Environmental Policy

Trump Signals More DEF Rollbacks, Pushes Manufacturers to Lower Equipment Costs

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:48:07 GMT

In front of a gathering of farmers, ranchers and growers at the White House, President Trump and EPA announced new guidance that will remove the DEF sensor requirements, which the Small Business Administration (SBA) estimates will save farmers $4.4 billion a year and translate into $13.79 billion for Americans. Administrator Lee Zeldin says the move impacts farmers, truckers, motor coach operators and other diesel equipment operators.

“I have heard from truck drivers, farmers and many others complaining about DEF and pleading for a fix in all 50 states I visited during my first year as EPA administrator,” Zeldin says. “Americans are justified in being fed up with failing DEF system issues. EPA understands this is a massive issue and has been doing everything in our statutory power to address this. Today, we take another step in furthering our work by removing DEF sensors. Farmers and truckers should not be losing billions of dollars because of repair costs or days lost on the job.”

Every farmer now has the Right to Repair their own equipment thanks to President Trump. It’s crazy that our talented farmers were being prevented from doing this previously. This announcement is about common sense. Farmers will be able to spend more time in the field and less… pic.twitter.com/4hROUN45EU
— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) March 27, 2026

New Guidelines Focus on DEF Sensors

EPA says that sudden speed losses and shutdowns caused by DEF system failures compromise safety and productivity. It calls the issue unacceptable and problematic. In a release, EPA says it plans to continue to pursue all legal avenues to address Americans’ complaints. On Feb. 3, 2026, EPA demanded critical data on DEF system failures from the manufacturers that account for over 80% of all products used in DEF systems. This information will arm EPA with what it needs to permanently address DEF system failures. Thus far, the agency has received data from 11 of the 14 manufacturers, and in less than a month, EPA has turned around preliminary findings to issue today’s guidance, demonstrating Administrator Zeldin’s commitment to fixing this issue.

“Today, by eliminating DEF mandates, the Trump Administration is taking yet another step to free up hardworking Americans to focus on the vital work of feeding, clothing, building, and fueling our nation,” says SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “I applaud Administrator Zeldin for his leadership on this issue, and I look forward to our continued collaboration to cut red tape for small businesses across the U.S. food supply chain.”

Several ag equipment manufacturers were highlighted during the event at the White House, including John Deere. The company weighed in EPA’s latest announcement about DEF.

“John Deere applauds the EPA’s leadership to provide as much flexibility through agency guidance as possible to limit the frequency of false DEF-quality inducements,” says Kyle Gilley, vice president for global government affairs at John Deere. “Today’s announcement builds upon EPA guidance from February 2026, requested by John Deere, to provide farmers additional tools to complete emissions-related repairs. These announcements are a win for farmers and their ability to keep modern equipment operating in the field.”

EPA says the preliminary review of the warranty data suggests that DEF sensor failures are a significant source of warranty claims and DEF-related inducements. The agency’s new guidance makes clear that under existing regulations, manufacturers can stop inaccurate DEF system failures by removing traditional emission sensors, known as Urea Quality Sensors, and switching to nitrous oxide (NOx) sensors.

EPA also affirms that approved NOx sensor-based software updates can be installed on existing engines without being treated as illegal tampering under the Clean Air Act. This is in line with EPA’s February 2026 Right to Repair clarification guidance , which removed a major barrier keeping farmers from fixing their faulty DEF systems in the field. EPA anticipates the switch will greatly curb errors that traditional sensor technologies have been prone to and reduce the issues Americans face with inaccurate DEF failures.

For more information, see EPA’s Diesel Exhaust Fluid .

Trump Calls on Manufacturers to Lower Equipment Prices If DEF Rolled Back

During Friday’s event, Trump also spoke about the rising complexity and cost of modern farm equipment.

“When you buy a tractor today, you spend 50 percent of your time fixing the environmental — I say environmental impact statement garbage that’s on the tractor,” he says.

He adds that equipment often includes computerized systems that can shut down tractors unnecessarily, increasing repair costs.

“I said to the head of John Deere, ‘Is this a good thing or a bad thing?’ He said, sir, you have no idea how bad it is. It’s made our tractors so complicated. … We want to go back to the old ways, sir. And I said, I agree with you 100 percent.”

During remarks at the event at the White House today, President Trump said EPA is working to further roll back DEF-related requirements and pushed manufacturers to cut equipment costs:

“You’re going to lower the cost of a tractor… they’re going to be able to very shortly…
— Tyne Morgan (@Tyne_Ag) March 27, 2026

The president says the administration is looking into further rolling back DEF requirements, but as he does, he is also urging manufacturers to reduce equipment prices for farmers if the added environmental regulation costs are no longer there.

“Lee (Zeldin), I think we can say, I know you’re in the process of cutting out massive amounts of nonsense that are mandated to be put on your tractors, that all of your trucks that cost your fortune…and I know that they’re going to do this. And I asked one thing, you got to promise me one thing. You’re not going to take any profits. You’re going lower the cost of a tractor. I want you to lower the costs. And if they don’t lower the course, you’ll let me know. And I’ll have to do a big number of those companies. Okay? They’re going to be able to, very shortly, produce a bigger, better tractor and substantially less money. It’s going to be better. It’s gonna be a better tractor at substantially less,” Trump says.

He adds that future tractors will be simpler, more reliable and less expensive.

“I want John Deere and Case and all of the great companies … to give it to you in the form of lower tractor and equipment costs. And I think it’s going to have a huge impact,” he says.

President Trump then directed EPA Administrator Zeldin to explore ways to require, or mandate, manufacturers to lower the cost of farm equipment.

