Conservapak of Indian Head, Sask., is going green.
While the seeding tool technology invented by owner Jim Halford has, for more than 20 years, had a reputation of minimizing impact on the soil, this green is spelled Deere.
“It was a good fit for our product. (John Deere) began talking to us in earnest after Christmas and made Vale Farms a very good offer to purchase,” said Halford about his sale to the agricultural equipment giant.
Steve Dietrich of John Deere said the sale of Halford’s company, Vale Farms, includes the Conservapak brand, the corporate identity and the shank technology.
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“Grain producers in the Plains and many other areas are looking for a seeding unit with the ability to place seed and fertilizer precisely (in the soil) and into heavy residue. Conservapak does that better than anybody else,” said Dietrich.
He said demand for equipment that can place small oilseeds like canola is growing from Minnesota to Montana.
Halford’s design manages each shank independently, allowing each seed run to be treated as separate when it comes to seed and fertilizer placement and packing, versus having whole sections of the seed bar moving as one.
Conservapak has evolved over time, Halford said.
“We didn’t set up a dealer network. We chose to sell and service the equipment ourselves. Our producers don’t usually move to another brand once they’ve had our machines, so it worked very well,” he said.
Barry Nelson of John Deere said his company would continue to use the Vale Farms factory and staff to build the units for this spring, while the company completes the transition and training of its engineering and marketing staff.
Halford wouldn’t speculate on the long-term future for the company in Indian Head, but said Deere was bringing a good distribution channel for his seeder and its parts and service.
“Sometime this year we’ll be applying green paint to the red parts of our machines at Indian Head,” he said.
Dietrich said the hydraulic shank technology would be integrated into the whole Deere seeding tool lineup and be available starting in June.
Nelson said the company will work to support all existing owners in maintaining the value of their Conservapak equipment.
“And when they want to purchase their next one, they can count on it being the Conservapak they have always known. But it will be green.”
