SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The months of October and November are synonymous with cancer awareness. There was a sea of pink for breast cancer awareness in October, and the growing amount of facial hair in November – dubbed "Movember" – is showing up in support of men’s health.
Antique tractor collectors and collector clubs have been painting their tractors pink, among other colors, to promote cancer awareness for years; now a few farm equipment manufacturers are supporting the fight against disease as well.
AGCO teamed up with one of its largest dealers in North America, Ziegler Ag Equipment, to build a full-size, 2015 Challenger MT865E track tractor that sports the pink-for-the-cause paint finish to increase awareness of breast cancer.
The specialty tractor is nicknamed Tenacity. Lucinda Smith, senior vice president of global business services at AGCO, said, "Through the tremendous support of Ziegler Ag Equipment and our dedicated employees, I am honored to be a part of AGCO’s effort to raise awareness and funds to find a cure for this prevalent disease."
The company recently offered employees at its Duluth, Ga., headquarters the opportunity to learn more about breast cancer and its impact on patients and their families. One of the guest speakers at the event was breast cancer patient and farmer Carol Seaman of Spencer, Iowa.
Net proceeds from the sales of the toy version of the 2015 model Challenger will be donated to Susan G. Komen chapters to fund its stated mission of education, support, research funding and advocacy. Limited-edition 1/32-scale Challenger track tractor models sporting a pink-for-the-cause paint finish, as well as other pink Challenger branded merchandise, are available at www.AGCOstore.com
TICO Manufacturing – a terminal tractor manufacturer – rolled out its Special Edition Breast Cancer Awareness Pro-Spotter terminal tractor on Oct. 17 at the company picnic. The Special Edition unit is a DOT/EPA certified 2016 Pro-Spotter that features the familiar TICO bumper but painted pink, as well as pink handrails, steps, grating, cab raise handle and special edition pink ribbon cab decals.
TICO General Manager Frank Tubbert commented, "We are so pleased and humbled to be able to produce something so special and unique in the industry. To join together as a company in support of breast cancer awareness … Our hope is that this special edition truck serves as a symbol of this company’s and our employees’ ongoing support for the fight against breast cancer, especially since it has affected many that are a part of the TICO family."
The truck is available to TICO’s North American distributor network for sale, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to a cancer organization of the customer’s choice, in the name of someone they know who has been affected by the disease. For more information, visit www.ticotractors.com
Not all of the cancer-fighting campaigns in agribusiness are tied to equipment manufacturers. One ag group, the MoDairy Council, created a campaign to fight for men’s health issues.
"Movember is here, and it’s time to shave for a cause," the MoDairy Council stated. "Support prostate cancer awareness by growing a mustache – starting now! If you can’t sport a ‘stache, you can support the cause by spreading the word or making a donation."
The Movember Foundation raises awareness of men’s health issues including prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health. "We need to continue to emphasize men’s health issues such as prostate cancer throughout our industry," said Amy Throndsen, with Advanced Comfort Technology/DCC Waterbeds, sponsor of the MoDairy campaign.
It wants "’stache growers" to post pictures of their mustache at www. facebook.com/MoDairy and, for every image posted, MoDairy will donate $5 to the Movember Foundation. The photo with the most likes at the end of Movember will net the winner their choice of a 20-by-20-inch Steel Cow print.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) lists the most common cancers in 2015 to be breast cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, bladder cancer, melanoma of the skin, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, thyroid cancer, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, endometrial cancer, leukemia and pancreatic cancer.
Lung, colon, prostate and breast cancers continue to be the most common causes of cancer death, accounting for almost half of the total among men and women.
The good news, though, is the death rate from cancer has declined in the past two decades. This may be in part because health organizations and agricultural groups are joining in the fight to increase cancer awareness.
To learn more about cancer, visit www. americancancersociety.org
