Thursday, 02 March 2023 06:55

100 years of Farmall

Written by  Mark Daniel
Case IH is using 2023 to kick off global celebrations honouring the 100-year anniversary of the Farmall tractor. Case IH is using 2023 to kick off global celebrations honouring the 100-year anniversary of the Farmall tractor.

In all areas of New Zealand’s agricultural or horticultural landscape, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who hadn’t been exposed to a Farmall tractor, whether it be a Model A, B, M – or one of the more recent models.

It’s not surprising then that global player Case IH is using 2023 to kick off global celebrations honouring the 100-year anniversary of the tractor.

The iconic Farmall model was initially introduced in 1923 as the all-purpose tractor designed to revolutionise the agriculture industry. Initially, the tractor evolved from a 3-wheeled cultivator with an engine over the rear axle, that proved to be quite unstable.

Engineers moved to a chassis design and added a fourth wheel, pitching the new Farmall as a lightweight utility tractor against much heavier units such as the IH Titan and Mogul.

By 1931, the Farmall F was launched for farmers with more acreage, followed in 1939 by a second generation Farmall. In 1941, saw the arrival of the world’s first diesel-engine row crop tractor.

By 1947, the one millionth machine rolled off the production line. This was followed by milestones over the next decades, including the first 2WD row crop tractor to exceed 100hp, sales in 125 countries and the 5 millionth Farmall built in 1974.

Having “disappeared” between 1974 and 2002, as company takeovers and acquisitions were the order of the day, the Farmall name was reintroduced in 2003 and saw Case IH continue to expand the line-up of products with up to 120 horsepower.

The Farmall legacy continues today with an offering of more than 30 models with ranges – such as the B, JX, C, U and JXM offering 30 to 140hp.

 “In 1923, we set out to design a tractor that could replace horses, and today, our Farmall still serves as the workhorse on farms across the globe,” said Scott Harris Case IH global brand president.

“Generation after generation, Farmall has been a symbol of modern farming, and we’re excited to bring these stories to life over the course of 2023.”

The celebration will take place during a year-long, multi-faceted campaign, anchored in the concept of Farmall being “The One for All”, through social media, video stories and a dedicated microsite.

More like this

Featured

Te Radar celebrates kiwi farming heritage in latest release

Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.

Waireka Research Station leads biodiversity restoration in New Plymouth

For more than 50 years, Waireka Research Station at New Plymouth has been a hub for globally important trials of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, carried out on 16ha of orderly flat plots hedged for protection against the strong winds that sweep in from New Zealand’s west coast.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Political colours

OPINION: Your old mate welcomes the proposed changes to local government but notes it drew responses that ranged from the reasonable…

True agenda

OPINION: A press release from the oxygen thieves running the hot air symposium on climate change, known as COP30, grabbed your…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter