Case IH Recognized as Innovator With Four 2018 AE50 Awards

Feb 28, 2018

Recently, the investment made by Case IH in research and development was recognized by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE), which honored four of the company’s latest innovations with 2018 AE50 awards:

Trident 5550 liquid/dry combination applicator
Steiger® series tractor with new CVXDrive™ continuously variable transmission
2140 Early Riser® planter with in-cab split-row lift system
Nutri-Placer® 930 fertilizer applicator with new High-speed Low Disturbance (HSLD) coulter

Today, the ASABE, along with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), praised the Trident 5550 liquid/dry combination applicator as a top innovative product among the AE50 honorees. The organizations presented the inaugural Davidson Prize to the top three innovative products from the AE50 honorees, including the Trident 5550 liquid/dry combination applicator, at Commodity Classic in Anaheim, California.

“Ultimately, our goal at Case IH is to help customers be more productive and profitable, but it’s a bonus to see our efforts and products honored,” said Jim Walker, Case IH vice president, NAFTA. “Each of the products recognized by the AE50 awards were developed through our Customer Driven Product Design (CDPD) process and support High-Efficiency Farming. This process has helped deliver products to our customers that give them an edge and a leg up.”

Read more about this year’s Case IH AE50 award winners:

Trident 5550 liquid/dry combination applicator

The Trident 5550 liquid/dry combination applicator is the industry’s fastest-converting combination applicator on a row crop chassis. It’s engineered from the ground up to be changed from liquid to dry and back again throughout three seasons of use. Quick changeover times, automatic and in-cab adjustments and precise application technology give you a flexible equipment solution to protect and feed your crops at the optimal time.

Steiger series tractor with new CVXDrive continuously variable transmission

Case IH Steiger series tractors set industry records for fuel-efficient power and deliver a proven record of performance and productivity. The CVXDrive continuously variable transmission builds on that legacy by letting you take control of every season and every application. The CVXDrive is the first continuously variable transmission for an articulated 4WD tractor. It delivers the highest horsepower available on the market — up to 605 peak horsepower — so you can take on year-round farming applications.

2140 Early Riser planter with in-cab split-row lift system

The new 2140 Early Riser planter adds ultra-narrow row spacings of 15-, 20- and 22-inch with split-row configuration options so you can easily convert between crops. Our engineers designed this planter with excellent ground clearance for unmatched terrain flexibility and a pivot fold transport package so you can easily move from field to field and navigate tight field entrances.

Nutri-Placer 930 fertilizer applicator with new High-speed Low Disturbance (HSLD) coulter

Capable of speeds up to 11 mph, the Nutri-Placer 930 fertilizer applicator with the new High-speed Low Disturbance (HSLD) coulter lets you cover 510 acres in a 12-hour day — all with superior agronomic performance. In extensive field testing, the HSLD coulter provided better residue cover and a more level surface finish than other coulter-style applicators. Spring or fall, the Nutri-Placer 930 HSLD helps you make the most of every acre and every application.

Source : Case IH

Video: 2025 USDA December Crop Report a “Dud” + Trump $12 Billion U.S. Farm Aid

The USDA December crop report was friendly corn, neutral soybeans and bearish wheat. The USDA did surprise and increase the 25/26 U.S. corn export forecast to a new record high at 3.2 billion bushels now up 12% vs. last year vs. prior at +9% vs. the export pace to date up 30% the best in 10 years even higher than 20/21! The USDA left the 25/26 U.S. soybean export pace unchanged at 1.635 billion bushels. Higher global wheat supplies will remain a weight and headwind for wheat into year end and start of 2026.
Mexico is now the #1 buyer of U.S. corn, soybeans (usually China), wheat and pork!
USDA also released its long-term early projections but expect more changes by February of 2026.
Trump announces a $12 billion U.S. farmer aid package to be paid out by February 28, 2026. This helps no one but the ag banks, farm equipment companies, seed and fertilizer companies. It does prevent more farmer bushels from being sold near-term but is not bullish grain prices long-term. The Trump administration should focus on increasing U.S. domestic demand and propping up grain futures so farmers can cover their higher costs, up since COVID of 2020.
The China U.S. soybean purchase tracker now stands at 4.521 mmt or 38% of the 12 mmt promised by China at year end or is it end of February or the growing season? Why the discrepancy vs. the fact sheet. The optics are poor for the Trump administration.
After surging to contract highs U.S. natural gas futures plunged over 30+% in just 5-trading days!
Silver traded to new record highs as the debasement and de dollarization trade continued but technicals remain overbought near-term.
Soybean futures remained in correction mode after the funds went record long futures on Nov. 19 +233,000 contracts but the $10.80 support should hold into year end when the fund profit taking/liquidation comes to an end from the year end, end of month and end of quarter selling.
The U.S. Fed cut interest rates for the 3rd time by 25 basis points to a range of 3.50 – 3.75% and they will only cut one more time in 2026 and once in 20267/ but when Powell is gone next April the replacement is willing to cut more aggressively and we could see U.S. interest rates fall to 2.0% very bullish for ag and stocks as it could reignite inflation into 2027.
After 2 months of being drier than normal in Brazil the rains have finally arrived for the 1st half of December, and a record crop is still in the cards but if this pattern continues and verifies it could start to delay the harvest. Argentina after being too wet has turned dry but they are too small, compared top Brazil in the grand picture.
The Canadian dollar surged to $0.73 after better-than-expected employment data with 180,000 new jobs in the past 3-months and 3rd quarter GDP at +2.6% but this could be short-lived.
The latest CFTC report as of 11-19-2025 reported a record long fund position in soybeans at +233,000 contracts when 2026 March soybean futures peaked on 11-19-25 at $11.724/bu.