EPA’s guidance issued on Friday is part of a broader effort to address complaints from farmers, truckers and other diesel equipment operators about DEF system failures that cause equipment shutdowns, but Trump says more action on DEF is currently underway.

White House Sets Record Biofuel Volumes for 2026 and 2027

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:27:37 GMT

In the 20th year of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, the White House has established the renewable fuel volume requirements for 2026 and 2027 at the highest levels in program history. The Set 2 final rule, announced at the White House Great American Agriculture Celebration in front of 650 invited attendees, realigns the program with Congress’ intent to increase the use of homegrown American biofuels.

“Today’s announcement is truly historic for our nation’s farmers and energy producers. These numbers represent the highest levels of biofuels ever required to be blended into our fuel supply,” says Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture. “With President Trump and Administrator Zeldin’s leadership, these historically high volumes are expected to create a $3 to $4 billion increase in net farm income. The Renewable Fuel Standard Set 2 Rule will create a $31 billion dollar value for American corn and soybean oil for biofuel production in 2026, which is $2 billion more than in 2025. Our farmers are stepping up to grow American energy dominance.”

Just this week, EPA renewed emergency waivers for E15 gasoline sales during the summer driving season.

What Does the Set 2 Final Rule Mean for Farmers

To meet the 2026 and 2027 volume levels, EPA estimates biodiesel and renewable diesel production and use will need to increase by more than 60% versus 2025 volumes. The increase was above the initial proposal.

“The proposal that we saw nine months ago was extremely robust,” explained Kurt Kovarik of the Clean Fuels Alliance America. “In fact, our industry, along with the petroleum sector and the soybean growers, asked for a volume requirement for 2026 of 5.25 billion gallons. They proposed 5.61 billion gallons. And today’s proposal is right in that neighborhood between 5.5 to perhaps as high as 5.6 or 5.7. There’s a little bit of math yet that needs to be done.”

He said that in 2025, biodiesel and renewable diesel facilities were forced to shut down or run far below prior-year production levels due to market uncertainty. U.S. biodiesel production declined by one-third in 2025, compared to 2024.

“Biodiesel and renewable diesel represent 10% of the value of every bushel of U.S.-grown soybeans, contributing to President Trump’s desire for American energy dominance and domestic market demand for agriculture commodities,” said Kovarik. “American farmers and other feedstock providers are eager for the growing domestic clean fuel market to drive value in agriculture, along with economic growth and job creation in rural communities. American consumers are desperate for secure, affordable domestic energy. Today’s rule is a clear win for the nation’s energy security.”

With the benefits Set 2 will bring to America’s farmers, EPA estimates the rule will generate more than $10 billion for rural economies and create more than 100,000 new jobs in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors. To provide continued certainty for American corn growers and ethanol producers, EPA will maintain the 15 billion conventional biofuel level for 2026 and 2027.

Based on EPA’s latest release on March 27

(EPA)

What are Renewable Volume Obligations?

RVOs are targets set by EPA to determine how much renewable fuel must be blended into the U.S. transportation fuel supply. EPA determines the total volume of different categories of biofuels that should be used in the country for multi-year periods. Once decided, EPA converts the total volumes into percentage standards, which represent the ratio of renewable fuel to the total amount of gasoline and diesel expected to be consumed in the U.S. that year.

Each “obligated party,” typically refiners and importers of gasoline and diesel, calculates its RVO by multiplying EPA’s percentage standards by the total volume of non-renewable gasoline and diesel they produce or import. To prove they have met their RVO, obligated parties must use a serial number attached to each gallon of biofuel, known as Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). When the biofuel is blended into the fuel supply, the RIN is “separated” from the physical fuel.

At the end of the compliance year, obligated parties must submit to EPA enough RINs to cover their specific RVO. If a refiner blends more biofuel than required, they can sell their excess RINs to other refiners who have not met their obligations.

Adjusted Small Refinery Exemptions

The EPA also finalized the reallocation of the volumes from Small Refinery Exemptions from 2023 through 2025. Those are now set at 70%.

“Adding it to the top line volume for 2026 and 2027, the volumes that were waived over those three years will be made up in 2026 and 2027,” Kovarik. “For our industry, that’s somewhere between an additional 200 to 250 million gallons a year.”

He says that is on top of the already robust minimum volume that EPA set. The agency claims the RFS rule will create $31 billion in value for American corn and soybean oil.

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper noted that while they advocated for full reallocation of the 2023-2025 SREs, the 70 percent reallocation included in today’s rule is better than other options that were under consideration. EPA had proposed 50 percent reallocation as an option and also solicited public feedback on no reallocation at all.

“We continue to believe small refinery exemptions are completely unjustified, and the SRE petition process—including EPA’s reliance on the Department of Energy’s ‘scoring matrix'—is fundamentally flawed,” Cooper said. “SREs distort the market, undermine fair competition, and destabilize the RFS program. And while RFA appreciates EPA’s efforts to minimize market disruptions by reallocating most of the renewable volume lost to SREs, we believe the Agency has a duty to fully restore all exempted volumes.”

RVO Reaction Pours In

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and other farm groups applaud the RVO announcement from EPA.

“Today’s RFS rule supports continued growth in American-made renewable fuels like ethanol and brings much-needed certainty and stability to the marketplace,” said RFA on X.com .

Today’s RFS rule supports continued growth in American-made renewable fuels like #ethanol and brings much-needed certainty and stability to the marketplace. We are grateful to @POTUS and @epaleezeldin.https://t.co/FdovzBqLUr
— Renewable Fuels Association (@EthanolRFA) March 27, 2026

“Congress intended year-to-year renewable fuel blending to increase under the RFS and today’s announcement with the highest-ever volume obligations helps fulfill their intention,” said Brian Jennings, CEO for American Coalition for Ethanol. “We’ve consistently advocated for strong final blending obligations for 2026 and 2027, reflecting the full potential of the RFS and ensuring small refinery exemptions (SREs) do not erode demand for renewable fuels.”

