2016 Ag Machinery Wrap Up

By: Jim Patrico

A lot of major new product introductions mean machinery manufacturers are optimistic. They think farmers are in a buying mood, funds are available and innovations will be well received. Not so much at the 2016 NFMS. That’s not to say there were not plenty of new products offerings.

March ushered in a new version of the Commodity Classic with an extended machinery component. I reported from New Orleans, Louisiana, that commodity groups — which own the annual Commodity Classic — joined forces with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) to expand the presence of iron and steel at the trade show. Together, the two organizations helped increase the number of companies exhibiting at Commodity Classic by about 22%. Total attendance rose from 8,000 to almost 9,800.