German farm equipment manufacturer Horsch, headquartered in the U.S., out of Mapleton, N.D., announced its new “Integration Farm” at the 2018 National Farm Machinery Show

The Horsch Integration Farm consists of a 160-acre farm and event center in Downs, Ill., (the former Becks’ facility) with a series of test plots showcasing proven global cropping techniques. According to literature distributed in Louisville, it will highlight different farming practices from a global perspective and relate how they are beneficial to North American farmers.

The test plots will prove tillage and planting concepts with Horsch equipment, will be an ongoing project in showcasing multiple crop rotations and will focus on the practical integration of cover crops.

Points of focus include:
Global Markets & Trends
Controlled Traffic Farming
Cover Crops
Crop Rotations

Crop rotations at the Horsch Integrated Farm include: wheat, sugar beets, corn, canola, barley, cover crops, soybeans and legumes. Events are scheduled for early March and mid-July. In late January, Beck’s announced that it was selling its Downs, Ill., facility to Horsch and was consolidating is Practical Research Farm to El Paso, Ill.