Rising sales of U.S. farm equipment has increased the demand for ag tires. A company that has been around in Europe for decades has decided to step into that market with a new plant in Charles City, Iowa. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Mitas CEO Jaroslav Cechura discussed the new entry at a grand opening ceremony for the $52 million plant.

Genetically engineered corn has provided a number of benefits to producers, including stronger stalks that stand up to higher winds. Those stalks have also led to increased complaints about more flats and damage to tires. Titan Tire manufacturing personnel discussed what their company is doing to address the issue during a company media briefing in Des Moines, Iowa. Titan’s Scott Sloan has been one of the leaders of that effort.

Southern farmers know there’s a lot of truth to the adage “if you don’t like the weather here today, just wait awhile.” The only thing certain about weather in the rain belt is the uncertainty. Monsanto’s Davey Wilson talked about a new product that could help farmers offset some of the problems brought by adverse planting conditions.

Higher corn and soybean prices have created increased demand for agricultural equipment and that demand is backing up all the way through the supply chain. One area where that has been felt is the agricultural tire sector where companies have been challenged to fill orders. Titan Tire’s Jim Allen discussed the situation in this interview at a Titan media briefing in Des Moines, Iowa.