ALL ABOUT TRACTORS BY PAUL WALLEM A recent summary analyzed machinery costs from the University of Illinois. It indicated a 3 percent increase for the period 2023-2025. Changes in overhead, fuel and labor entered into the equations. This compared to a 32 percent increase in the 2021-2023 period and is the smallest increase since 2016. Diesel fuel price declines helped, with $3.50 per gallon in 2023 versus $3 in 2025. Middle school FFA chapters continue to increase Middle School FFA chapters continue to grow in numbers throughout the country. Some are stand-alone chapters. Others are integrated with high school chapters. Some of the new programs provide STEM courses (science, technology, engineering and math). Others offer animal science. Tractor pulls – exciting, noisy, expensive Investment in a pulling tractor varies widely from a few thousand in a vintage tractor to over $100,000 in a competitive ProStock or Modified tractor. Tractors pull a sled that increases in weight as it moves down the track. When the tractor comes to a full stop, the distance pulled is measured. A ‘full pull” is considered to be 330 feet (100 meters, the standard length of a pulling track). The National Tractor Pulling Championship is held annually in Bowling Green, Ohio. Sobering statistics Land O’ Lakes CEO Beth Storm presented these comments recently: “There are 24,000 dairy farmers, 400,000 growers. It is estimated that these figures will decline to 21,000 and 300,000 in the near future. “The 2024 net farm income declined by $8.2 billion – a 5 percent decrease. This follows a 2023 decrease of 19.4 percent. Some estimate that under 5 percent of producers will be profitable this year. “There are more age 75+ farmers than under 35. “Patriotism is a big plus in rural America. They supply 44 percent of the military yet only represent 20 percent of the total population.” IH – THE BREAKUP This column commented in October about the 1985 merger of Case and IH, to form the new trademark Case IH. Questions never cease about the dissolution of IH. In my 2019 book THE BREAKUP, I described the opinions given by over 100 farmers, ranchers, dealers and company officials. A summary of those thoughts is shown below: Dividends paid to IH shareholders were higher than those paid out by competitors. For many years, IH dividends were double that paid by Deere. Efforts to enter the refrigeration market required huge capital expenditures and ended up in large losses. The same was true with the even longer and more expensive effort to become a major player in the construction industry. All these long-term expenditures required a considerable increase in borrowing. When the early ‘eighties’ brought high interest rates, a lengthy and expensive strike, and a grain embargo, borrowing power had been exhausted. The merger became necessary. Was Hart-Parr the first farm tractor? Between 1890 and 1920, an estimated 300 companies and individuals attempted to create a marketable farm tractor. Records from this period are not completely accurate, but it looks evident that Hart-Parr was the first. Two University of Wisconsin students, Charles Hart and Charles Parr, designed their first engine while students in 1897. In 1901, they built their first tractor and took it to the field in 1902. An improved version appeared in 1903, and 15 were built. That model was called the 18-30 and provided the pattern for the 19-30 built from 1903 to 1906. In later years, the first Hart-Parr sales manager made these comments: “Our first engines were purely threshing engines but could propel themselves and pull a separator around the country. But the real farm tractor was not to come until after many moons of trials had passed over the heads of the early designers.” It was often said that Mr. Williams had invented the word “tractor”. Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with corporate IH in domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to own and operate two IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP and SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS OF IH. See all his books on PaulWallem.com. Email comments to pwallem@aol.com |
