John Deere’s Ottumwa, Iowa, plant will participate in the manufacturer’s targeted production shutdowns from December to January, according to reporting from News 7 KWWL NBC in Waterloo, Iowa.
John Deere representatives pointed to lower demand for new farm equipment as the primary cause of the production pause. The company manufactures machines and technology for its hay and forage segment at the plant.
The nearly 400 employees that report to Ottumwa will receive salary compensation from John Deere during the shutdown.
Of course, John Deere is not the only farm equipment manufacturer experiencing growing pains. Case IH recently warned 350 workers at it’s Burlington, Iowa, plant — where the Wisconsin-based manufacturer assembles backhoes, tractor loaders and rough terrain forklifts — it could shutter the plant by as soon as 2026.
According to the Des Moines Register, CNH’s third-quarter earnings fell 43% to $310 million compared to the same quarter a year earlier. CEO Gerrit Marx said CNH would “further adjust production levels, while making investments in technology and quality-improving processes.”
AGCO Corporation is also feeling the brunt of a depressed farm economy. Its net sales for the first three quarters of 2024 saw a 17% decrease year-over-year. AGCO chairman, president and CEO Eric Hansotia said that low commodity prices and high input costs have led to increased conservatism from dealers and farmers “resulting in ongoing production cuts to help reduce AGCO and dealer inventories.”
According to data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, tractor sales in North America were down 11% and combine sales fell 19% across the first nine months in 2024.
Many farm economists are predicting more belt tightening from farmers — especially when it comes to new machinery purchases — continuing into 2025. One factor that could encourage farmers to open up their checkbooks would be passage of a new Farm Bill. Senator Debbie Stabenow unveiled her latest Farm Bill text Sunday evening, but many Washington insiders are not optimistic Congress will approve the bill before the end of 2024.
Canadian Firm Bourgault Industries to Roll Out a Trio of Products for North American Market
Bourgault Industries recently announced its model year 2026 introductions, which include:
- a 9000 I series air cart wing tank option
- the Bourgault Intelligent Control (BiC) wireless seed controller
- a 7-plex folding 3545 Paralink hoe drill
The manufacturer says all three innovations are targeted at increasing farmer productivity.
For more information and to find your nearest Bourgault dealer, visit the company’s website at www.bourgault.com.
Unverferth Debuts Massive Grain Cart for 2025 Harvest
Unverferth Manufacturing has released its newest grain cart, the 2520, with a 2,500-bu. capacity. The company says it is the largest dual-auger model in its fleet.
The 2520 features a pivoting 24” diameter vertical auger coupled with a 20” horizontal auger and directional downspout with unload speeds up to 1,000-bu. per minute, even in high-moisture corn.
The new grain cart also features the manufacturer’s UHarvest Pro weighing system with data collection via the ISOBUS connection to the virtual terminal of the tractor. It automatically tracks each load using the grower, farm and field structure as well as truck, destination and crop variety for complete harvest data reporting via an included Slingshot cloud storage account. The system can also integrate a moisture sensor and an AccuLoad kit for automated discharge.
Visit umequip.com or your local Unverferth dealer for more information.
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