HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Late last month, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun officially proclaimed July 31, as Antique Tractor Preservation Day, joining Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Illinois in recognizing the importance of preserving America’s agricultural heritage.

The proclamation honors generations of Hoosier farmers whose dedication, innovation and hard work helped established Indiana as one of the nation’s leading agricultural states. It also recognizes antique tractors and historic farm equipment as enduring symbols of the ingenuity, perseverance and values that continue to define rural communities and American agriculture.

This national initiative was founded by Michael Hinton, a small farm producer who grew up in the middle of a Kansas wheat field. Hinton has dedicated more than 17 years to preserving and promoting America’s agricultural heritage, becoming one of the nation’s foremost advocates for antique tractors and those in rural America. Some refer to him as “America’s Antique Tractor Ambassador.”  Hinton says he owes it all to a small, 1949 Farmall Cub tractor.

“This all began in 2008,” Hinton said. “My wife and I bought a house on 2.5 acres in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. Our house was on a hill and we had more rocks than grass.”

Wanting to fit in with his neighbors, he purchased a 1949 Farmall Cub Tractor with a bell-mount mower.

“I just wanted a small tractor and my father-in-law loves and works on Farmalls, so when he came by it would give us something to do,” Hinton said. “He had a collection of about 18 Farmall tractors in all different stages of restoration. That kinda got me going.

“That Farmall never mowed a single blade of grass. It ran well and was in perfect condition, but I just couldn’t see getting it dirty. That started my love and collection for old tractors. I then wanted something bigger, so I reached out to a farm family in Iowa who had a 1946 Farmall H tractor and purchased that. Now I had two.”

Six months later he wanted a bigger tractor so he purchased a 1960 International 340 tractor.

“After obtaining a third tractor, my goal was to build a barn, build a museum on our property and start a heritage,” he said, “so I created a website for the reason of reaching out for parts for these tractors. I then put photos on the website.”

That site caught the eyes of the tourism folk in West Plains, Mo., who reached out asking Hinton about creating a tractor show in that city for the purpose of bringing people into the town. He obliged and became the initial director of this show. This effort attracted many tractor clubs to West Plains.

“And this all started with a little Farmall Cub tractor,” Hinton laughed.

Hinton had a vision to grow this momentum even bigger, with the goal of raising awareness statewide about the impact tractors have made on the American farm.

His goal was to coin “Antique Tractor Preservation Day” – it got launched with the help of Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, who proclaimed the day in 2013. He also received a Congressional Record Mention for his efforts for antique tractor preservation and received a U.S. Postal Service tractor pictorial postmark in the form of a first day cover.

Hinton started a letter campaign. In 2024, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelley officially designated the day and the U.S. Postal Service once again issued a special commemorative postmark in support of preservation of antique tractors. By 2025, Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall gave him two more Congressional Record Mentions, as did U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann.

Last winter, the Illinois House of Representatives officially recognized National Antique Tractor Preservation Day. Earlier this year, Nebraska officially recognized the observance, further solidifying its national significance.

“I know we can put on shows year after year, but it was my goal to do something on a national level because there are hundreds of tractor clubs across the United States,” Hinton said. “My goal is to carry National Antique Tractor Preservation Day across the entire nation, and I’ve already reached out to other states. I have letters out to those in Iowa and Texas. I’m building this on a national level. It’s been a blessing and it’s been growing for the past 17 years.”

Hinton was among those who attended the Greater American Ag Celebration in Washington, D.C.,  in March and there he and his wife, Tonya, met President Donald Trump, who sent him a signed letter acknowledging his National Antique Tractor Preservation efforts. The high-profile event recognized the essential role of agriculture in the U.S., celebrating farmers, ranchers and producers who sustain the nation’s food, fiber and rural communities.

In 2024, Hinton launched TalkingTractors.com, an online platform celebrating the history of rural life and agricultural innovation.

“Tractors have a story to tell,” Hinton said. “I’m finding others are restoring their family’s farm tractors, keeping stories and tales about the family history alive. Preserving and showcasing the tractors, implements and machinery that helped feed and build American provides a meaningful way to honor the nation’s agricultural legacy.”