Jennings says the integrity of the RFS depends on ensuring volume obligations translate into real-world demand. Any gap between required volumes and actual blending undermines the program and creates uncertainty for ethanol producers, farmers, and rural communities.

“We appreciate President Trump, Administrator Zeldin and Secretary Rollins for delivering strong RVO volumes and doing so in a way that recognizes the importance of American farmers,” said NSP Chair Amy France, a farmer from Scott City, Kan. “These volumes provide critical certainty for sorghum producers and help strengthen demand across the biofuels sector.”

NSP also highlighted EPA’s decision to reallocate 70 percent of previously exempted volumes, helping ensure that promised demand is realized.

“Maintaining the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard is essential,” France said. “Reallocating those gallons helps protect the market opportunities farmers depend on. We need to build on this momentum and get year-round E15 across the finish line.”

Ohio farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower, who was present at the White House for the announcement, also weighed in on the latest volumes.

“Our deep thanks go to President Trump and Administrator Zeldin for releasing these robust RVO numbers in an exceptionally timely manner and, appropriately, during an event honoring America’s farmers. This action provides certainty to corn farmers across the country who rely on a stable biofuels industry. Today’s announcement, coupled with the Trump administration’s E15 summertime waiver earlier this week, is a positive move for the nation’s corn growers who are navigating an exceptionally difficult economic environment. There is still more to be done to help our growers, and we look forward to working side-by-side with the president and our allies in Congress to get permanent year-round E15 legislation over the finish line.”

Fuel and Fertilizer Costs Surge

While there’s hope that embracing biofuels can help bolster the farm economy and lower prices at the pump, farmers are feeling the fallout of higher oil prices. According to AAA on Friday, the national average for a gallon of diesel fuel was $5.38. That’s nearly $2 per gallon higher than it was just a year ago, and it’s happening right as farmers gear up for the spring planting season.

“To help lower gasoline prices for farmers and consumers, this week, I issued an emergency order to allow immediate sales of E-15 — and just as I promised in the campaign, I’m seeking Congressional action to allow E-15 all-year-round,” said President Trump.

Fertilizer prices are also significantly higher in the last few weeks. While some farmers pre-applied acres last fall and others bought earlier in 2026, there are still a number of acres left to cover.

Know The Rules For Dicamba Use In Your State

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:50:50 GMT

The EPA has finalized the dicamba label for the next two growing seasons, bringing much-needed clarity to U.S. farmers. But while over-the-top (OTT) use is officially back, it arrives with the most restrictive federal requirements farmers have seen to date for products like Engenia , Tavium , and Bayer’s new XtendiMax replacement, Stryax .

In some cases, states are adopting stronger regulations for dicamba use, especially with regard to temperature and calendar cutoffs:

Temperature Cutoff: The federal label mandates a 95°F forecast high as a hard cutoff. If the National Weather Service forecasts a high above 95°F, you cannot legally spray OTT dicamba that day.
No Federal Calendar Cutoff: Unlike previous labels, the EPA has not set a nationwide calendar deadline.

State-Specific Restrictions In Place

Illinois and Minnesota are two states, so far, that are going with stricter regulations for temperature and application timing cutoffs for dicamba.

Illinois is using an 85°F forecast high as the cutoff for dicamba applications in soybeans.

“If you load your sprayer and it is 78 degrees at 10 a.m. in the morning, but the forecasted high by the National Weather Service is supposed to be 85 or 86, that is a do-not-spray day,” says Kevin Johnson, director of government relations and strategy for the Illinois Soybean Association.

Deadline for application: Plan for a June 20 cutoff for OTT applications, Johnson says.

Minnesota:

Temperature: Minnesota is using an 85°F forecast high cutoff for dicamba applications in soybeans.

Deadline for applications: June 12 cutoff south of I-94; June 30 cutoff north of I-94, according to Dicamba Restrictions Announced for 2026 Growing Season .

Shifting Your Weed Control Strategy

Because of the tighter application timing windows in Illinois, Johnson anticipates there could be a shift in how farmers there use the chemistry. He expects many Illinois farmers to move dicamba to a pre-emergence timing rather than post-emergence, saving OTT dicamba only for “super high weed” pressure situations.

With many seed trait packages now stacking dicamba and glufosinate (Liberty) tolerance, Johnson says to expect “a lot more guys using Liberty on the back end.”

In addition, the EPA is tying dicamba use to mandatory conservation practices. Farmers can find more details on the Bulletins Live! Two Website

“We’re still waiting on a lot of details on what those conservation practices are,” Johnson says. “Bulletins Live! Two is a good website, but it’s, I’ll say clunky… it’s not real easy to just find one thing and find what you need,” he cautions.

Record Keeping: Don’t Risk A $700 Fine

The most immediate hurdle for many farmers interested in using the technology this spring will be the paperwork. In Illinois, the Department of Agriculture uses a 22-question record-keeping sheet specifically for dicamba.

“If I can stress anything in this call, do your record keeping,” Johnson emphasizes. “If you ever get called in on a complaint, the first thing they ask you for is your record keeping. If you do not have all 22 questions filled out, you are going to get a $700 fine. There’s no questions asked.”

