The 2015/2016 season will be remembered as a challenging one for the European grassland equipment industry, with sales of new mowers, rakes and tedders down by 14%. CEMA, the European association of agricultural machinery, reckons low global dairy product prices have negatively affected dairy farmers’ capacity to invest in new equipment. “Dairy farmers are interested in new equipment and technology to improve the capacity and quality of cattle feed,” says Theo Vulink of the CEMA grassland equipment product group. “Unfortunately, the current income situation prevents them from investing to the degree that they want to.” The association expects a further decline by around 4% for the 2016-17 season, but on a positive note, the recent recovery of milk prices has brightened up industry confidence for the near future. As regards non-EU markets, Canada and Asia present good opportunities for grassland equipment exports.