July tractor sales down 18 percent

Tractor sales were down 18 percent in July versus July 2008.
Tractor sales were down 18 percent in July versus July 2008.
Tractor sales continued to fall from year-ago sales in July, according to the latest agriculture equipment flash report from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

July's total sales of tractors were down 17.8 percent from July 2008 sales and year-to-date sales of tractors were 21.1 percent below year-to-date sales in July 2008. Most of the decline came in sales of two-wheel drive tractors under 100 horsepower, which fell 30 percent from July 2008 levels.

However, sales of two-wheel drive tractors over 100 HP bested July 2008 levels by 9 percent last month and were just 5 percent below the pace of sales year-to-date in 2008.

Four-wheel drive tractors gained on last July's sales, rising by 38 percent from July 2008 sales of 293 to 405 in July 2009. Year-to-date sales of four-wheel drive tractors are 10 percent ahead of last year’s pace.

In other equipment news, AEM said its AG CONNECT Expo in January 2010 gained support from the Precision Agriculture Institute, the 25x25 renewable energy alliance and the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.ADNFCR-2034-ID-19312505-ADNFCR