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Small Utility Tractors Attract Interest at Cedar Falls, Iowa, Farm Show

Posted on: Monday, 6 March 2006, 12:01 CST

By Matthew Wilde, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa

Mar. 2--CEDAR FALLS -- More people climbed aboard small utility tractors than their super-sized brothers at the Hawkeye Farm Show on Wednesday, backing up claims of booming sales.

Northeast Iowa equipment dealers say it's tough keeping small tractors -- both new and used -- on the lot. Iowa farms are getting bigger, but so are the number of hobby farmers and acreage owners that don't need 200 horsepower tractors to plant a few acres of corn or clear snow.

Tractors in the 16 to 70 horsepower range accomplish those tasks easily and economically.

Allen "Sook" Seehusen, a salesman with Phelps Implement in Grundy Center, said small tractor sales have climbed at least 60 percent within the past three years. The John Deere dealer brought three pint-sized tractors, along with several attachments, to display at the UNI-Dome through Friday, hoping to drum up even more business.

"We probably sell 10 to 12 a year, and if I had 15 used ones I would sell all those too. That's the first thing acreage people ask for," Seehusen said. "They take a $5,000 bite first, then upgrade."

Dealers say the most popular size of tractor are 20- to 40-horsepower models. Prices for these tractors range from $12,000 for stripped down implements without a cab to about $30,000 with all of the bells and whistles and a couple of attachments. For tractors three or four times more powerful, prices go up accordingly.

Hobby farmers and acreage owners can't justify spending big bucks for equipment geared toward heavy field work. That's why utility tractors are so popular. As the name implies, an owner can accomplish many tasks from mowing lawn and moving dirt or snow with a blade, to light field work or cleaning manure from a cattle lot with a bucket attachment.

Marlyn Jerke of rural Cedar Falls is in this category. The retired machine design consultant grows 60 acres of corn and soybeans for fun.

"I enjoy being out there working the soil. It keeps me active," Jerke said.

He spent the show's opening day window shopping for a new tractor. While he would like a 100-plus horsepower machine to do some deep tillage, he just can't justify spending that kind of money, especially for a new one.

So, his 1850 Oliver built in the 1960s will have to do. He also owns a six-year-old, 32-horsepower Ford with a loader, mower and blade.

After climbing in a new 3520 John Deere -- complete with a cab, heating, air conditioning, radio, defrost and other creature comforts -- his wish list grew.

"I'm to the point I don't like to be sitting out in the cold or in the summer heat. Something like this is nice," Jerke said.

Dealers said equipment manufacturers took advantage of the changing rural landscape. Instead of a few companies making small tractors like 10 years ago, Seehusen said there's close to 30. Brands like Branson, the re-emergence of McCormick and Kubota -- all relatively new compared to John Deere and AGCO -- have displays at the show.

Manufacturers also are designing small tractors for hobby farmers and providing more creature comforts than in the past, like cabs, transmissions that don't require constant shifting and front-wheel assist.

Bobcat of Waterloo sells Japanese-made Kubota tractors. Salesman Tom Klaren said sales have increased every year since the business opened five years ago, though exact figures weren't available.

On Thursday, he talked to a lot of farmers looking for small tractors to haul wagons or run augers and retired farmers, who sold larger machinery but need a machine to keep up the acreage.

"People want the creature comforts and user-friendly (tractors)," Klaren said. "There are more people moving to rural areas wanting a piece of Americana."

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Copyright (c) 2006, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Iowa

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Source: Waterloo Courier

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