ALL ABOUT TRACTORS BY PAUL WALLEM In 1948, Elmo Meiners and Arthur Warsaw saw a demand among Farmall owners for greater speed and horsepower. They formed M&W Gear Co. to meet that demand. Over the years, the company created 21 attachments for Farmalls, and Meiners later developed the M&W dynamometer. Meiners originated tractor-pulling contests in 1955 and served as the first president of the tractor-pulling association. Now, 78 years later, Bill Burnham, of Morris, Ill., keeps the M&W story alive through his collection of red Farmalls with M&W attachments. Burnham’s recent M&W gear show displayed his entire collection, including tractors with extraordinary paint jobs. The event drew a large, well-deserved crowd. CASE IH announces Optum tractors Three new models are expected to be available by December: the Optum 360, 390 and 440. They will offer a 37-mph road speed, a tighter turning radius for row-crop work, and independent front-axle suspension for a smoother ride. An updated 8.7-liter Cursor 9 engine will idle at lower speeds for better fuel economy when not working. A central tire-inflation system can be controlled from the cab or automatically based on tractor speed. Use cell phones cautiously during harvest During harvest, more cell phone calls may come in while you are in the cab, leaving less time to check who is calling. Scam calls are increasing. Take the time to check the source of a call or send it to voicemail and review the message later. Billions of dollars are lost annually to scam calls. Protect yourself by not responding too quickly. Kubota news release Kubota Tractor Corporation has announced the official launch of WorkSmart Autosteer, a precision-guidance system built for compact and utility equipment. It extends technology traditionally used on Kubota’s larger agricultural tractors to more machines across its equipment lineup. The system works like an autopilot: it holds the line while the operator remains in command. WorkSmart Autosteer is engineered for the specific model on which it is installed. The unit may be sold, installed, serviced and warranted through a single dealer relationship. USDA equipment market comments Average annual machinery purchases declined to $134 per acre in 2025, down from a high of $239 in 2023. Machinery repair expenses have increased along with machinery values and capital purchases. Between 2021 and 2023, prices of agricultural equipment increased by 20 percent. Those costs have continued to rise since then, though less sharply. USDA machinery price data showed an increase of about 2 percent from June 2025 to June 2026. During that same period, inflation rose 4 percent. Total fuel expenses for 2025 were estimated at $15.6 billion, accounting for 64.1 percent. Diesel expenditures were up 1 percent from the previous year. The growing use of drones in ranch country Dennis Bowman, a University of Illinois digital agriculture specialist, recently reported on rangeland drone applications. Drones are used extensively to locate cattle, monitor grazing distribution, and assist with roundups where horseback riders or vehicles have limited access. Regarding Corn Belt use, he described the need to thoroughly calibrate and test spray deposition, spray patterns and effective swath width. Operators also need to be aware of how flight speed, wind, and operating height influence where the spray ends up. To order my new book, “Passing the Torch,” visit www.BantryBayBooks.com/passingthetorch, or send a check for $19.95 to Paul Wallem, 3312 Andover Drive, Rockford, IL 61114. Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with IH in domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to open and operate two IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP of IH and SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS of IH. Email your comments to pwallem9@gmail.com. |
