Increases in ROPS pricing from 2006-2012 and the impact on ROPS demand

In 2006, a social marketing campaign was developed to increase the installation of rollover protective structures (ROPS) on unprotected New York tractors. Using data gathered from the program's hotline, the impact of price increases on farmers' interest in ROPS is examined. Pricing data were obtained for all rigid ROPS kits commercially available in the U.S. since 2006. These data were stratified into two groups of ROPS suppliers: (1) tractor manufacturers that sell ROPS for their own tractors, referred to in this study as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and (2) aftermarket (AM) ROPS suppliers. The trend in price increases was contrasted with the change in the consumer price index (CPI), the probability of retrofitting within quintiles of cost was estimated, and the increase in ROPS prices over time was plotted The average price increase for a ROPS kit (excluding shipping and installation) over the six years of the study was 23.3% for OEM versus 60.5% for AM (p < 0.0001). Out-of-pocket expenses held steady for OEM versus a six-year increase of $203 for AM (p = 0.098). The probability of a farmer retrofitting dropped monotonically from 66.9% in the lowest ROPS cost quintile to 23% in the highest. If these trends continue, the proportion of inquiries resulting in a ROPS retrofit will fall below 20% by 2020 for AM ROPS. Based on other trends identified in the literature, it is reasonable to assume that decreases in ROPS installation are likely to affect the tractor owners who are most likely to need these safety devices.