Farming is difficult and time-consuming, but it’s also absolutely essential to our society: without farmers, we simply wouldn’t have food on our tables. That’s why it’s vital that farmers find tools that will reduce manual labor, increase efficiency, and tackle multiple types of projects so as to remain cost-effective.

However, there’s a plethora of tools available on the marketplace, some of which are simply not the best investment. With so many factors that go into selecting the right equipment for your operation, it’s difficult to know which tool satisfies all of these considerations and more. Of equal importance is the price point: farm tools are expensive, and your budget might be much smaller than the true needs of your farm. It’s imperative that you choose the right product for the right purposes; that’s why you truly can’t go wrong with a skid steer pallet fork.

One of the best inventions for farmers is the skid steer pallet fork, a forklift attachment with two steel tines connected to a frame. This handy tool is operated with a joystick or a similar control to allow the user to lift heavy pallets, crates, or other bulky objects with ease; they can be adjusted to fit different object widths and can be raised and lowered to safely maneuver products around the farm.

Every farmer looking to upgrade their equipment should consider a skid steer pallet fork, as they reduce manual labor, increase productivity, and are both durable and versatile.  Let’s look closer at four reasons why the skid steer pallet fork should be your next purchase for a happy and productive farm.

Reason #1: Skid steer pallet forks vastly reduce manual labor on your farm

One of the most common injuries on farms are strains and sprains, which can take a worker out of commission for weeks or months as they recover, and lifting and manipulating heavy objects is a leading cause for these injuries. Many agricultural workers have been seriously injured by dropping a crate or pallet, which can break the delicate bones of the foot even with proper protective gear. While this is incredibly painful, it also harms a farm’s bottom line, which relies upon high efficiency from every worker.

It’s very tempting to eschew safety in favor of speed, but this can be a fatal mistake. The farm environment is already a dangerous place, such as falling materials, aggressive animals, and malfunctioning equipment: any product that can improve the risk of serious injury is good news.

Skid steer pallet forks reduce this risk as they greatly reduce the manual labor needed to lift and move pallets and other heavy materials. Additionally, skid steer pallet forks are powered by hydraulics, which means they can safely move more materials. They can also be adjusted to different heights and angles to better suit a particular job, which further reduces strain on the operator.

Reason #2: Your farm’s productivity will skyrocket

Any time you can get something done faster without sacrificing quality, it’s going to improve your productivity, which in turn improves profitability. Moving and toting heavy materials can be an incredibly time-consuming process, but that time is slashed dramatically when using a skid steer pallet fork. With quick and easy loading and unloading of pallets, a farmer can lift, move, and stack pallets quickly, securely, and with minimal effort.

After all, every farmer knows that it isn’t just about the time it takes to do something, but also the effort: every ounce of energy used stacking pallets is an ounce of energy that can’t be used somewhere else. Cutting down the time and effort needed to move product allows you more energy for other essential tasks.

Reason #3: Their versatility allows you to tackle numerous projects with one tool

This versatile farm tool can be used for a wide variety of tasks, such as moving pallets, bales, logs, or any other large object; this makes them ideal for tasks such as material handling, loading, unloading, and general farm work. Additionally, skid steer pallet forks are easily attached to most skid steer loaders, allowing for efficient and easy operation. You can pop them onto your skid steer loader, move your given items, then remove it and use this tool for other tasks without the need to pull out any other accessory.

Reason #4: Their durability and longevity makes them highly cost effective

It’s natural to balk at the price tag for any piece of equipment, but give skid steer pallet forks a second look and you’ll realize that they are actually an incredibly cost effective tool. Durable and long-lasting, skid steer forks can withstand heavy workloads for decades without breaking; the initial cost will pay for itself in a year or two, but the skid steer pallet fork will keep on giving for many years more.