You might think that because it’s used farm equipment, there wouldn’t be any pre-owned farm equipment news and trends. That’s not the case. Because farmers are used to recycling and reusing machinery, there is always something new to report about used agriculture equipment. As economic times get difficult, the need for news about ways to stretch farming budgets with used agricultural equipment only increases.

As hobby farming becomes more popular, more small farmers are looking at used farm equipment for sale to use on their properties. These smaller pieces that hobby farmers need on their smaller acreages tend to be the pieces no longer needed by regular farmers.

Regardless of the size of the farming operation, there are a number of trends that seem to affect all used farm equipment. These trends include:

1. Continuing usage of machinery for longer periods of time.

2. The growing markets for pre-owned farm equipment online.

3. Increasing demand for specialty tractors and equipment.

Action Steps
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Make use of an annual pricing guide to check pre-owned farm equipment news and trends

If you are in the market for a particular piece of farm machinery, this is an excellent way to find out used farm machinery prices. You can know what the typical price of a piece of used farm equipment before you talk with your local dealer or go to an auction to purchase it.

I recommend: AgDeal.com provides an annual listing of new and used farm equipment that you can use to track new and used farm equipment prices. IRON Solutions offers both online and catalog format information about prices for used tractors and refurbished farm equipment. You can try the online version free for 30 days.

Track pre-owned farm equipment news and trends in newsletters

Whether the newsletter publisher is an equipment company or a private individual, you can find out a lot about what's happening in the world of used farm equipment. As more farmers look for conservation tillage methods or switch to organic farming practices, tips for using existing pieces of farm equipment to good advantage with these practices are going to continue to be popular.

I recommend: TractorHouse.com offers a subscription service to keep you informed of the latest postings of used agriculture equipment. As you follow the newsletter, you can detect trends in the used farm machinery industry. WebFarmer.com has a newsletter to keep you posted on used farm machinery for sale. Its newsletter can also help you track news and trends in the used farm equipment industry.

Follow niche market trends for used farm tractors

Some old tractors never die. They wind up in antique tractor shows. This is a growing niche market. There is a continuing demand for used farm tractors as well as their parts.

I recommend: A subscription to the Ageless Iron Almanac can give you pre-owned farm equipment news and trends as they pertain to used agricultural equipment, as well as true antiques. Fastrac Antique Tractor World is a blog devoted to information about restoration of used farm tractors.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Pre-owned farm equipment, especially used farm tractors, tends to hold its value because it often has very few hours of use. This is similar to a low mileage car. In a situation where lending money is tight, the demand for these used farm implements often increases dramatically.

Experienced agricultural supply dealers know farm equipment is a crucial commodity in farm communities throughout the country. Used farm machinery dealers work hard to keep inventory high and prices low for the farmers they service.

Finding used agriculture equipment means working with the right dealers or individuals with farm equipment for sale. The nation’s biggest cash crops require special equipment. Pre-owned farm equipment dealers know just what their customers need for any type of agricultural land use.

Pre-owned agriculture equipment dealers keep farmers working through their growing seasons with high quality service and repair options on both lease and purchase equipment. Using the right agricultural dealers means less field days lost due to equipment failure. Pre owned farm equipment dealerships will:

1. Keep the best equipment available at the best price.

2. Operate a high quality service department for used farm equipment.

3. Keep farmers updated on the newest products and services.

4. Offer both new and used farm equipment.

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Find dealers of used farm tractors that specialize in a variety of pre-owned farming equipment

Farmers need more than just tractors. They need equipment designed to make all aspects of farming efficient and cost effective. Farmers need used farm equipment dealerships that meet all their equipment needs.

I recommend: ELS Equipment Locator Service and US Farmer help connect farmers with both equipment and dealerships in their area.

Work with used agricultural equipment dealers that provide both on site and garage service on all eq

Most farm equipment is big! Farmers need equipment dealers that really deliver in the area of service. One tractor out of commission means field days lost, so it's important to work with a company where great service is the top priority.

I recommend: Tractor Portal and Used Farm Equipment.net connect farmer with pre-owned equipment dealers offering the best in parts and on-site service to farmers.

Develop a relationship with farm equipment dealers that offer the best used tractor prices

Not only is farm equipment big, it's expensive! Getting quality, used equipment with good service saves farmers time and money.

I recommend: John Deere and Case are well respected brands in the farming industry. Visit their websites to learn more about their pre-owned product lines.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Buy refurbished farm equipment from implement dealers instead of from individuals whenever possible. Trade-ins at tractor dealers get a thorough inspection and necessary repairs prior to resale.
• •  Have your tractor dealership keep you informed of any good used farm equipment for sale that comes in on a regular basis. Working closely with a dealership that knows your farm and your needs is the best way to get quality used equipment.

Using pre-owned farm equipment is a good way to save money on a farm, especially in tough economic times. While refurbished farm equipment may need some special care, by making the most of pre-owned farm equipment you can stretch your equipment budget considerably. Whether you purchase used farm tractors or other used agricultural equipment, the purchase price is sure to be considerably lower than if you were buying new.

