German farm machinery manufacturer Claas has issued a statement reading, in part, that “to remain competitive in the Canadian market under current tariff and trade conditions, CLAAS will transition production of 2026 model year LEXION 8000 Series combines destined for Canada to Germany.”
By implementing this production shift, Claas would avoid paying the 50% steel and aluminum tariffs currently in place between the U.S. and Canada. Products manufactured in Germany and shipped into the U.S. are subject to a 15% blanket tariff, with some exemptions.
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Claas says the change will only apply to machines that will eventually harvest grain on farms in Canada. LEXION combines built for U.S. customers will continue to be assembled in Omaha, Neb., with most parts sourcing remaining local to the U.S.
A bit of good news amid the bad is Claas also says it will maintain stable prices in the U.S. until Dec. 31, despite the impact of tariffs.
So, if you’re looking at buying a new Claas combine, tractor or forage harvester, it sounds like you should think about locking in that pretariff price before the end of the year.
A busy 2025 at Claas
Claas recently soft launched its new Jaguar 1000 series forage harvesters (shown above) for the U.S. dairy market. That machine will hit the dairy industry in time for the 2026 forage harvest season when the first units manufactured over in Germany hit dealer lots.
Earlier this month, the company hosted a groundbreaking on its Omaha campus for a new North American R&D Center. And it recently expanded its dealer-network throughout a handful of states in the Midwest.
Back in August, we talked with senior vice president Eric Raby at the manufacturer’s booth at the Farm Progress Show. He told Farm Journal that Claas was absorbing the extra expenses from tariffs and “not passing all that on to the customer” but that the new-at-the-time 50% aluminum and steel tariffs would pose a significant challenge going forward.
“We’re still trying to figure out what are the implications because that is going to affect our industry much more broadly than just the tariffs on a country of origin for a specific machine,” Raby said at the time.
The manufacturer says it is currently reviewing preorder sales data to determine combine production requirements in Omaha. The company “sees strong potential in the future of U.S. agriculture and, with it, opportunities for continued growth.”
Despite the decision to move some combine production back to Germany, CLAAS is also actively recruiting new hires for sales and service throughout the U.S.
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