Iowa farmer, Jim Seeman has been farming for 51 years. Like many farmers, the powerful straight-line winds left their mark on Seeman and his partners’ operation: damaging an auger, flipping over fuel tanks and a flattening a barn. Between their fields Seeman estimates around 725 acres of corn and 380 acres of beans were affected by the storm. “The fields vary by area, certain corn varieties in certain fields went down. Some varieties did better than others, some snapped off, but all of it is leaning for sure.” Seeman said. In past years, Seeman had harvested small portions of fields with down corn, simply by driving slower and adding a corn rail to the combine. But the challenges of 2020 call for a new harvest strategy.
SteerCommand™ to the Rescue
A field inspection after the storm alerted Seeman of new problems he would face come harvest. “I could see the corn was leaning and noticed you can’t see rows to drive straight. I knew SteerCommand would keep me on the row. I had thought about getting autosteer for my combine many times, but I didn’t really need it till now.”
Smoother Vehicle Operation and Better Driver Focus
As the sole vehicle operator for planting and harvesting of the operation, Seeman looks forward to the aid SteerCommand will provide this coming season and future ones. 
“It’ll be nice to turn the autosteer on and it’ll drive to the end rows. Then I can keep watch on a lot of other things. Another reason I wanted SteerCommand was to help with the physical and mental fatigue spending hours in the cab.”
Automated steering technology keeps your vehicle on the guidance line and adjusts deliver repeatable pass-to-pass accuracy. For fields with tough terrain, SteerCommand maintains accuracy using nine-axis terrain compensation including rolling ground, waterways, ditches, and terraces.
The benefits of SteerCommand can ease tensions this harvest, and make other seasons more enjoyable as well. For year-round technology including steering, planting, application, harvest and more, talk to your local Ag Leader dealer.