U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue drives a Terra Dos T4-40 HR 12
On September 26, 2019, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and the President of the American Farm Bureau Federation Zippy Duvall, gathered first-hand information about the sugar beet harvest.
The day began with Secretary Perdue and President Duvall visiting Laracha Farms near Reese, which is operated by the Bauer family. In a field located in Richville, both ag leaders had the opportunity to help harvest beets.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue was able to cross another item off his to-do list: Secretary Perdue is a farmer at heart and a man who knows a lot about agriculture, but until today he had never experienced a sugar beet harvest. Thanks to Charlie Bauer and his family he could get behind the wheel of the beet harvester Terra Dos T4-40 with 12 row lifting unit. Secretary Perdue showed great interest in the HOLMER technology and was impressed by the performance of the self-propelled sugar beet harvester.
Mike Houghtaling from P&C Ag Solutions LLC was also there to show off an autonomous tractor that was used in the demonstration.
From there, Secretary Perdue and President Duvall traveled to the Research & Extension Center for a meeting with Michigan Sugar Company directors, followed by a well-attended town hall meeting in the Michigan Sugar Exhibition Hall.
Thanks to Charlie Bauer and his family for giving the Secretary his first look at a sugar beet harvest. Also, a huge thank you to Michigan Sugar Company, Michigan Farm Bureau and the United States Department of Agriculture for organizing this visit.