I had a great conversation with Richard Follmer the other day about the impact of shortline equipment manufacturers for a special book we’re putting together for FEMA’s (Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association) 75th anniversary.
The Hudson, Ill., farmer and former shortline manufacturer himself, often referred to as the “Grandfather of Strip-Till,” told me farmers would be in big trouble if shortlines didn’t exist.
“Shortlines keep the big guys a little more honest when it comes to not price gouging farmers,” Follmer says. “The majors are also slow to react to changes. We started selling strip-till in 1992, and it took some majors almost 30 years to catch up.
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“They don’t like to invest a lot of money in something new until some shortline company proves it works. If you don’t have your idea nailed down by a good patent, they’ll just take it. You do all the work, and they take it. We’ve been through that, believe me.”
Follmer, the retired president and founder of Progressive Farm Products, designed one of the first commercially successful strip-till rigs for Midwestern growers dealing with cold soils. His company started selling the unit in the spring of 1992.
Some farmers and manufacturers were skeptical of strip-till initially, Follmer says, but eventually came around after seeing how well it worked. He recalls introducing many farmers to the concept at the 1995 National No-Tillage Conference.
“After wrapping up my presentation, I spent the next 3.5 hours in the hotel hallway fielding questions about strip-till from other farmers,” he says. “The response was unbelievable. I’d never seen so much interest in strip-till.”
Shortline companies have been instrumental in the advancement of conservation practices like strip-till, no-till and cover cropping, Follmer says. But he worries that some companies — specifically in the strip-till industry — have lost sight of the farmer’s goal to save money, not spend more.
“Hardly any companies offer 24-row strip-till units that are affordable,” Follmer says. “Some companies are pricing themselves out of business. I have a friend that has a list price of $9,000 per row unit. And that isn’t accounting for the toolbar or any of the liquid or dry fertilizer additions. That row unit should cost about $3,000, but they’re price gouging. They’ve missed the whole point.”
Follmer also believes some manufacturers are making row units that are too big and complicated. “And the price tag shows it,” he says.
Follmer points to Dawn Equipment as a shortline that’s doing a good job simplifying strip-till and making the entry point more affordable.
“I like what Dawn is doing with their Pluribus row unit,” Follmer says. “They’re tilling the ground 5-6 inches deep, that’s all you need. And they’re making a row unit that’s less expensive, compact and not so big. It doesn’t require a monstrous toolbar. It’s the type of row unit with a horsepower requirement that’s half of what some competitors are.
“We run a 24-row planter on our farm, so we need a 24-row strip-till bar. Who wants to spend a million dollars to buy an 800-horsepower tractor just to strip-till? The idea is saving money, not spending more. As a farmer and former manufacturer, that’s how I look at it.”
Interesting perspective from Richard as always. And this begs the "It's a Wonderful Life" question. What would your farm look like if shortlines didn't exist and you could only buy equipment from the majors? Shoot me an email at NNewman@LessiterMedia.com.
Now, back to work on the Strip-Till Farmer Fall issue, which comes out in 4 weeks!
