Massey Ferguson describes their company and products as ‘Born to farm’. With such iconic tractor models, like our own MF35X, and a long history of innovation, it is hard to argue with their slogan!

In Focus: Massey Ferguson

A Brief History

With farming in his blood, Daniel Massey was well-acquainted with the hard work of farming in 1800s Ontario, Canada. He began working towards the industrial production of farming implements that would be both durable and affordable. In 1851, his son, Hart Almerrin Massey, took over the company. Twelve years later, Massey implements won a gold medal at an international industrial exhibition, which earned them their first international export order.

As the Massey family was making their mark, Alanson Harris and his son John were also in Ontario, building their own farm equipment. John Harris even accompanied grain transport from Texas to Canada, speaking with farmers along the way about their challenges, resulting in the Brantford self-tying binder. In 1891, they came together to form the Massey-Harris Company Ltd., which streamlined production and distribution costs. These savings were passed on to their customers. Massey-Harris became the first agricultural company to sell products on a global scale.

World War I changed the farming practices in the British Isles, bringing the shortcomings of the available tractors to the attention of engineer and inventor, Harry Ferguson. He went about improving tractor technology, eventually creating the Ferguson 3-point hitch system, which is now used across the industry. In 1953, Ferguson joined Massey-Harris to become the world-renowned Massey-Ferguson.

For a more in-depth history, check out our previous blog, A History of Massey-Ferguson Tractors.

Today’s Tractors

Massey-Ferguson has a large range of tractors, from the enormous MF8700S, to the compact MF1526. Here is a quick rundown of their compact tractors:

  • As mentioned, the MF1526 is the smallest on offer, with a tiny but mighty 24.8 HP that was brought back by popular demand.
  • The GC1700 Series ranges from 22.5-24 HP, and is sold on its ease of use and comfort for the driver.
  • Despite the low horsepower of 24-38, the MF1800E Series is one of the most rugged compact tractors while also offering great fuel economy.
  • The more powerful, all-singing, all-dancing MF1800M Series boasts a 36.2-39.4 HP, but with the size of the 1800Es.
  • At 45-74 HP, the MF2600H Series is on the more sizeable end of the compact lines, but still has all the versatility.
  • The MF2800E is the economical choice for the smallholder who is looking for the advantages of both a compact and a utility tractor, with 48.8-57.3 HP.
  • Like its sister machine, the MF2800Ms has everything a smallholder could need and more, at 48.8-60.3 HP.

For more information on what the iconic Massey-Ferguson still has to offer, take a look at their website: https://www.masseyferguson.com/en.html