NEW ORLEANS, La. (Dec. 4, 2019) — AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO), a worldwide distributor and manufacturer of agricultural equipment, names Mose Middleton of Nutrien Ag Solutions in Rochester, Indiana, the 2019 Operator of the Year. The award recognizes professional operators for their hard work and commitment to their customers and their local communities. This is the 14th year for the industry award sponsored by AGCO.
 
Middleton, a professional applicator for more than 30 years, applies on 33,000 acres per year. He credits the people he meets as one of the best parts of the job. “I like to stop and talk to the farmers when I am applying,” Middleton says. 
 
“The farmers I meet are good people and just like me. I want them to succeed, which helps me be successful as well,” Middleton says. “I love to see that what I’ve done makes a difference at the end of day. I enjoy my job and meeting all the people is the most rewarding thing about it.” He believes if you do your job to the best of your ability and are honest with people, the rest takes care of itself. 
 
“Mose is a great example for our new applicators,” says Curt Kline, Nutrien sales manager, who nominated Middleton for the award. “He is the first one to arrive and the last one to leave during the busy season. This sets the expectation for our younger applicators, many of whom Mose has trained.”
 
Middleton credits machinery with helping him be one of the best at his job. Advances in technology, from covered cabs to precision application, help Middleton ensure he is applying products exactly where they need to be. “I have children and grandchildren, so being responsible with products is important to me,” Middleton explains. “Looking to the future, I would want someone to be precise when they apply, so I make sure I am precise. Today’s equipment makes that much easier than in the past.” 
 
A sports enthusiast, Middleton has coached many local school and Little League teams. He also helps at the State Hospital, playing sports with the patients. His willingness to volunteer and his passion for life has made Middleton well known in the Rochester community.
 
Middleton was presented with his title and grand prize, a new Harley-Davidson® motorcycle, December 4 during the 2019 Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Conference & Expo in New Orleans, Louisiana.
 
“As in previous years, the candidate field for this year’s award was outstanding,” says David Webster, director of Application Marketing North America, AGCO. “With 80 nominations, including several from Canada, narrowing the field to three finalists was a tough yet rewarding job. After meeting Mose, we knew we had found a great applicator and advocate for our industry. We hope he enjoys his new Harley Davidson, and we look forward to working with him in the coming year to share his insights and knowledge with others.” 
 
Professional applicators spend long hours in the field every year. Technically advanced application equipment, such as the RoGator® or TerraGator®, ensures efficient and precision application of crop protection products on millions of farm acres, helping farms achieve their maximum yield. 
 
The Operator of the Year program is open to all ag retailers and custom applicators in North America, regardless of the equipment brands used in their application fleets.* A panel of judges from AGCO evaluates nominees based on their performance both in the field and in the community, focusing on these three areas: 
  • Service, quality and consistency over time in application
  • Organizational and customer impact – teamwork, mentoring, training and leadership
  • Service to the local community
 
For more information about Operator of the Year or application equipment from AGCO, visit ApplyLikeAPro.com.
 
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TerraGator and RoGator are registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Harley-Davidson is a registered trademark of H-D U.S.A., LLC. H-D U.S.A. is not a participating partner in or sponsor of this contest.

*Open to North American retailers that provide agricultural input application services.

About AGCO

AGCO (NYSE:AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural solutions and delivers high-tech solutions for farmers feeding the world through its full line of equipment and related services. AGCO products are sold through five core brands, Challenger®, Fendt®, GSI®, Massey Ferguson® and Valtra®, supported by Fuse® smart farming solutions. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA, AGCO had net sales of $9.4 billion in 2018. For more information, visit http://www.AGCOcorp.com. For company news, information and events, please follow us on Twitter: @AGCOCorp. For financial news on Twitter, please follow the hashtag #AGCOIR.