Chevron TRC highlights john deere 4440 restoration

Nov 05, 2024
By Farms.com

Floresville teen awarded at national tractor restoration event

At the National FFA Expo in Indianapolis, the Chevron Tractor Restoration Competition celebrated its 27th year by awarding the Grand Champion prize to Tyler Billings for his exceptional restoration of a 1980 John Deere 4440.

This event, a staple at the FFA Expo, draws participants who are judged on their technical skill, safety adherence, and presentation abilities.

The competition awarded varying amounts to standout entries, with Billings receiving the top prize of $10,000. Other notable winners included Trey Schronk and Samantha Williams, who demonstrated excellent restoration skills on different tractor models. The awards highlight the program’s objective to develop future agricultural leaders through practical and managerial skill enhancement.

Chevron’s TRC has contributed significantly to the agricultural community by fostering technical skills and leadership among young enthusiasts. This initiative not only preserves agricultural history but also inspires innovation among the next generation of farmers.

Details on the application process and insights into the restoration projects can be found on the official Chevron Lubricants website dedicated to the Tractor Restoration Competition.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.