Dl4-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 7,1992 COLUMBUS, Ind. One of the world’s most versatile utility vehicles has just become more agile with new feet of rubber track that can be fitted on location, it was announced by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. An endless rubber track, called Trackman, was introduced on the skid-steer loader, a traditionally wheeled vehicle that has become increasingly popular because of its versatility. “Trackman carries the skid steer into a new dimesion,” said Ned Kendall, vice president of engineered products at Goodyear. “Our testing and work with origi nal equipment manufacturers and dealers indicate the track-outfitted vehicles go well beyond the capa bilities of conventional wheeled vehicles.” The retrofit version of Track man made its debut at the Farm Progress Show here. The rubber tracks wrap around and are held in place by the vehicle’s tires. Rain-soaked ground, loosely compacted or rough terrain, and fear of turf damage traditionally have been limiting factors for the NFU Says 10 Percent DENVER, Colo. Leaders of the National Farmer Union (NFU) say selling the Acreage Reduction program (ARP) for the 1993 corn crop al 10 percent will provide the larmcrs the best opportunity to make a profit on their c.op. The U.S. Department of Agri culture announced the 10 percent set-aside, along with provisions for a five percent ARP for sorg hum and zero percent ARP levels for oats and barley. Endless Rubber Track On Skid-Steer Loader use of skid-steers, he said. “Goodyear rubber track answers those concerns,” Kendall said. ‘Trackman’s wider, softer foot print gives the vehicle access to areas inaccessible to wheeled skid-steers,” he said. “Rubber track keeps the skid-steer on-site working when wheeled versions are sidelined.” Kendall said Goodyear chose the skid-steer as its first applica tion because of the vehicle’s growing popularity as an all purpose work vehicle on farms, businesses, and construction sites. “Goodyear rubber track takes a machine that is praised for its ver satility and makes it more nimble, more maneuverable and, accord ing to our testing, much easier on the driver,” he said. The retrofit version of Track man is friction driven and easily fits over the skid-steer’s tires. Other construction, agricultur al, and utility vehicles that cur rently use steel track or tires are targeted for future Trackman applications in both the original equipment and retrofit markets. Farmers Union had recom mended the 10 percent corn ARP in comments delivered to USDA. “We have the potential for a huge corn crop this year if produc ers can avoid an early frost,” said NFU President Lcland Swenson. “The five percent set-aside we had this year created a situation where our ending stocks are projected to Brown Swiss dairy cattle on Larry Flutterjohnn’s farm near St. Marys, Ohio, aren't sure what to make of a skid-steer loader mounted on rubber track. Goodyear’s Track man endless rubber track adds maneuverability and versatility to the already agile machine. The track easily takes the skid-steer Into sloppy fields and terrain that are inaccessible to wheeled machines. Set-Aside Best For Corn Farmers go up by 75 percent. Raising the scl-asicic for next year will help keep stocks from building yet again in 1993.” With com prices today hover ing at about S 2 per bushel, NFU also wants USDA to open the Farmer-Owned Reserve as a way to take corn off the market at harvest time and potentially raise prices Lawmakers are considering making more sweeping changes in the FOR program that would expedite opening the reserve this year. NFU officials say that could be done before Congress adjourns. USDA also announced loan rate levels and target prices for some 1993 crops at the same time. The corn support rate of 51.73 falls approximately seventy-five cents below corn’s estimated cost of production, according to NFU. The group has been a proponent of raising loan rates as a way to stimulate market prices and cut government costs. “These levels clearly won’t do that,” said Swenson.
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