As Big Dutchman North America enters a new chapter, President Budd Bentley shares a clear commitment to customers and the industry: “I am honored to follow in the footsteps of Clovis Rayzel and honor the legacy of Big Dutchman. So many before me have worked hard to create something truly great, dedicated to serving our customers – farmers. After five and a half years in the industry with Prism Controls, I see four pillars in which we must excel: Engineering, Relationships, Order Fulfillment, and Customer Service. Our team is focused on building competence and excellence in all four complementary activities. We come to work every day proud and focused on the needs of our customers and stakeholders.”

In 2024, Big Dutchman adopted the guiding principle of “Taking action for future generations” to feed the world – an ethic grounded in innovation and teamwork across engineering, sales, logistics, installation, and service. This philosophy is now reflected in how they organize people and resources to optimize customer satisfaction. They listen closely to producers, solving real-world challenges, and delivering durable, high-performing systems with dependable support over the long haul.

Pillar 1: Engineering – Practical innovation that solves real farm problems

Mark Kennedy, recently appointed to lead engineering in North America, is sharpening Big Dutchman’s focus on speed-to-value. Working closely with the core design team in Vechta, Germany, Mark is implementing a Product Development Process (PDP) that adapts proven global designs to meet North American needs, thereby accelerating production and reducing the total cost of ownership. Drawing on deep experience from the U.S. automotive industry, he is prioritizing design improvements, rigorous field evaluations, and upgrades to aviary and floor systems to fit evolving welfare standards. This includes exploring solutions that bridge conventional cages – which still house a significant share of the U.S. flock – and advanced true aviaries offered by Big Dutchman, ensuring customers have practical options for their business goals.

Big Dutchman Natura Step true open aviary

Pillar 2: Relationships – Listening first, always partnering

Big Dutchman’s sales organization is built on trust and long-term partnership. Customer priorities guide their roadmap, and that feedback shapes the solutions that are brought to market. From initial planning through expansion and modernization, Big Dutchman’s teams collaborate closely with integrators, producers, and dealers to ensure systems align with performance targets, welfare outcomes, and ROI. Steve Walcott, Vice President of Sales, Egg Business Unit, underscores this approach: “Our commitment is simple: listen, align, deliver. We connect engineering with customer reality, mapping solutions to goals like flock health or labor efficiency. That’s how we build confidence and repeat success across barns and budgets.”

Steve Walcott VP, Sales meets with customers at regional and national meetings and on farms

Pillar 3: Order Fulfillment – The right parts, in the right sequence, on time

Scott Postma, Vice President overseeing supply chain, operations, logistics, and purchasing, has steered the organization through unprecedented volatility – port congestion, tariff fluctuations, and pandemic-era disruptions. His mandate is straightforward: “Take care of customers.” That means delivering equipment and materials to the correct location, on time, and in the sequence required for rapid, efficient installation. With stabilized service levels and renewed demand for installations, conversions, and upgrades, Scott’s team continues to refine the implementation of projects, enabling producers to stay on schedule and on budget.

Pillar 4: Customer Service – Here for you, anytime, anywhere

Big Dutchman is unique among equipment suppliers in its after-sales consultation and service. Aviary Systems Specialist Erika Prewitt supports customers with hands-on guidance for cage-free barns and aviaries, including stocking plans and best practices to manage flocks. Whether on-site or remote, Erika and the Big Dutchman team of field technicians ensure quality of installation, train crews, and conduct final inspections before handover. Systems start strong and keep performing. Her premise is simple and dependable: “We’re there for you anytime, anywhere.”

Complementing service with practicality, Customer Support leader Al Fox coordinates field technicians and manages spare parts for the long operational life of Big Dutchman systems. He emphasizes the importance of reputable, trained installers – because “bargain” contractors and their shortcuts often lead to higher costs later. When skilled labor is tight or travel is constrained, the Big Dutchman teams step up with remote support, suggested remedial procedures, and quality assurance to ensure completion and allow scheduled placement of flocks.

Customer satisfaction, end-to-end

From engineering rigor and consultative sales to reliable fulfillment and responsive service, Big Dutchman’s four pillars are incorporated into every project and all relationships. Team members work diligently to provide for future generations. Their goal is consistent: to optimize customer satisfaction through delivering solutions that work on the farm – from day one, over a long future.

Big Dutchman North America Headquarters, Holland, MI

This October edition of EGG-NEWS is sponsored by Big Dutchman North America and includes a review of services offered by the Company at a time of transition to a new president.

Unfortunately it was not possible to include reviews on the WASDE or on export data for the month due to the ongoing Federal shutdown. It is hoped that the Congressional impasse will be resolved and that our hardworking USDA employees will soon be able to return to work.

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On October 3^rd the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization released the Food Price Index for Commodities covering September 2025. The FAO recorded a 0.9 point decrease in the revised August 2025 Index to the most recent value of 128.8 points.

 Components of the Index included:-

• The Meat index was up 0.9 points from August to 127.8 points with escalation in prices for beef and mutton representing an all-time high. Prices for pork and chicken were stable during the month. The U.S. Beef supply is constrained by past droughts, intermittent closure of the border with Mexico following outbreaks of New-World Screwworm myiasis and the effect of tariffs on Brazil.
• The Cereal Index in September was down 0.6 points from August to 105.0 due to lower values for wheat, sorghum and rice that were in plentiful supply.
• The Vegetable Oil Index in September was down 1.2 points from August to 167.9 points, although near a three-year high. FAO recorded lower prices for soy and palm oils offset by increases in sunflower and canola oils. Generally there was a decreased world demand for vegetable oils both for human consumption and biodiesel.
• The Dairy Index was down for the third consecutive month by 2.6 points from August to 148.3 with increased availability

Given the fluid state of tariffs, U.S. exports of corn and soybeans will be constrained during the current and subsequent market year notwithstanding USDA projections.  Traditional importers of U.S. agricultural commodities will be evaluating competitive prices from Argentine and Brazil offering greater availability and lower landed costs compared to the U.S. This will be to the advantage of domestic poultry and hog producers.