A confluence of factors — from rising ag commodity exports to China, to lower crop production estimates and increasing demand for meat — are converging to paint a more optimistic picture for ag equipment sales than the industry has seen in recent years.
The ultimate impact of spring floods throughout much of the Midwest and Corn Belt won’t be known until at least harvest time. As a result it’s difficult to assess how it will affect farm equipment sales, but so far, it’s giving a boost to corn prices. One thing known, for sure, is the impact of the flooding is still being felt in many areas.
The ag equipment industry has been looking for any bit of good news it can find lately and it seems that June and July’s poor growing weather may have provided just that — at least temporarily.
According to the association, while corn acres are at their second-highest level since 1944, total principal planted crop acreage is only 1% above 2010 and slightly lower than 2009 levels.
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There was plenty of technology on display at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis., a few weeks ago. Farm Equipment editor Mike Lessiter caught up with Monarch Tractor’s John Issacson and got his take on the top 5 applications in autonomy right now.