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AEM: Technology helping drive equipment sales

An ag equipment specialist says precision ag technology is changing the game when it comes to efficiency and productivity for farmers.

Curt Blades with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers says new technology has helped drive demand behind an increase in some tractor and combine sales. “The farmer can quickly see when the tractor can drive itself in a straight row that the intangibles are very obvious. You take a lot of pride in your work and you want those rows to be straight, but then it doesn’t take very long for you to recognize that those straight rows means that we’re not doing as much overlapping. As a result, we’re saving fuel.”

He tells Brownfield, “When you add to that the ability to be precise about the number of seeds in the ground or where the crop protection goes in, then we begin to look at maybe some reductions in the input price.”

Blades says investing in newer combines can pay off in the long run. “Combines are more efficient, a little bit smarter and allow farmers to really maximize the operation by taking advantage of that technology.”

AEM data shows U.S. combine sales are up more than 25% from last year.