March AEM Ag Flash Reports
The Association of Equipment Manufact-urers’ (AEM) monthly Ag Flash Reports compares data from the current and past year of the Canadian and U.S. unit retail sales of two- and four-wheel drive tractors and self-propelled combines. Highlights of the report are listed below.
Canadian Report: AEM.org/Trends/CanAg
| Under 40 HP: | 551 | -5.2% (from 2009) |
| 40 & Under 100 HP: | 414 | -25.5% |
| 100 HP & Over: | 359 | +3.2% |
| Two-Wheel Drive: | 1,324 | -10.8% |
| Four-Wheel Drive: | 149 | +26.3% |
| Total Tractors: | 1,473 | -8.1% |
| Combines (Self-Prop): | 124 | -29.9% |
U.S. Report: AEM.org/Trends/USAg
| Under 40 HP: | 7,467 |
+16.4%
(from 2009) |
| 40 & Under 100 HP: | 3,839 | -8.6% |
| 100 HP & Over: | 2,571 | +5.5% |
| Two-Wheel Drive: | 13,877 | +6.3% |
| Four-Wheel Drive: | 558 | +46.5% |
| Total Tractors: | 14,435 | +7.5% |
| Combines (Self-Prop): | 622 | +6.5% |
ASABE To Develop Safety Standard For Anhydrous Ammonia Application Machinery
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has initiated a project to develop a new standard, Agricultural Machinery: Safety for Anhydrous Ammonia Application Equipment.
Anhydrous ammonia application equipment is becoming more complex, with integrated metering and distribution systems, automated control systems, automated hitching functions, and advanced product flow functions. General safety standards exist for implement safety and anhydrous ammonia handling. However, a specific standard remains to be developed addressing risks related to equipment operation, service and repair.
Incidents and scenarios related to nurse tank coupling and sectional delivery system design and layout indicate an additional safety-related standard is needed to replace an international standard (ISO 4254-2, Tractors and machinery agriculture and forestry – Technical means for producing safety – Part 2: Anhydrous ammonia application) that had been withdrawn because it had become outdated.
Issues to be addressed in this safety standard are specific to the anhydrous ammonia applicator, the applicator distribution systems, electronic and mechanical metering and control systems, and implement–to–nurse tank hitching. Also included will be aspects of the nurse tank–to–applicator coupling and the delivery system that are not covered by other industry standards.
For information on this or any other ASABE standard, contact Scott Cedarquist at (269) 932-7031, cedarq@asabe.org. A current listing of all ASABE standards projects can be found online at: asabe.org/standards/proposed.html.