Central tyre inflation systems (CTIS) are eligible for 60% grant funding through the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF), which Continental believes will have a positive impact on soil health.
“60% of the expected £6,933 CTIS cost will be covered by the FETF, which means the investment is just £2,773.20. This will provide benefits far beyond the cost for both machine efficiency and soil health,” says agricultural tyre specialist Tom Godwin.
The grant must be used on a system capable of regulating all the tyres on the vehicle and controlled from the cabin. It’s available to help fund systems on tractors, sprayers, loaders and some forestry equipment.
“This will enable operators to significantly reduce soil compaction by adjusting pressure for load and ground conditions. However, load indexes can often be tricky to find and follow, which is why Continental has a phone app to help operators set up and monitor tyre pressures using a CTIS,” says Tom.
The TireTech app is available for both Apple and Android devices, with data on all Continental agricultural tyres.
“We also offer ContiPressureCheck, a tyre sensor that fits to the rim of the vehicle to monitor heat build-up and pressure. Whilst setting the pressure at the start of a job has many benefits, the true value of a CTIS can be better realised by having up-to-the-minute tyre information because pressures can vary by more than 10% during a working day,” he added.
The FETF grant will also be available to those specifying CTIS on new machines, with certain manufacturers offering built-in systems.
“It is encouraging to see more brands offering CTIS as an option, because if buyers choose to specify tyres that can deliver the full benefit of these systems, we can reduce the impact machinery has on our soils,” concludes Tom.
For more information go to www.continental-tyres.co.uk