To stay ahead of that risk, Johnson advises Illinois farmers to complete records on a timely basis, not “later when things slow down.” He urges them to fill out as much of the form as possible before the season begins, including static information about equipment, farm identifiers, and general practices, then finish the day-specific entries in the cab during or immediately after the job. Some of the information—like wind speed, wind direction, and exact application timing—can only be captured accurately in real time.

For custom applications, the legal burden for record keeping falls on the applicator, Johnson adds, but growers should still ask for copies for their own files and talk openly with retailers about documentation expectations.

All of this points toward one overarching need, Johnson says: have a clear herbicide game plan for 2026, especially if you plan to use dicamba, and build in contingencies. He addresses more of the dicamba requirements specific to Illinois farmers in a recent Field Advisor podcast, available here .

Could Your Future Tractor Run on Corn? John Deere Thinks So

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 16:38:14 GMT

As the ag economy searches for the next evolution of demand, Deanna Kovar says the future tractor might not just sip diesel, it could run on E98 ethanol grown by farmers themselves. In an exclusive interview with Farm Journal , Kovar said the tractor is still in trials and testing, but John Deere is debuting the E98 tractor, and engine, during Commodity Classic next week.

Kovar, president of the Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division, Production & Precision Ag for John Deere, says the company is actively testing an ethanol-powered tractor in Iowa and other locations. While diesel remains the dominant fuel across production agriculture, Deere engineers are exploring whether high-ethanol blends could offer a cleaner, farmer-driven alternative.

“We’re not just thinking about diesel,” Kovar says. “We’re also considering how might we fix this problem another way. And that’s an ethanol tractor.”

A Tractor Fueled by the Farm

With so much talk about E15 and what that would mean for added domestic corn demand, Deere is taking it a step further for farm equipment. The concept centers on E98, a fuel blend made up of roughly 98% ethanol (the remaining 2% is denaturant). Unlike traditional diesel engines, an E98-powered tractor would burn clean enough that it would not require diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to meet emissions standards.

That’s a notable shift in an era where emissions systems add cost, maintenance and complexity to modern equipment. But for Kovar, the opportunity goes well beyond simplifying aftertreatment systems.

“The idea that we could use E98 to run a tractor, it’s so clean you don’t need diesel exhaust fluid to run it,” she says. “It would allow a farmer to grow the fuel that they put in their tractor to grow next year’s crop.”

That means corn grown in the field could be processed into ethanol, then returned to the farm as fuel — creating a tighter, more circular production system while generating more demand for the crops farmers already grow.

From Concept to Cornfield

One of the farmers helping test that concept is Tim Burrack of Arlington, Iowa, who recently shared his experience on “AgriTalk”.

Burrack first heard about the ethanol tractor while traveling and speaking with Deere representatives.

“They were talking about this tractor they had built that ran on 100% ethanol — or actually 98%, because ethanol is denatured,” Burrack says. “And I said, ‘Well, I’d sure like to have that tractor on my farm.’”

Before fall harvest ended, Deere delivered.

For five days, Burrack put the prototype to work, four days on a grain cart and one on tillage. The tractor, which Burrack says looks like a traditional John Deere 8R, is rated at 350 HP. Burrack says Deere has built only a handful of the prototypes, with one reportedly operating in Brazil and another in Iowa this past fall.

“I’m really thankful I got to run it, and I’m extremely impressed by it,” he says.

Unlike today’s high-horsepower diesel machines, the E98 tractor uses a spark ignition engine, a major departure from the compression ignition systems farmers are accustomed to.

“If you can imagine this, though, having 350 horse using electronic ignition, we’re not used to that in agriculture anymore at that large scale,” Burrack says.

In the field, however, he says performance spoke for itself. Hooked to an 1,100-bushel grain cart, the tractor handled full loads during harvest without issue. On tillage, Burrack says it performed “really well.”

Fuel consumption, he notes, ran about 1.65 gallons of ethanol to equal the energy performance of one gallon of diesel, which is consistent with the lower energy density of ethanol compared to diesel fuel.

The prototype isn’t perfect. Burrack says cold-weather starting remains a challenge, and Deere engineers are still refining the system.

“They know the problems they’ve got to resolve,” he says. “But I think John Deere is committed to making this work.”

The Infrastructure Hurdle

Kovar emphasizes the biggest barrier to adoption isn’t necessarily the engine itself.

“I don’t think it’s the engine technology that limits how long,” she says. “I really think it is the infrastructure.”

For E98 to become viable at scale, the industry would need:

Reliable production and distribution channels
Fuel retailers equipped to handle high-ethanol blends
On-farm storage and dispensing systems
A coordinated effort from fuel companies and equipment manufacturers

“There is a ton of infrastructure that would need to follow to allow an E98-type fuel to flow and be on [the] farm,” Kovar says. “Are the fuel companies ready to deliver it to the farm? Do we have the on-farm ability?”

If that system were in place, she suggests, the technology could move more quickly. Without it, adoption becomes a longer-term play. Kovar wouldn’t give an exact timeline on how long it could be before it’s commercially available to farmers, but she says the technology in the equipment will more than likely be ready before the infrastructure to support it.

A Local Fuel Loop

Burrack emphasizes the close, convenient loop the idea creates.

“Just imagine, within 20 miles of my farm, I can grow the corn, take it to the ethanol plant, they’ll make the fuel and all the liquid fuels that I need will be made right here,” he says. “I think it’s a transformation of equipment. And John Deere needs some encouragement to keep moving, but it actually works.”

Diesel isn’t going away anytime soon. But as Deere continues testing, and farmers like Burrack put E98 prototypes through real-world paces, the idea of tractors powered by the very crops they harvest is moving from thought experiment to field trial, and possibly, one day, to a field near you.

Watch the complete interview with Kovak on YouTube.

