AGCO Corporation announces the opening of nominations for AGCO’s 10th annual Operator of the Year program, which recognizes the hardworking men and women who work as applicators across the country. These professionals spend untold hours in the field every season, using technologically advanced application machinery to apply fertilizer and crop protection products on millions of crop acres, helping farmers achieve their best possible yield. This year’s winner will receive a grand prize of a brand new Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
“Over the past nine years of the program, we have enjoyed getting to know the top application professionals and look forward to meeting even more of them this year,” said Conor Bergin, tactical marketing manager of AGCO Application Equipment. “We realize how hard their job is and that they play an essential role in helping farmers provide food, fiber and fuel to the world. In honor of these unsung heroes of agriculture, we have created an original song this year, ‘Watch Him Go,’ that celebrates these professionals’ diligence and hard work.”
The program is open to all ag retailers and custom applicators in the U.S., regardless of the machine brands in their application fleets. A panel of judges from AGCO will evaluate nominees based on their performance both on and off the field, including criteria such as skill, dedication, and customer service and community involvement.
“Previous winners have been praised by their managers and customers for their application expertise, knowledge of their customers’ operations, and willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish the job,” said Bergin. “Even though these custom applicators have very demanding schedules, they treat every field like it’s their own, and many also play active roles in their communities.”
Ag retailers can submit nominations for the 10th annual Operator of the Year at this website before Saturday, Oct. 31. The list of nominees will be narrowed to four finalists, who will be invited as AGCO’s guests at the 2015 Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Conference & Expo Dec. 1-3 in Palm Desert, Calif. At the conference, the Operator of the Year winner will be announced and presented with the grand prize of a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The retailer who nominates the winner will receive 100 hours of free use of their choice of an AGCO TerraGator self-propelled high-floatation applicator or RoGator self-propelled sprayer. In addition, all of the nominees will receive a certificate from AGCO recognizing their nomination for this prestigious award.