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.