More DEF Relief? EPA Takes New Action for Farmers and Truckers

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:14:37 GMT

On the heels of clarifying farmers’ right to repair their own equipment, EPA is escalating pressure on diesel engine manufacturers over ongoing Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system failures the administration claims continue to sideline farm machinery and trucks.

On Tuesday, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency is demanding detailed failure data from major diesel engine manufacturers as it considers additional rules aimed at reducing DEF-related shutdowns and derates that have plagued farmers, truckers and equipment operators for years.

The move builds directly on Monday’s EPA right-to-repair guidance announcement that clarified the Clean Air Act does not prohibit farmers from fixing their own non-road diesel equipment, which includes making temporary emissions overrides when necessary to complete repairs.

“As I traveled to all 50 states during my first year as EPA administrator, I heard from truck drivers, farmers and many others rightly complaining about DEF and pleading for a fix,” Zeldin said in a statement on Tuesday. “EPA understands this is a massive issue, which is why we have already established commonsense guidance for manufacturers to update DEF systems.

“Today, we are furthering that work and demanding detailed data to hold manufacturers accountable for the continued system failures,” he added.

While neither announcement fully rolls back DEF requirements on tractors, a step many farmers and truckers continue to push for, both signal movement in that direction.

With today’s news in the mix, here’s what farmers and truckers need to know:

1. Increased Operational Up-Time.

The most immediate benefit is the reduction of “forced downtime.” Under the clarified guidance announced on Feb. 2, farmers can now perform temporary emissions overrides to complete essential work, such as planting or harvesting, even if a DEF failure occurs. The extension of warning periods — specifically the 36-hour window for non-road equipment before a derate kicks in — provides a buffer to finish a job before seeking repairs.

2. Legal Empowerment for Repairs.

EPA has explicitly stated the Clean Air Act cannot be used by manufacturers as a shield to prevent farmers from fixing your own equipment. This clarification removes a major legal hurdle in the right-to-repair movement, potentially lowering repair costs by allowing farmers and independent mechanics to access the tools and software needed to address DEF-related faults.

3. Manufacturer Accountability.

Under Section 208(a) of the Clean Air Act, EPA is demanding warranty and failure data for Model Year 2016, 2019 and 2023 engines from 14 major on-road and non-road diesel manufacturers (covering 80% of the market). That shifts the burden of DEF reliability from the end-user to the manufacturer. EPA says the information will help determine whether persistent DEF problems are tied to specific product generations, system designs or materials, and will inform further regulatory steps in 2026. Manufacturers have 30 days to comply or face potential enforcement actions.

4. Impact on Machinery Values.

Auction data suggests farmers are already voting with their checkbooks. According to Machinery Pete , demand and values remain strongest for pre-DEF used equipment, while interest in DEF-equipped machinery has softened.

If these EPA actions lead to more reliable DEF systems or easier repairs, the high demand (and inflated prices) for older, less efficient equipment might eventually stabilize as newer models become less of a liability in the field.

5. More Changes are Coming.

When asked why EPA has not eliminated DEF requirements entirely,Zeldin said the agency said it is actively building on last summer’s guidance and actively moving toward “common-sense” adjustments that prioritize productivity alongside emissions standards.

EPA’s demand for warranty and failure data follows DEF guidance issued in August 2025 that significantly softened inducement rules. That guidance delayed severe derates, reduced sudden shutdowns and required manufacturers to update software so operators could continue safely working while addressing faults.

For heavy-duty trucks, warning periods were extended to up to 650 miles or 10 hours before derates begin, with weeks of normal operation allowed before speed is limited. Non-road equipment now sees no impact for the first 36 hours after a DEF fault.

EPA has also said that starting with Model Year 2027, new diesel trucks must be engineered to avoid sudden and severe power loss after running out of DEF.

The Impact of Wildfires on the Agricultural Sector

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:44:40 GMT

In the United States, data collected by the National Inter-Agency Fire Center indicates that wildfires in recent years have caused far more damage than they did even a few decades ago. The average number of burned acres over the 2020-24 period was 7.3 million acres, a nearly 250 percent increase over the five-year period of 1983-88. Extensive research has found that the bulk of the increase in wildfires both in the United States and globally is occurring as a result of man-made climate change, as both higher temperatures and reduced rainfall have extended fire seasons, left trees and other vegetation drier and more prone to burning, and are far too often accompanied by high winds, which was a significant driving force in the extensive wildfires that hit greater Los Angeles, CA in January 2025. A 2023 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that the 500 percent increase in burn area for summer forest fires occurring in California for the fifteen year period ending in 2021 compared to a fifteen year period between 1971 and 1996 was almost entirely attributable to climate change. Similarly, a study released at the recent COP30 international climate change meetings in Brazil projected that climate change would induce significant increases in seasonal fire weather conditions across between 68 and 91 percent of the world’s fire-prone area by the end of the twenty-first century, depending on the emission scenario.

Recent research indicates that the increase in wildfire frequency and magnitude has had measurable impacts on human health, stemming in particular from respiratory issues. Evidence shows that wildfires generally emit a significant amount of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that is inhaled by firefighters and people living in or near the areas where the fires have occurred. This fire-generated PM has been found to have a different composition than the fine PM that people encounter from urban air pollution, including more oxidative components (such as oxygenated hydrocarbons) and pro-inflammatory components (like aldehydes). They also emit more carbon monoxide and ozone, which are also harmful to human health.

