Embrace Technology - It's Driving Agriculture | by Matt Ondrejko

Being responsible for Global Marketing provides me some great opportunities to travel the world and meet people from all over.

Last week I happened to be in Brazil at the annual Valley_® Brazilian dealer meeting. I was in the presence of several hundred dealers that bleed Valley blue - it is a good place to be.

During the meeting, I had the honor of listening to a local Brazilian speaker Silvana Goulart, who was brought in to discuss the importance of working to create prospective sales and customers through various means. One thing that struck me was her passionate plea to the Brazilian dealers to understand times are changing. The customer is changing, the way they run their businesses is changing, the way the dealer does business is changing – and it is all being driven by technology!

Matt Ondrejko and Silvana Goulart

The younger generation of farmers – inheriting the business from their parents, or buying into a farm – want to do things simpler, faster and more effectively. They want technology to help them drive decisions, increase their quality of life, allow them more family time. Oh yes, and make them more money!

This is the message being communicated in Brazil today; it is the same message and same trend being seen around the world. Sure the rate of technological adoption is different from country to country, but the simple fact is that technology is influencing the way we do business at an accelerated rate. It is changing our expectations, our perceptions and the amount of time we are willing to wait for action and results.

If we do not recognize and adopt technology to our benefit, we will lose and our competition will pass us by. This is true for any business or any walk of life. People who embrace and use technology will accelerate and succeed.

Thank you Ms. Goulart for driving home a message that is considerably important to the success of all us.

Embrace technology, use it to your benefit, help your customer use it – I promise it will reward you.

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Matt Ondrejko VP Global Marketing The one word that can sum up Matt is "enthusiasm!" He likes to be on-the-go and have fun along the way. Matt loves music and the 1980s era. He is a child of the MTV generation and has a deep appreciation of all music genres (specifically, he is a huge Dave Matthews Band groupie). Matt has traveled to more than 70 countries around the world and enjoys learning about different cultures and people. He spent three years living with his family in Leuven, Belgium, trying to enjoy as many of the 700+ beers they brew there.

Valley Irrigation Western Europe and West Africa Brings its Dealers to Dubai, UAE | by Pauline Merz

How to thank our Valley_® dealers for the good job they did this year in difficult markets, the great Valley image they project to the agricultural sector, and the excellent service they provide to farmers?

These were the complicated questions that our team recently had to deal with. 

How could we possibly thank them? 1) Find a great place to go, 2) Have a perfectly professional reason to go there, and 3) Create an interesting training content … not a big deal at all!

The city of Dubai came quickly to mind: a business hub, the most populated city of the United Arab Emirates, and home to an excellent Valley factory.

One's first impression of Dubai is similar to entering a science fiction movie such as “Elysium” or the “Fifth Element”: Tall, endless buildings that take your breath away; amazing car brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Hummer…. Words such as endless possibilities, service and innovation cross your mind. It was just the place we needed to be to showcase these exact values to our dealer network.

It's October 29, 8 a.m., after a three-hour night, and here we go! The first day of our 2014 sales training: 75 Europeans and Africans, all experienced mechanized irrigation professionals, ready to begin the adventure. From this point, it was an intensive two days of training on the Valley brand, products, sales and service; followed by an enthusiastic Valmont Middle East Factory tour; and a fantastic Desert Safari Tour.

Our dealers headed home with blue blood, excited for the opportunity to sell their next Valley machines. Proud to be part of the Valley family and waiting impatiently for the next Valley sales training edition! It will be tough for us to top this year’s event!

My last thought is of our Valley team. After quite a lot of stress and much time dedicated to preparing for this event, I’m unable to keep myself from thinking that it was much more than a professional training event. It was also an incredible human adventure with crazy laughs and wonderful moments spent together. We came back more united as ever, stronger and ready to begin another irrigation campaign. So guys, I just have to say “thank you and let’s continue because the show must go on.”

Enjoy this video of our adventure!

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Pauline Merz Marketing Responsible - Western Europe & West Africa Pauline joined Valmont Irrigation in 2012. After being in charge of the French market (Spare Parts and Marketing activities), she became Marketing Responsible for Western Europe and West Africa. Native of France, Pauline has been living in Spain for three years. She enjoys meeting new people and discovering other cultures through their way of life. Pauline is also fond of sports such as mountain biking, trekking and tennis.

What it Means to be a Valley Dealer | by Patrick Scates

What does it mean to be a Valley_® dealer? To me, it means you belong to this large interconnected family!

“So, what do you do for a living?” It’s one of the first questions a person asks when you meet a new person or see an old friend.

“I sell irrigation center pivots,” just doesn’t do it justice. For me, it’s much, much more than that. This dealership is something I have been around since I was 6 years old. It’s a family business that my father and uncles started in 1983. So the dealership feels like part of the family. I have watched it grow over the years, through good times and rough times. Just like a family member facing difficulties, the dealership always made it through the rough times with the help of family. 

As I got older, my cousins and I started taking on bigger roles. We became the ones guiding the dealership in the direction that we thought was best for it. When you take on those roles, you start to see the bigger picture of what you’re involved in. That bigger picture is that we are a part of a greater family, the Agriculture Family of America.

