For the second straight year, equipment purchases by no-tillers declined over the previous year. The drop in grain prices in 2014 certainly seemed to have an impact, as the average reader of No-Till Farmer eased back purchases from a farm average of $87,921 in 2014 to $64,938 ahead of the 2015 cropping season.

On a per-acre basis, that drop in equipment spending wasn’t as dramatic, however, as no-tillers spent $55.88 per acre this year compared to $59.97 last year — only about a 7% decrease.

The following represents the percentage of No-Till Farmer readers that made equipment purchases ahead of the 2015 cropping season by specific product categories:

Tractors – 10.8% vs. 20% in 2014

Combines – 4.4% vs. 10% in 2014

Planters – 7.3% vs. 12% in 2014

Drills – 4.1% vs. 5.5% in 2014

Self-Propelled Sprayers – 4.4% vs. 5% in 2014

Pull-Type Sprayers – 2.3% vs. 3.3% in 2014

Throughout the history of our benchmark study, readers have always underestimated their future purchases.

Last year, No-Till Farmer readers said they would only spend an average of $59,337 this year, or $40.48 per acre. They ended up spending $64,938, or $55.88 per acre. Ahead of the 2016 cropping season, No-Till Farmer readers claim they will only spend $42,186 per farm, or $36.30 per acre.

Planters, Drills, Air Seeders

Some 54% of readers own a Deere planter (up 5%), while Kinze follows at 22% (down 2%). White planters are used by 11% of readers (up 1%), while Case IH…