MachineryLink

Reading the tea leaves about farm equipment markets is an inexact science. For evidence of this, just look at the way three manufacturers -- all sophisticated, all experienced -- recently assessed the market for small, self-propelled sprayers.

In January, AGCO announced it was discontinuing the venerable SpraCoupe line of compact self-propelled sprayers. A press release cited, "EPA compliance and diminishing volumes resulting in an ever-changing industry landscape," as reasons for the decision.

"For the past 50 years," it continued, "the SpraCoupe brand has served farmers who want smaller professional-grade self-propelled application equipment for applying fertilizer and crop protection products on their own. However, the North American customer base for this segment has been shrinking, reflecting fewer, smaller farms and a growing number of larger farming operations, fueling demand for larger, more productive machines."

Of course, even after SpraCoupe is no more, AGCO will still sell strong sprayer products with its RoGator and TerraGator lines. But those products are mostly larger and have a different market niche than the soon-to-be-history SpraCoupe line.

Compare AGCO's decision to that made by Hardi, which has manufactured agricultural sprayers since 1957. That company decided 2013 was exactly the right time to introduce its first self-propelled sprayers. It jumped in with three models. The larger SARITOR 4000 and 5000 models offer tank capacities of 1,100- and 1,300-gallons respectively. The PRESIDIO 2700 targets smaller farmers with its 700-gallon main tank and 75- to 90-foot booms.

In talking to Hardi folks who manned a booth at AG CONNECT in January, I learned they think there is a strong market for sprayers among the small farming demographic. Farmers of any size, they said, want more control over their crop protection applications than custom applicators might provide them. Timing, documentation and precision are important no matter how many acres you plant.

Add Case IH to that school of thought. At the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville two weeks after AG CONNECT, I saw for the first time the new Case IH Patriot 2240 Class 2 sprayer, which has a 660-gallon tank and boom widths of 80- or 90-feet. Mark Burns, Case IH application equipment marketing manager, told me, "Small to medium operators can go it alone now," with sprayers sized to fit their farms.

The little guys aren't the only market CASE IH sees for the 2240. Larger farmers with smaller field sizes might also find the larger sprayers too big to fit, Burns says.

Who is right in their assessment of the market? Who made the better choice?

Probably all three companies.

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