We don’t just sell Valley pivots to farmers; it feels like we have a partnership with each one of the farmers we sell to. Some people sell things and that’s it. They sell it and don’t care if it actually works or if it’s even what the customer needs. It’s not like that as a Valley dealer. If it were, why would we answer the phone at 5 a.m. or 10 p.m. when a customer needs help? We answer the phone because we care, because our customers are a part of the agriculture family, and because we want to help our family. The business continues to grow, which means our agriculture family only gets bigger – just like a real family grows as the years go by.

Another important family member is the team we gain by becoming a Valley dealer; the Valley employees that we rely on every day for support. They aren’t just co-workers, they become our friends. We might only see once them a year, but it feels like we have known them a lifetime because we talk on such a regular basis to ensure our customers are getting what they need. You will not find better or harder working people in the Ag Family. To me, there really is no other company that comes close to the Valley family when you try to compare genuinely caring people who want to help their dealers.

Each year at the annual sales meetings, I’m reminded that we aren’t just selling pivots; we are helping feed the ever-expanding population of the world. With each new pivot we sell an extra bushel per acre can be raised to help feed that hungry child down the street or on the other side of the globe. My own children remind me why it’s important to get up every day and strive to make our dealership better, which in turn makes a better, healthier world. I also hope that my children will grow up around the dealership and come to love and care for it just as I have, by watching me just like I watched my own father. If they do, I’m hopeful they will have as much passion as I have for the dealership and will keep growing it to the next level.

So know that if you ask me the question, “what do you do for a living?”; and I only say, “I sell Valley irrigation center pivots,” it actually has a much deeper meaning to me.

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Patrick Scates General Manager Scates Valley Inc. in Carmi, IL Patrick enjoys anything to do with agriculture and politics. When he isn't at work he loves spending time with his four children, Zoey, Maggie, and twin boys, Thomas and Henry. Any free time is enjoyed playing golf or spending time with the family at a cabin on a small lake in southern Illinois.

Middle East Dealerships Provide Unique Service Offerings | by Adrian Cliffe

In the Middle East market, we have a lot of large-scale projects with investors. Some of these investors have limited experience when it comes to managing large-scales farms. When that happens, the irrigation equipment is often overlooked and not correctly maintained. 

A large-scale farm project in the desert.

This type of equipment neglect can mean the return on investment is drawn-out and can lead to a lot of unhappy investors. 

To address this, a lot of Middle East Valley_® dealerships are offering 24-hour service contracts. The dealerships have full-time, trained employees based on the farms to respond quickly to any equipment issues that may arise.

The Middle East dealerships also offer support to all farmers. In the Middle East, flow meters are often not sold with systems. Therefore, customers don’t know if their pumps are applying the correct amount of water for the crops. 

Our dealers offer a solution using a digital flow meter. They visit the farmers monthly, quarterly, or even yearly to update the farmer on a pump's performance. 

This all leads to offering better support to the end user and making sure that Valley equipment is always working at its most efficient. It also creates a win-win partnership for everyone and happy investors.

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Adrian Cliffe Territory Sales Manager for Egypt, Turkey, Oman, and UAE Adrian has been working for Valmont® Irrigation for more than 3 years. He is an agricultural engineer and has worked for the largest suppliers of machinery in Ireland. He enjoys designing and manufacturing farm machinery. Adrian was a member of the Middle East hurling team that won the international championship last year. He also plays soccer and likes going to the movies and relaxing at the pool.

Australia and New Zealand Dealers Share Ideas | by Martin Porter

Valmont Irrigation Australia entertained a few dealers on the Gold Coast in early June. It is the first time in many years that the dealers from Australia and New Zealand got together to swap ideas and meet those from different areas.

We talked about new products, competitive advantages, and dealer development, which we will be rolling out in the next few months. Guest speakers from Nelson Irrigation and Valley Finance shared information about their products as well.

After the hard work in the rooms of the Hilton on the Gold Coast, it was time to let our hair down at the Outback Spectacular. Unfortunately, not all the dealers that attended the training could join us due to meetings and Irrigation Conference commitments. The dealers that did go were impressed with the show put on that night, including a Tribute to Phar Lap, a great Australian race horse from back in Australia’s racing history.

The Irrigation Conference, June 4-5, had good attendance from the irrigation industry. At the Valley stand, we promoted Variable Rate Irrigation, GPS Guidance, BaseStation3™, and all our other products. There was much interest in BaseStation3 from dealers and farmers alike. We look forward to the roll out of this product over the next few months.

Martin Porter Territory Sales Manager, Valmont Irrigation Australia Martin has been involved with pumps since 1986 and irrigation since 1994. In 2003, he realized the future was efficiency in water movement and application, which led to his eventual position with Valmont. He has also worked in power generation, project management, total quality management, and real estate. In his spare time, Martin enjoys water sports, particularly sailing. He is a yachting instructor and trains up-and-coming Naval cadets.

