Hurdle After Hurdle: The Story of Yetter's Climb to Success

Apr 05, 2023

The late owner of Yetter Manufacturing, Pat Whalen, says it was a “natural progression,” the way that his grandfather first got the company off the ground and his grandparents were able to start the company in 1930 during the Great Depression.

“At the time, the tractors had steel wheels on them and they were prone to plug up with mud. Harry Yetter, my grandfather, came up with a device that would scrape the mud off,” Whalen says. “His neighbor saw it and it was one of those things that mushroomed from his farm to other farms.”

But that was just the very beginning for the family manufacturing business. Whalen recalls many other products that would be added into production over the coming years to help grow the company even more.

Click here to see more...

Video: The Role of Food and Non-Food Crops in Alternative Fuel Production

Warren Morris, Senior Manager of Product Management at AGCO, discusses the role of food and non-food crops in alternative fuel production. From corn and soybeans to perennials like switchgrass and camelina, AGCO explores sustainable feedstocks for biofuels and clean energy solutions.

Key Highlights in This Video:

>> Food vs. Non-Food Feedstocks: Traditional crops like corn and soybeans are widely used, but non-food crops such as switchgrass, miscanthus, and camelina are gaining attention due to sustainability and no food displacement.

>> Camelina as a Case Study: Camelina functions as an intermediate crop, protecting soil like a cover crop while generating cash, and can be harvested using existing farm equipment.

>> Sustainable Fuel Production: Using food crops for fuel can be sustainable if paired with proper land management and does not displace food production.

>> AGCO’s Role: AGCO develops fuel-flexible machines and knowledge resources to support farmers as the industry adopts multiple alternative fuel options globally.

>> Industry Collaboration: Successful adoption of alternative fuels requires policy support, infrastructure development, and public-private collaboration to make fuels available, affordable, and practical for farmers.