An article published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment in 2025 found that the climate-change induced increase in wildfires has led to more than 15,000 additional deaths from wildfire-generated PM respiratory issues over a 15-year period (between 2006 and 2020) in the western United States alone. These human health impacts created an estimated economic burden of $160 billion for the same region. Intense wildfires that strike urban environs, like last year’s massive fires in the Los Angeles, CA area, also leave behind on the ground or in damaged structures a toxic brew of ash and residue that includes incinerated cars, electronics, paints, furniture and every other kind of personal belonging, which may contain an unknown quantity of pesticides, asbestos, plastics, lead or other heavy metals. This material can persist for months or even years unless properly remediated. Excessive exposure to these substances can lead to not only respiratory problems but also neurological and cardiovascular problems. Within weeks after the LA fire, a massive study of its human health impacts was commissioned with funding from the Spiegel Family Fund, bringing in researchers from California universities such as UCLA and UC-Davis, as well as Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin.

The agricultural sector has also experienced significant problems as a result of the increased magnitude and frequency of wildfires in its proximity. As just discussed, respiratory issues often increase in populations close enough to wildfires to inhale smoke and particulate matter thrown off by the blaze. This is a particular problem for farmers, their family members, and farm workers in the western U.S., who are often harvesting crops at the same time that the region’s fire season is peaking. A survey of farm workers in Sonoma County in California found that nearly three-quarters of them had worked at least once under wildfire smoke or hazardous air quality conditions in the past several years. Even though the state of California requires farms to provide protective gear to their workers in such situations, most of them received inadequate protection, such as surgical masks, or nothing at all. This work was conducted by faculty members at the University of California at Berkeley.

In addition, it is likely that everyone living in close proximity to where wildfires occur suffers at least some mental stress due to awareness of risk of loss of life and property for themselves and their loved ones. It is reported that 31 people lost their lives in last year’s LA fires, and many thousands of families from neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades and Altadena have not yet been able to resume their normal lives yet,

When it comes to crop production, wildfires can not only destroy or damage the crops that are currently in the field, even those under irrigation, but it can also scorch the topsoil and subsoil layers in the field, potentially causing longer-term impacts. A meta-analysis conducted by scientists at Clemson University found that the composition of a microbiome can change after a wildfire, with a decline in the diversity of both fungal and bacterial species that are present. This can disrupt the functioning of the entire ecosystem. In addition, we know that certain crops, like grapes and cannabis, can be adversely affected by exposure to wildfire smoke, which can alter the quality of the crop. For example, most of the wine grape crop in Napa County, California in 2020 was affected by smoke taint in the wake of the major fires in northern California in that year, and the harvested grapes could not be used at all to make wine. Grape producers in that county collected $111 million in federal crop insurance indemnities for the 2020 crop year, as compared to an average of $3.7 million annually over the five previous years.

$280,000? 18-Year-Old Semi Sells for Record Price, Signaling Pre-DEF Equipment Demand Is Surging

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 17:56:02 GMT

An 18-year-old semi just set a record at auction, offering one of the clearest signals yet of where demand is flowing in today’s machinery market — and where it isn’t.

A 2007 Peterbilt 379, built before diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) systems were required, sold for $280,000 during a late-year consignment auction in North Dakota. The truck was a rare example: one owner, always shedded, and showing just 20,817 miles. Still, the price stunned even seasoned auction watchers.

Greg Peterson — better known as Machinery Pete — says the sale eclipses every previous result he has tracked for the iconic model.

“I’ve seen about 2,800 Pete 379s over the last 25 years,” Peterson says. “The previous high was $262,000, and that was back in July 2022 when the whole market was absolutely on fire. To come along now and just smoke that number, with an 18-year-old truck, that tells you something.”

That “something,” Peterson says, is demand not just for trucks, but for pre-emissions equipment across agriculture and transportation. Auctions, he notes, are brutally honest. They don’t care about model-year labels or marketing cycles. They simply reflect what buyers want — and what they are willing to pay for.

“That Peterbilt is an 18-year-old truck,” Peterson says. “And it brings $280,000. Auctions don’t lie. They tell you exactly what people want — and right now, that’s used, pre-DEF equipment.”

‘07 Peterbilt 379 w/ only 20,817 miles, 1 owner, always shedded, sold $280,000 today on @UlmerAuction sale. I’ve compiled 2800+ auction sale prices on 379’s past 25 Yrs. $280,000 is new record high auction price. Was $262K on 7/28/22 Villa Grove, IL salehttps://t.co/S6yC5PLDvR pic.twitter.com/TxdTN67GIH
— Greg Peterson (@MachineryPete) December 17, 2025

Used Equipment Values Gain Momentum

The Peterbilt sale is not an isolated case. Peterson says used equipment values, broadly speaking, have been strengthening for much of the year — a trend that runs counter to what the machinery market has historically done during periods of soft farm income.

“Used values started to solidify in the third week of February,” Peterson says. “They held, held, held. Then we got into November and December and it was like, ‘Katie, bar the door.’ I’ve never seen this in my 36 years.”

What makes the current cycle unusual, he says, is not just that used values are strong — it’s that they’re strengthening at a time when new equipment sales are clearly contracting.

“In the past, when I’ve seen auction prices take off like this, it’s always been equivalent to optimal conditions for new equipment sales,” Peterson says. “That ain’t the case this time.”

Recent auction data reinforces the point. A 2011 Case IH 6088 combine, pre-DEF and with low hours, sold for $178,000, the highest auction price for that model in nearly 11 years. A 2009 John Deere 8295R tractor with just over 1,000 hours brought $230,000, the strongest result in more than 30 months.

“I’ve never seen used values going up while new sales are going down,” Peterson says. “Never.”

Price of New Forces a Rethink

Peterson says the underlying force behind this shift is impossible to ignore: the cost of new equipment.

