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Before using your equipment for the first time this spring, there are a few steps to take to prepare your machinery for the busy planting and spraying season. We walk you through these steps in our free Spring Equipment Maintenance Checklist.
Below we outline four reasons why taking these steps is important, exploring how a little upfront maintenance can save you time and money in the long run.
First, let’s discuss why farm equipment care and maintenance is particularly important this year.
Ensuring your farm equipment is in good working condition is always important, but it is particularly consequential this year, when the cost of replacing parts and machinery is expected to increase as a result of tariffs.
Most agriculture equipment that U.S. farmers use is manufactured in the United States, but, as the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association points out, many tech components are sourced from China.
In addition to the cost of equipment and parts increasing, the cost of crop protection will also increase as a result of the tariffs. (We covered which active ingredients will be most impacted here.) With these cost increases in mind, it’s essential to keep your operational costs low and have a cash buffer this year. Properly taking care of your farm equipment is one strategy that could help reduce unnecessary repair and replacement costs.
Discover 4 steps you can take to mitigate risk in 2025.
Proper care and maintenance minimizes the need for repairs. However, if a minor repair is needed, it’s more economical to take care of it immediately than to use the machine until the issue becomes so big that the part or even the entire machine needs to be replaced.
You may be able to reduce the costs of ag equipment repair by 25% by improving your routine maintenance, according to a study cited by the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
If spring maintenance reveals that equipment ultimately does need to be replaced, it affords you the time to research your options and negotiate the best rate.
By proactively preparing equipment, a farmer will be ready for the busy spring season. Charging batteries, filling the gas tank, and other spring maintenance tasks help enable a farmer to begin work at first thaw.
Routine ag equipment maintenance can reduce downtime by as much as 25%.
Routine tuneups and machinery inspections can prolong the quality of a machine. This can help you go longer between repairs and extend the life of your machine.
If you plan to sell your equipment, you’ll likely be able to capture a higher cost.
Looking to sell your ag equipment or buy second hand? Check out the For Sale section of the FBN® Forum.
The agriculture, fishing, forestry, and hunting industry has the highest rate of worker death per 100,000 workers. A leading cause of injury on a farm is equipment accidents, with tractors being the primary source. Maintenance is critical for helping all agricultural machines operate safely.
Take caution, though, while conducting spring maintenance. A spring may have cracked and could cause injury to whoever opens the compartment, a mouse may have chewed on equipment wire, which could spark a fire if plugged in, and chemicals used for cleaning equipment could be toxic.
Yes, even if you recently conducted winter maintenance, it’s still important to perform spring maintenance on your equipment.
If you conducted periodic winter maintenance on your machinery throughout the colder months, you likely have a good sense of the condition of your ag equipment and can efficiently prep your equipment for spring. Nevertheless, unexpected events could have happened since your last maintenance check, such as:
A late-winter freeze thickening your equipment’s coolant, reducing its ability to cool the machine in the warmer months
Early spring moisture damaging critical components
A critter recently nesting in your equipment
Additionally, there are some steps to take that weren’t part of the winter maintenance routine.
You don’t need to be a mechanic to perform routine spring maintenance, but it is easy to overlook some of the steps. The free checklist from FBN Finance walks you through the process so you can rest assured your equipment is ready for the quickly approaching start of the season.
From greasing machine parts to updating technology, the Spring Equipment Maintenance Checklist explains seven steps that can help set up busy farmers like you for success.
If you already know that your equipment needs repair or if you’re planning to upgrade to more technologically advanced equipment, apply for a farm equipment loan from FBN Finance. Our instant approvals for eligible equipment loans are created with farmers like you in mind.
Backed by great rates and flexible repayment terms, farm equipment loans from FBN Finance won’t strain your cash flow this spring when you’re purchasing crop protection, crop nutrition, animal health products, and supplies. You can work with FBN Finance via the instant decision process to get approved quickly, if eligible, for repairs and new equipment so you can get back to work during this busy season.
Financing is available to qualifying customers for:
Tractors and combines
Semi-tractors
Balers
Irrigation equipment
Forage harvesters
Implements
Application equipment
Skid steers
Windrowers
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Financing offered by FBN Finance, LLC and its lending partners. Available where FBN Finance, LLC is licensed. Terms and conditions apply. To qualify, a borrower must be a member of Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. and meet all underwriting requirements. Interest rates and fees will vary depending on your individual situation. Not all applicants will qualify. NMLS ID: 1631119.
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