CNH Industrial commercially launched the world’s first accessible farm tractor for people with lower limb disabilities.
The New Holland TL5 “Acessível,” produced in Curitiba, Brazil, was developed in partnership with several inclusive mobility companies, including Elevittá, Arteprima and Senai from São Leopoldo.
CNH also enlisted farmer and customer Fernando Dalmolin, who uses a wheelchair following an incident that left him without use of his legs, to help with development of the tractor under its New Holland brand.
“This is just what people with disabilities like mine need to be able to work independently in the field," Dalmolin said in a statement.
A 2019 survey from the Brazilian Ministry of health reported 7.8 million people with lower limb disabilities in Brazil, with millions living in rural households. In the U.S., at least 634,000 farmers and ranchers have a disability, with many reporting physical limitations.
The TL5 was introduced in 2020 at two agricultural fairs in Brazil to public and press acclaim. The unique lifting platform and joystick controls allow users to enter and exit the tractor unaided; once inside users can operate the tractor with adapted functionality.
“With the launch of this accessible tractor, we want to empower people,” Paulo Máximo, director of commercial marketing for New Holland Agriculture Latin America, said in a statement. “It is not just a question of making new technology available in the agricultural machinery market.”
CNH did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the company's plan to introduce the tractor in other countries.
