AEM Releases May 2020 Ag Equipment Sales Numbers

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, overall unit sales of agricultural tractors and combines rose across the U.S. in May. According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers smaller machine sales growth is overpowering declines in the bigger segments and combines. U.S. total farm tractor sales rose 15.1% in May compared to 2019, while U.S. May combine sales fell 2.9%. Heavy-duty tractor sales declined, but total year to date sales of all farm tractors now show positive at 4% growth for 2020, while combines remain down 9.5% in the same period.

AEM’s Curt Blades said the growth, largely from sub-100 horsepower tractors, “appears to be an unusual side-effect of COVID-19-related quarantines.”

Blades added large home property owners and hobby farmers are spending more time at home, and with their equipment, and desiring an upgrade. Blades says the declines in row-crop tractors and harvesters “is clearly a reflection of uncertainty in the overall Ag economy at this time.”

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