“I don’t know how tall the ceiling is, but that’s the price of new,” he says. “We understand why prices went up — labor, materials, everything through the pandemic — but at some point you have to ask, ‘Just because you can raise the price, should you?’”

As the grain downturn stretches on, Peterson says farmers have had time to pause and reassess their operations — and their machinery lineups.

“What it’s done is it’s given farmers time to catch their breath,” he says. “They’re saying, ‘We’ve got a lot of iron on this farm. We’ve got more equipment than my dad had and more than my grandpa had. Do we really need all this going forward?’”

That mindset shift doesn’t necessarily mean farmers will stop buying equipment forever. But Peterson says it has changed buying behavior — especially in the short term — and it’s pushed many operators toward well-kept used machines rather than six- or seven-figure new purchases.

“When the money’s not flowing, people think differently,” he says. “That’s just the reality.”

Dealers, Manufacturers Pull Back on New

At the same time farmers are stepping back, Peterson says the supply side of the market has also changed in ways that amplify used-equipment demand.

Manufacturers have dramatically reduced production, closing plants and laying off workers at levels Peterson says he has never seen before. While painful, those moves have eliminated excess new inventory sitting on dealer lots — and the interest expense that comes with it.

“What manufacturers have achieved is basically no backlog of new equipment,” Peterson says.

He says dealer consolidation over the past decade has played a major role. Larger dealer groups now carry more leverage with manufacturers, and when the slowdown hit, dealers acted quickly.

“They were paying 8% interest on all this stuff sitting on their lots,” Peterson says. “Their No. 1 mission wasn’t selling new equipment. Their No. 1 mission was, ‘We are going to move this one-, two-, three-year-old stuff.’”

Manufacturers responded with incentives to help dealers clear late-model used inventory — a level of cooperation Peterson says he has not seen in more than three decades of tracking the market.

“I’ve never seen that level of coordination before,” he says. “And the focus clearly shifted away from new.”

Pre-DEF Machines Command a Premium

Layered on top of price and supply issues is deep frustration with emissions systems. Peterson says pre-DEF equipment — whether trucks, tractors or combines — now stands out immediately to buyers.

“The good pre-emission stuff jumps forward like a neon sign,” he says.

That demand is no longer subtle. Practices that once happened quietly, such as emissions deletions, are now openly acknowledged — and reflected in sale prices.

“It used to be hush-hush,” Peterson says. “It’s not anymore. People say it right on the auction bill because it sells for more money. It just flat does.”

He says recent political discussion around environmental regulations has only amplified that sentiment, particularly among farmers who feel reliability and repair costs have been compromised.

“When he talked about it, I honestly thought it was an AI clip at first,” Peterson says. “He sounded like every farmer I’ve talked to for the last 15 years.”

New Equipment Demand Remains Weak

While used values climb, new equipment sales continue to struggle. November data show four-wheel-drive tractor sales down 19%, with self-propelled combine sales down 35% for the month and nearly 40% year-to-date. Livestock producers remain a bright spot, but on the grain side, Peterson says demand is clearly subdued.

Looking ahead, he says today’s production cuts could have major consequences when farm income eventually improves.

“When corn and beans finally move higher and stay there, we’re going to see exactly what we saw in 2021,” Peterson says. “Farmers are going to want to update, and dealers are going to say, ‘I can only sell you eight — that’s all we get.’”

Until then, he says the auction market continues to speak clearly.

Will Trump Roll Back DEF?

During a roundtable at the White House last week when the Trump administration rolled out $12 billion in farmer aid , President Trump also revealed other actions the Trump administration is working on to reduce regulations. Trump told farmers Monday his administration plans to scale back environmental requirements on tractors and other farm equipment, framing the move as a way to bring down machinery costs that have climbed in recent years.

“The other thing I’d like to add … we’re going to also give the tractor companies, John Deere and all of the companies that make the equipment, we’re going to take off a lot of the environmental restrictions that they have on machinery,” Trump said. “It’s ridiculous.”

While Trump didn’t provide specifics on how the details of that plan will come together, Trump said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin would be involved in carrying out the effort. There’s speculation on if that will be removing diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) requirements on tractors or also addressing the long-standing right-to-repair issue.

Farm Journal reached out to EPA, and the agency confirmed it was DEF to which the president was referring.

“EPA has heard loud and clear from truckers and farmers across the United States that the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system was unacceptable and cost millions of dollars in lost productivity,” Brigit Hirsch, EPA press secretary, told Farm Journal. “This summer, Administrator Zeldin issued clear guidance urging engine and equipment manufacturers to revise DEF system software in existing vehicles and equipment to prevent sudden shutdowns. It is essential manufacturers give operators more time to repair faults without impacting their livelihoods or safety. EPA will continue to evaluate ways to expand the work the agency has already done on DEF and looks forward to working across the administration to do so.”

Trump argued added systems meant to meet environmental rules have driven up price tags and made equipment harder to operate and repair.

“You buy it, it’s got so much equipment on it for the environmental, it doesn’t do anything except it makes the equipment much more expensive and much more complicated to work,” he said, adding, “it’s not as good as the old days.”

Trump said the administration’s goal is to remove what he called “nonsense” and require manufacturers to pass savings along to farmers.

Read more about what President Trump may do with DEF in the coming months.

The Death of DEF? Trump Says He’ll Roll Back Environmental Requirements to Cut Farm Equipment Costs

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 16:41:02 GMT

During a White House roundtable on Monday tied to a new $12 billion “bridge payment” plan , President Donald Trump said his administration will move quickly to ease environmental requirements affecting tractors and other farm machinery, arguing the changes will lower sticker prices and simplify repairs.