Because farmers regularly find ways to stretch their budget, making the most of pre-owned farm equipment is not a difficult task. And because used farm equipment prices are often quite reasonable, it makes sense to look at used farm machinery for sale when it’s time to buy. Here are some good ways to save money:

1. Work with local dealers who know what type of used farm equipment you want and what you’re willing to pay for it.

2. Attend farm auctions to find out what used farm machinery prices are, as well as to purchase your own used farm equipment.

3. Search online for good used farm machinery for sale, but remember to factor in the price of shipping.

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Practice safety with your used farm equipment

If everyone knows how to properly handle the farm machinery, there's less likelihood of an accident that can not only cause personal injury but destroy property as well. Teach all employees how to properly care for each piece of farm equipment. By doing this, you can extend the life of your investment.

I recommend: Virginia Cooperative Extension has information on farm equipment safety measures. Source Interlink Media offers safety tips for new and used farm equipment on its EquiSearch.com website.

Operate used farm equipment properly

Often an older piece of equipment doesn't have a manual. Luckily, you can often find replacement manuals. Extend the life of your used farm machinery by reading and following the instructions in the manual. These instructions have invaluable information for making the most of pre-owned farm equipment.

I recommend: Choose used farm machinery manuals from Jensales Tractor Manuals. You can find manuals for used agricultural equipment at Farm Equipment Manual.com.

Buy used agriculture equipment for parts

Sometimes it's cheaper to buy a second piece of farm equipment to use for parts rather than to buy just the replacement parts. If you can find a similar piece of equipment, this is an excellent way to stretch your budget and extend the life of a piece of used farm machinery.

I recommend: Look through the extensive listings of pre-owned farm equipment at TractorHouse.com. It has an extensive listing of used agriculture equipment by all the major manufacturers. AgDeal.com also lists many pieces of used farm equipment for sale on its website.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Clean and store your used farm equipment inside whenever possible to protect it from the weather. Keep all belts, pulleys and other moving parts lubricated. If a piece of used agriculture equipment shows signs of rust, remove the rust and paint the piece of equipment to protect it from the elements.

Vendors often sell new farm equipment in a different manner frompre-owned farm equipment. With new equipment, machine manufacturers publish slick blurbs with cutaways to show the latest technologies and beefed-up components. For pre-owned equipment, the seller attempts to put all the attributes of his product within the confines of a want ad or sale bill. Since the used equipment dealer is operating on a limited advertising budget, he will rely on abbreviations to crowd as much information into his ad as possible. The ad will include information on the number of hours of operation for the machine, the condition of parts like the tires, add-ons, such as a front-end loaders, and operator conveniences, such as transmission and hydraulic options.

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Nebraska test

Some tractor ads mention the Nebraska test or some similar phrase. The phrase refers to the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, which tests new tractors to determine horsepower, fuel use and performance under various conditions.

I recommend: For the details on the tests and for test results for a specific tractor, visit Nebraska Tractor Test Lab.

CID

CID is the abbreviation for cubic inch displacement, which is a method of sizing an engine. You will want to know the engine size of a used tractor or combine. The calculation for CID includes the size of the cylinder, length of the engine stroke (how far the piston travels in the cylinder) and number of cylinders. The bigger the CID, the bigger the engine.

I recommend: For a formula and a better understanding of CID, go to Race-Cars.net.

Operator station

Operator station refers to the area the operator of a tractor will occupy when using the tractor. Pre-owned farm equipment sellers will tell you whether the tractor has a cab or roll-over protection system (ROPS). This description could include 'HAC' information to show that the tractor cab has heating and air-conditioning systems.

I recommend: Deere & Company pictures a modern operator station with a cab. An open operator station would have no cab.

Three-point hitch, 3-point hitch

Tractors connect to the implement that they will pull by one of two ways: a draw bar or a three-point hitch. The three-point hitch has two lift arms and a third link. The top link prevents the implement from pivoting, making it possible to raise or lower the entire implement. Pre-owned equipment ads tell whether the tractor has a three-point hitch.

I recommend: Best Used Tractors shows the components of a three-point hitch prior to attachment.

MFWD

When you see the abbreviation MFWD in the pre-owned farm equipment ad, the tractor referred to is a four-wheel-drive. The letters indicate that the tractor has mechanical front-wheel-drive, which transfers power to the front wheels via gears and shafts rather than by hydraulics. MFWD tractors will have lugged tires on the front as well as the rear.

I recommend: WebFarmer pictures a typical tractor with MFWD.

PTO 540/1000

PTO stands for power take off. The power take-off shaft usually comes from the back of the tractor and supplies power to an implement such as a mower, baler, pump, snow blower or generator. Some tractors supply a PTO for belly, or front-mounted, implements. The speed of the shaft rates PTO speeds at 540 rpm or 1000 rpm.

I recommend: Case IH shows a PTO on the back of a new tractor and gives dimensions of the PTO supplied on various models of its tractors.