Ag Tires to Increase Productivity and Lower Costs
Farming and agriculture can be a tough businesses, and going from highs to lows can happen in a flash. No one knows this better than the American dairy farmers who watched 2015 dairy prices plummet in the wake of record-high prices in 2014.
With the allure of high prices and huge profits in 2014, many U.S. dairy farmers added more cows and increased production, while domestic dairy consumption remained steady and world demand tanked, leading to a global oversupply. In the past, much of the U.S. oversupply would have been exported; however, the strength of the dollar compared to foreign currencies and furious competition among growing export suppliers in Oceania and Europe has slowed American exports. With low prices and low demand, it could be a while before milk prices rise again in the United States.
The good news is that these high and low periods tend to be cyclical, and most dairy farmers have weathered them before. Any successful farmer will tell you the key to surviving these downturns is to put some money away when times are good, and always make every penny you spend count. While this most likely won’t be the year you invest in new machinery, you’ll probably need to replace tires on your equipment at some point, and this is where we can help.
We can help farmers get the most for their money by delivering tires that increase productivity and efficiency while reducing fuel consumption and delivering one of the lowest total costs of ownership (TCO) in the industry. For instance, by simply switching from bias tires to radial tires you can have an enormous positive impact on your costs, including:
- Increasing fuel efficiency by as much as 16%
- Improving tractor productivity by 13%
- Boosting drawbar pull by reducing wheel slippage up to 26%
- Increased tread life
Not to mention the savings you can reap with our class-leading IF/VF options, which carry higher load at the same inflation pressure, or allow you to manage the same load at reduced pressure, minimizing soil compaction in your fields.
The best part is that these incremental savings add up quickly and go straight to your bottom line. While we might not be able to control market volatility, we can help farmers weather the storm, and put a little extra money in the their pockets—no matter whether the market is high or low.
