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Big tractor sales are slipping

Sales of four-wheel-drive tractors are down this year.  The Association of Equipment Manufacturers says 333 four-wheel-drive tractors were sold in the U.S. in August, down 37 percent or 199 tractors from August of 2013.  Year-to-date four-wheel-drive sales are off 14 percent at 3,511 tractors.

Two-wheel-drive sales were up 3 percent in August and year-to-date.  However, the increases have been in sales of tractors under 100 horsepower.  Sales of 100-plus horsepower two-wheel-drive tractors were down 11 percent in August and are nearly 9 percent lower year-to-date.

Total farm tractor sales in the U.S. in August were 16,268 up nearly 2 percent from August of last year.  Year-to-date total tractor sales are 141,555 units up nearly 3 percent.  More than half of the total tractors sold are two-wheel-drives with less than 40 horsepower.

Self-propelled combine sales were down more than 28 percent in August and are 17 percent lower year-to-date.

Read the latest AEM report here: