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Farmers are a small group, mostly college educated who run multi-million dollar yearly operations. Recent favorable economics has allowed this sector to look at new technology and determine the best way to invest in it. New considerations in the last few years have led to minimum/alternative tillage and planting, site specific farming decisions and small technology groups of farmers. The authors have put together their thoughts and wants which should be evaluated by future suppliers of technology and farm machinery.

Forecasting the sales of combines and tractors in today's ever changing and volatile marketplace is a difficult task; moreover, it is becoming increasingly important to manufacturers whose goal is to maximize profits with just-in-time policies. Farmers are independent business managers who react to a variety of factors and a unique set of circumstances. Predicting how these individuals will respond to changes in the economic atmosphere is an even more perplexing task than forecasting their business environment. Individually, some farmers may choose to postpone machinery purchases when their cashflow is reduced. Collectively, farmers react to certain factors in a more cohesive manner. For example, if farm commodity prices rise and interest rates are relaxed the agricultural sector will undoubtably increase machinery purchases. Therefore, Federal government policies and also fiscal and monetary policies affect both the farmer's income and the associated agricultural industries sales.

A parametric simulation model of a steel-tracked feller buncher was developed1. This model can be used to predict the lift capacity, side tipping angles, grade-ability, and joint forces during a cutting cycle. The feller buncher is defined parametrically, allowing the user to quickly analyze different machine configurations simply by changing the value of a variable. Several simulations were performed to illustrate the application of the model.

A prototype in-field transport system for high-value crops was designed and built. This system carries a semi-trailer upon two rubber-tracked undercarriages. A mechanism was designed for timely assembly and disassembly of the system. A set of field experiments was conducted to compare the sinkage, motion resistance, and drawbar forces of the rubber-track versus the current pneumatic-tire system. Increased flotation was observed with the prototype system. The motion resistance of the track system was less than or greater than that of the pneumatic-tire system depending on the soil condition. The prototype met performance objectives during assembly, operation, and disassembly of the system.