POLK TRACTOR COMPANY

from Florida Country Magazine - December 2021 / January 2022

FLORIDA CRACKER TRADING COMPANY

QUALITY PRODUCTS, BEST SERVICE, FAMILY OWNED FOR 70 YEARS

Written by: Ava Grace

Hinton James Jr. opened the doors of Polk Tractor Company in Winter Haven in 1952. And it has been in their current location on Havendale Boulevard since 1963.

Hinton James’s philosophy then was selling the highest quality products and providing the best service. He subsequently passed the keys in 1979 to his son Bo James, who ran Polk Tractor to 2015, then handed ownership over to the third generation, Jay James, each family member working with the same goals as Hinton James Jr. "Being a family owned and operated dealership, we treat our customers differently than other dealerships,” says company president Jay James, whose wife Nikki, his sister Amy and the couple’s son, Clay, all work onsite.

“We consider our customers to be not just customers, but also friends,” he adds.

Along with the personalized service delivered by the James family and their resolute employees, the company offers high-quality products that include Kubota tractors. They are the only Kubota dealership in Polk County and the oldest Kubota dealer in Florida. They are also a full-service, Elite Dealer for Kubota, meaning certification to sell and service Kubota products covered by the extended warranty program. Plus, they are a Kubota Orange Rental dealer.

Additionally, they are an Elite Dealer for Stihl equipment and accessories and a Gravely Preferred Dealer, a company that is also family owned. They also carry Land Pride products. “The brands we carry are outstanding,” says Jay James, who has worked at Polk Tractor Company for over 30 years and has been president since 2015.

Polk Tractor Company has what farmers and ranchers need to keep their operations running smoothly and efficiently. From a zero-turn mower to a 170 H.P. tractor, to skid steers, tractor loaders, excavators and hay equipment, as well as smaller tools such as chainsaws, blowers and line trimmers.

Inside the showroom, customers see and handle the latest gear, ask all the questions they want, and get all the help they need to choose the right tractor, mower, utility vehicle or implements. The firm also provides insurance and affordable financing options. “Unlike a box store, we offer parts and service after the sale,” James says.

The company is Service Certified, meaning technicians receive extensive hands-on training from factory-trained instructors. So, if you bring something in for fixing, it gets fixed right.

The plan is to continue passing the keys down to future generations, which means Clay James, 23, will someday run the family business, maintaining those same goals his great-grandfather Hinton James founded the company on — the highest quality products and service.