The agricultural sector in Germany continues to face growing pressure from rising input costs, tighter operational windows, and increasing expectations for precision in fieldwork. For contractors in particular, efficiency and reliability are no longer optional, they are essential to maintaining competitiveness. Against this backdrop, many agricultural service providers are evaluating how guidance systems can support their daily operations not only on new machines, but also across mixed and older fleets. One of these companies is M.&A. Hagn Agrar GmbH, a German agricultural contracting and machinery business that combines field operations with agricultural machinery sales. Their experience provides a practical perspective on how precision guidance technology is applied in real-world contracting work.
A contracting business built on field experience
M.&A. Hagn Agrar GmbH operates primarily as an agricultural contracting company, while also being active in agricultural machinery trading. As Maximilian Hagn explains: “Hello, my name is Maximilian Hagn from M.&A. Hagn Agrar GmbH. We are primarily an agricultural contracting business, but we also operate an agricultural machinery dealership.” The company’s operational focus is strongly rooted in fieldwork, particularly slurry application and full-field management services.“We mainly carry out slurry spreading for other farmers, as well as everything related to field cultivation. We do complete field management for everything.”This combination of contracting and machinery expertise gives the team direct exposure to both machine performance and practical field requirements, which plays an important role in their evaluation of precision farming technologies.
Why FJD became part of their portfolio
Like many contractors, M.&A. Hagn Agrar GmbH has worked with different autosteering systems over time before deciding to partner with FJDynamics.As Maximilian notes, “We have been FJD partners since last autumn. We have had countless experiences with other systems. Whether directly from tractor manufacturers such as Fendt, or systems from Claas or Trimble.” This broad experience with factory-installed and aftermarket solutions provided the basis for comparison when selecting a system for their own use and customers. The decision to work with FJD was largely driven by practical considerations: “And then we came to the FJD system simply because it is a cost-effective system.”A key aspect of their business is retrofitting machines that are not factory-prepared for guidance systems: “We install this on tractors that are not pre-equipped.”
Performance in daily operation
Beyond the purchase decision, the most important question for any contractor is how the system performs in real field conditions. According to Maximilian, the system meets expectations in practical use: “In terms of functions, it is in no way inferior to the original solution. It really works very well.”He summarizes his overall assessment clearly: “I can truly recommend it to everyone.”
Ease of use across operators
In contracting businesses, equipment is often used by multiple operators with different levels of experience. Ease of use therefore, plays a critical role. On this point, the feedback is straightforward: “It is simply designed and immediately understandable for everyone.” This includes operators who may not have previous experience with steering systems: “Even older drivers who have not worked with steering systems before can work well with it.”
Installation and machine compatibility
Another important factor for contractors is installation flexibility across different machine types. Maximilian describes the system as a flexible retrofit solution: “It is simply a solution that is easy and quick to install.”Depending on the machine, different installation methods are used. “That means either steering wheel systems for non-prepared machines, or hydraulic valves that can be retrofitted. Or for pre-equipped machines like the AS2 here.”For ISOBUS-prepared tractors, installation is particularly straightforward: “You simply connect it to the tractor, to the ISOBUS wiring harness. Power on, and then it runs, and then you can drive.”
Cooperation and technical support
For M.&A. Hagn Agrar GmbH, the relationship with the manufacturer is also an important part of daily operations. Overall, cooperation is described positively: “We are very, very satisfied. The cooperation with the manufacturer is very good.”A key advantage is responsiveness in technical communication, where feedback is fast and reliable: “You get quick feedback. You send a message, and within a few minutes you have an answer.”From their experience, most technical challenges have been resolved through this support structure: “Until now, we have found a solution for almost every problem.”
Practical technology for real farm operations
For M.&A. Hagn Agrar GmbH, the value of a guidance system is not defined by specifications alone, but by how well it integrates into daily contracting work across different machines, operators, and field conditions. Their experience highlights practical factors such as cost efficiency, ease of use, and installation flexibility as key reasons for adoption. As Maximilian summarizes: “I can truly recommend it to everyone.”
