Originally Posted By: Brettski
The biggest US blockade to Chinese built tractors is simply their disinterest in meeting tier 4 EPA engine regulations. I communicated with dozens of manufacturers and distributors in China, desperately trying to find a Chinese built tractor that I could import into the USA. The only units were the smaller 25, 28, and 35hp models, typically powered with Perkins diesel. Anything larger with a tier 4 engine was non-existant. Yeah, there were plenty of vendors that touted that their tractors were tier 4 compliant, but when I insisted seeing their certificate and a picture of the emissions plaque on the tractor, it was suddenly unavailable. Then there was the group of vendors that assured me that it was not big deal to ship a non-tier 4 tractor into the US. The consistent story was that a single tractor will fly below the customs radar, as opposed to a full container that will likely be fully vetted. I even called the EPA and drilled down to the department that oversees the tier 4 engine import requirements. They were helpful and very firm on their posture. If a non-tier 4 engine arrives in the US and they catch it, the fine is $10,000 per day per engine or destruction at the port.


I have experienced what you are saying first hand. Around 15 years ago I was in a meeting to discuss buying a product from China. We had very specific requirements. I came away with the impression if I had stated all the paint must taste like chocolate, the Chinese rep would have guaranteed that all their paint tastes like chocolate. It's a different culture. No rules and no ethics when it comes to business is the accepted and encouraged practice.

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