Valley Values – Responsive | by Matt Ondrejko

In prior posts, I have discussed three of the five pillars of what we call “Valley_® Values.” Those three pillars; Reliable, Durable and Precise, are the backbone of what has made Valley the leader in precision irrigation and the best in the world. But today’s pillar – Responsive – is something that growers have come to associate with the Valley brand promise – something that comes with owning the world’s best irrigation equipment.

I could explain all the ways in which Valley equipment, our manufacturing process, and our technology are Responsive to evolving needs of growers and the demands of today’s changing world. Instead, I will focus on what truly sets us above the competition globally, our Valley dealer network.

Your Valley dealer is the one who is most Responsive to your needs, demands and urgent requests. Your Valley dealer is the one who can service a down pivot on a moment’s notice, or help you load your VRI prescription with ease and confidence. Your Valley dealer is the person beside you in the field during a drought or after a storm has caused damage, developing a plan to get your operation working as soon as possible. Your success is his success and vice versa.

We, at Valley, select and appoint our dealers with the utmost care and attention. They must be the best at what they do, they must be willing to do whatever it takes to keep you up and running, and they must bleed Valley blue! Valley dealers represent the true meaning of Responsive. We are as lucky as you to have a team of dealers that make us all successful!

The Valley dealer network = Responsive!

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Matt Ondrejko VP Global Marketing The one word that can sum up Matt is "enthusiasm!" He likes to be on-the-go and have fun along the way. Matt loves music and the 1980s era. He is a child of the MTV generation and has a deep appreciation of all music genres (specifically, he is a huge Dave Matthews Band groupie). Matt has traveled to more than 70 countries around the world and enjoys learning about different cultures and people. He spent three years living with his family in Leuven, Belgium, trying to enjoy as many of the 700+ beers they brew there.

Commitment to Excellence – Certified Irrigation Designer | by Jerry Gerdes

Valley Service School in Dubai,
United Arab Emirates

Well, the winter season is almost over. Valley_® sales people have been busy this winter attending trade shows and meeting growers from all across the country. It always impresses me to see large numbers of farmers at trade shows and seminars eager to learn about new products and new technologies that can improve their farming operations.


Valley dealer personnel have also been attending many Valley-sponsored events; sales meetings, design schools, and service schools, this winter to get the latest information on Valley products and how to apply those products to meet their customer’s needs.

Over the past several years, a number of Valley dealer salespeople have earned the status of Certified Irrigation Designer (CID) through the Irrigation Association’s Certification Program. This certification is earned by passing a series of three exams that cover design topics such as pumps, pipelines, crop water use, and sprinklers.

Becoming certified is a commitment to improving one’s knowledge of irrigation topics and the ability to provide the best service possible when designing a center pivot or linear machine for customers. 

World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA

All Valley dealers that have reached the status of Performance Premier Dealer have at least one salesperson on staff who has earned CID status.

In January 2014, I began serving on the Irrigation Association Certification Board. I look forward to the challenge of continuing the excellence of the certification programs. I am certified as a CID and I encourage anyone within the Irrigation industry that is not certified to give it a look. 

Click here for more information about the certification process.

Becoming certified is a great accomplishment and a great way to show your commitment to the irrigation industry.

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Jerry Gerdes Product Manager - Water Application Jerry, Nebraska-based Water Application Product Manager, contributes years of experience from his time working for a sprinkler manufacturer prior to joining Valley Irrigation. Currently working with different sprinkler manufacturers, Jerry develops the recommendations for the optimum water application package for a grower's operation.

Congrats to the Best of the Best | by Brooke Stover

One thing has become very clear to me in the course of my (almost) three years of employment at Valley Irrigation: Valley dealers are the heart and soul of our company. That’s why we hold them to the highest standards in the industry. 

I know we have the hardest working dealers in the industry. They’re always doing what they can to ensure their customers’ success. While attending trade shows and Valley events, I have talked with many of these dealers and those instances have been highlights of my employment.

At Valley, we reward dealers for their hard work and recognize them for excellence in various areas of their operation through our Dealer Performance Program, which awards based on accomplishments. The most prestigious level a Valley dealer can reach is that of a Premier dealer.

I want to give a shout out to the special group of dealers who earned their place in the Valley Premier dealer category:

• Central Valley Irrigation, Holdrege, NE
• Lad Irrigation of George, Quincy, WA
• Lad Irrigation of Moses Lake, Moses Lake, WA
• MAISCO, Middlebury, IN.
• Mid-Continent Irrigation, Fremont, NE
• Tennessee Tractor, Brownsville, TN
• Valmont Northwest, Pasco, WA

If you know someone at these dealerships, then make sure to congratulate them – they definitely deserve it!

Central Valley Irrigation

Lad Irrigation of  Moses Lake 

Lad Irrigation of George 

MAISCO

Valmont Northwest

Tennessee Tractor

Mid-Continent Irrigation

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Brooke Stover Global Marketing Coordinator Brooke has been with the Valley Irrigation Global Marketing department since 2011. She spends her free time taking pottery classes; though she thoroughly enjoys this, most of her stuff is a bit lopsided. Brooke also loves to read and listen to Frank Sinatra. She enjoys traveling and has been to 19 countries with the goal to make it to six more in the next two years!