Better Equipment Means Better Service

Nov 26, 2025


sprayer illustration
“Federated Co-ops continues to find new ways to service our customers safely and efficiently,” said John Swanson, Federated’s procurement manager. Here are some of the newest technologies being deployed on the co-ops’ sprayers and fertilizer spreaders.
 
ExactApply™ Pulse Width Modulation System
 
Going forward, all Federated sprayers will include the ExactApply feature. This system of sprayers makes it possible to rapidly control the variable rate of the flow through pulsing solenoid valves based on need. The ExactApply feature provides individual nozzle control.
 
  •  “One of the [notable] features is turn compensation,” said Swanson. While cornering with a sprayer, the nozzle on the inside moves slower than the nozzle on the outside. With turn compensation, all nozzles receive the correct rate of flow for the speed they are traveling.
  • The ExactApply system allows uniform coverage throughout the field, including during turns and speed changes. This helps prevent crop damage due to overapplication and weed control is improved due to less under application. 
 
This video demonstrates the nozzle control capabilities of the ExactApply feature.
 
New Leader G5 Spinner Box
 
Fertilizer application accuracy will move to a new level with the New Leader G5 Spinner Box, which features 16-section swath control technology. Swanson described its capabilities as follows:
“By shifting the spinner assembly fore/aft and left/right, as well as changing the conveyor speed, we can adjust the spread width. This helps us dramatically decrease our overlap.  There is also a boundary spreading feature that allows us to spread more accurate rates to the edge of the field without applying beyond the edge of the field.”
 
Ultimately, the G5 technology puts nutrients precisely where they are most needed.
 
New Leader NL720 Fertilizer Box
 
The NL720 fertilizer box also features the 16-section swath width control and boundary feature, but it is further enhanced with two different conveyors to feed the left and right spinners.
 
“This spreader allows us to spread [at widths] up to 120 feet, depending on the prill of [the fertilizer being spread],” said Swanson.It also [provides increased speed and efficiency, especially at higher rates.
 
With the addition of this technology to the Federated equipment fleet, “we will be able to spread more product with equal or better accuracy to meet the needs of our patrons,” he said.
 
Swanson, who has been working in agronomy for a good number of years, said, “These new technologies allow us to apply products with amazing accuracy that the 22-year-old me would have never dreamed possible -- and it keeps getting better.”
Talk to your Federated Agronomist to learn how these technologies can be used for your custom spreading and application services in 2026.
 

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