While the headline of the event was to announce the payments, which Trump says will be funded by tariff revenue, the roundtable discussion with farmers also revealed other actions the Trump administration is working on to reduce regulations. Trump told farmers Monday his administration plans to scale back environmental requirements on tractors and other farm equipment, framing the move as a way to bring down machinery costs that have climbed in recent years.

President Trump said that farming equipment has gotten too expensive and his administration would help tractor companies by removing some environmental rules that affect them https://t.co/nKzE5ACyBp pic.twitter.com/oexiZnfxgf
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 9, 2025

“The other thing I’d like to add … we’re going to also give the tractor companies, John Deere and all of the companies that make the equipment … we’re going to take off a lot of the environmental restrictions that they have on machinery,” Trump said. “It’s ridiculous.”

While Trump didn’t provide specifics on how the details of that plan will come together, Trump said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin would be involved in carrying out the effort. There’s speculation on if that will be removing diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) requirements on tractors or also addressing the long-standing right-to-repair issue.

Earlier this year, EPA announced guidance to change, not eliminate, DEF requirements, allowing for softer power loss in new trucks (from model year 2027) when DEF runs low, preventing sudden shutdowns and enabling software fixes for existing vehicles, easing burdens on truckers and farmers. This guidance removed what EPA called “red tape,” allowing manufacturers to develop less disruptive fixes for performance issues caused by emissions systems, though it doesn’t legalize “deleting” emissions equipment.

EPA Says DEF Is “Unacceptable”

While Trump didn’t outline exactly what EPA plans to roll back, he hinted toward DEF being the target. Farm Journal reached out to EPA for clarification and comment, and EPA’s press secretary confirmed rolling back DEF requirements is the target for this administration.

“EPA has heard loud and clear from truckers and farmers across the United States that the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system was unacceptable and cost millions of dollars in lost productivity,” Brigit Hirsch, EPA press secretary, told Farm Journal. “This summer, Administrator Zeldin issued clear guidance urging engine and equipment manufacturers to revise DEF system software in existing vehicles and equipment to prevent sudden shutdowns. It is essential manufacturers give operators more time to repair faults without impacting their livelihoods or safety. EPA will continue to evaluate ways to expand the work the agency has already done on DEF and looks forward to working across the administration to do so.”

She also pointed farmers toward EPA’s website dedicated to actions on Diesel Exhaust Fluid .

Trump Says “It Makes the Equipment Much More Expensive”

Trump argued added systems meant to meet environmental rules have driven up price tags and made equipment harder to operate and repair.

“You buy it, it’s got so much equipment on it for the environmental, it doesn’t do anything except it makes the equipment much more expensive and much more complicated to work,” he said, adding, “it’s not as good as the old days.”

Trump said the administration’s goal is to remove what he called “nonsense” and require manufacturers to pass savings along to farmers.

“And we’re going to do it, and we’re going to say: ‘You’re going to reduce the prices.’ We’re not going to do it, and they’re not going to reduce. They’re going to have to reduce their prices because farming equipment has gotten too expensive,” Trump said during the roundtable. “A lot of the reason is because they put these environmental excesses on the equipment which don’t do a damn thing except make it complicated, make it impractical.”

Trump Claims Modern Equipment is Overly Complex and Difficult to Service

Trump also described modern equipment as overly complex and more difficult for farmers to service themselves.

“For you really have to be, in many cases, you need about 185 IQ to turn on a lawn mower,” he said. “So we’re going to take that … off … that they put on Biden mostly.”

Trump claimed the changes would quickly impact costs, bringing down equipment prices and saying: “We’re going to do that immediately.”

“The machines, they’re always under repair because they’re so complicated that you can’t fix them,” “he said. The old days you used to fix it yourself. Now you can’t do that. You have to be a Ph.D. from, let’s say, MIT.”

Comments Came During Event Announcing $12 Billion in Bridge Payments

Trump made the remarks during a roundtable discussion with farmers at the White House that coincided with an announcement by the White House and USDA of $12 billion in bridge payments for farmers.

Up to $11 billion will go toward a newly designed Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program targeted toward row crop farmers hit hardest by trade disruptions. Those payments will be sent by the end of February, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. The remaining $1 billion will be set aside and is designated for other crops affected by the ongoing disputes.

USDA says the bulk of the funding will run through the new FBA program, administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and funded under the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Rollins framed the package as near-term help while trade and farm-safety-net updates ramp up.

John Deere Reacts

In a post on X following the announcement, John Deere commended the Trump administration’s announcement of relief and bridge payments for farmers saying: “The timely assistance will protect this essential industry, help rural communities and support critical long-term investments in the future of U.S. agriculture and manufacturing.”

Hat’s off to those who feed and fuel America pic.twitter.com/UWBvmAus20
— John Deere USA (@JohnDeere) December 8, 2025

John Deere also said it shares the administration’s focus on reducing costs for both producers and consumers.

“We are doing all we can to help U.S. farmers reduce input costs,” according to the post. “The equipment and technologies Deere makes here in the U.S. are giving American farmers new tools and technologies that can substantially reduce their input costs and labor costs while increasing yields, boosting margins.”

Those comments are drawing backlash from farmers and others online. Some argue if John Deere truly wants to help farmers, then they can start by lowering the price of their equipment. While others Deere will be one of the beneficiaries of farmers receiving these payments.

https://cms.farmjournal.com/cms/content/edit.jsp?id=0000019b-0351-d956-a5ff-8bdf58620000&typeId=c2a98712-61fa-35ef-bd5d-e0bfe394c8b6

Of course you commend relief and bridge payments, you make more financing tractors than you do selling them 🤣
— Drake (@silvopasturist) December 9, 2025