The Russo family partnership from the prime sugar-growing Childers district has successfully bedded-in two of its most powerful tractors to date. Joe and his three other brothers, John, Peter and Anthony, farm in excess of 800ha just south of Bundaberg.
Last season their powerful new MF 7400 was put through its paces for the first time, tempting them to purchase another of the 170hp work horses in time for this year’s cane season.

Interestingly, both tractors will earn their keep not only on the partnership’s core sugar-growing enterprises but also in the paddocks sporting new crop ventures which are part of a diversification programme.
“We had to look at alternative crops because of the fluctuations in sugar prices,” Joe Russo said.
“We’ve now ventured into peanuts in a fairly big way, plus we are also growing soybeans and, more recently, have had a shot at growing canola, even sunflowers.
“Basically, we’re looking at ways to value add and fully realise the land’s potential,” he added.
All this translates into a diversification programme that now sees about 20 percent of the enterprise devoted to growing alternative crops – up from 10 percent a few years ago.

The Russo farming partnership has a long allegiance to Massey Ferguson tractors, acknowledging a resurgence of interest in the famous brand with the unveiling of the new 7400 series.
“We were one of the first to get the new series,” Joe Russo said.
“Now, there are at least three others in the district, so they are getting a good name for themselves,” he added.
There’s no doubt that bottom-line considerations are affecting machinery purchases these days, something the Russo family concurs with.
They say recent fuel and fertiliser price rises have been quite alarming.
While the partnership traditionally has purchased smaller horsepower MF tractors, the decision to switch to more powerful models looks to have been justified.

“I must say the new series MF 7400s are quite astounding when cane hauling,” Joe Russo said.
 “That’s one of the hardest jobs for any tractor because you are constantly throttling up and down, plus the weight of the bin is always pushing the tractor’s transmission to its limits,” he added.
In fact the 7400’s leading edge Dyna-VT CVT transmission also was singled out for special mention by the Russo partnership.
They say Agco’s European-sourced tractors have always had an enviable reputation for their transmissions which, linked with an equally formidable front suspension system, make up some of their strongest selling points.
But the cane haul-out drivers constantly single out their user-friendly nature – especially when combined with simplicity of operation.

Each haul out trailer carries up to 14 tonne of cane, requiring air brakes to ensure the driver remains in control – be it in the paddock, or on the road. And once the 7400s are on the bitumen, they can safely reach speeds of 50kph, thereby minimising time spent making two to three kilometre road journeys.
Talk then turns to the all-important fuel efficiency yardstick of success.
“It’s another stand-out feature, quite noticeable, in fact,” Joe Russo said.
“Although our previous tractors had the same size fuel tanks, the reality is we now fuel-up every second day and not at the end of each 12 to 14 hour stint which was the case previously.”

Completing the stand-out points are the cabs which are equipped, as expected, with air conditioning, tinted glass and quality radios and cassettes.
These are important attributes for tractors that spend long hours in the paddock at the height of the season. Add in “terrific visibility,” easy access and ergonomically-designed instrumentation to further enhance their driver-appeal.
Interestingly, the Russo family notes there is now no need for external hydraulic pumps to operate the side-tipping compartments on the property’s haul-out bins with “enough oil coming out of the remotes” to rise, unaided, to the task.

The partnership usually operates its tractors for between 1,200 to 1,300 hours a year but this is likely to rise – in line with their crop diversification programme.
And the new 7400s have proved themselves “very handy” with their alternative cropping programmes.
Previously, they might have sat in the shed for six months or so after the cane season but by modifying the bins the Russo’s can now put them to greater use pulling 12t loads of peanuts and soyabeans.
On maintenance, the partnership says “there is nothing to be concerned about” with only the odd oil change required to date.
And on the importance of a good dealer, the partnership agreed that feature alone was “worth everything,” as far as peace of mind was concerned.
“There’s always a distributor around wanting to sell you something but it’s after you’ve bought the tractor that a good dealer really stands up,” Joe Russo said.
Step forward Mike McNamara of Burnett Land & Machinery which has shepherded the new 7400s into the busy work routines of the Russo farming partnership.

Now, with the confidence associated with new MF 7400s building by the day, the Childers-based partnership’s expectations for a successful season ahead are largely dependent on the weather.
Last year their water allocation dipped to 47 percent, thereby restricting the growth potential of their cane crops.
This season it only has three percent allocation so is banking on some good spring and summer rains.