Midwest (U.S.)

Corn Reigns King For Planting in Northwest Iowa

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:15:32 GMT

Plant 2026 is underway for farmers in Northwest Iowa, including Matt McCarthy who started planting this week.

USDA’s crop progress report showed Iowa farmers have just 1% of the corn planted compared to the 2% average.

According to USDA’s Prospective Plantings report farmers in Iowa intended to plant 450,000 less acres of corn this year and shift those over to soybeans.

Corn is King in Northwest Iowa

However, that may not be the case for McCarthy and others in Northwest Iowa where corn is king.

“Nope, I haven’t switched any acres,” McCarthy said. “I think we’re heavily corn acres in this county, and we have probably better corn farms than bean farms. So, the rotation guys will stay with their rotation. And I think some of the corn on corn, as long as there’s manure involved, we’ll stay corn on the corn.”

He’s not alone, McCarthy’s seed customers and other farmers in Northwest Iowa are also planting corn on corn.

Typically half of the area in his area are either continuous corn or planted corn on corn for two years, with soybeans rotated in the third year.

And he with the use of livestock manure he has not seen any yield drag.

“Some of my best yields or the best yields were continuous corn fields last year,” he said.

Livestock Drives Corn Production

McCarthy said corn’s reign is due to the concentration of cattle and hog production in northwest Iowa.

He believes livestock manure aids in soil fertility and allows them to grow continuous corn, which is in demand as a feed source.

The availability of manure helps cut fertilizer costs which have increased from last fall due to war in Iran.

McCarthy said his bill for 32% is up from $250 to $275 a ton from last fall. “That’s the highest I think I’ve ever paid,” he said.

However, the inability to source fertilizer is not a concern as most farmers in the area already applied anhydrous ammonia and spread manure last fall.

Disease and Weed Control

Disease isn’t deterring McCarthy or other farmers from planting corn either, even though Southern Rust was heavy in spots in 2025.

He said growers understand this disease better than past years and the timing of fungicides leaving them more confident about planting corn again this year. “If you’re a guy that does corn on corn, I think you’ll go back to the corn,” McCarthy said.

However, he ramped up his weed control program due to resistance issues like water hemp.

Planting Progress Slightly Behind

Planting progress is behind last spring due to heavy rains and cold soils but McCarthy historically starts planting right after the insurance date, so he’s not concerned.

“No, I think that if we look at historically, we’re not usually planting till the 20th of April. So I think we’re fine, just everyone’s probably antsy to get out there. I think the early corn plantings do have an advantage. So, I think everybody wants to get going.”

Still, he’s thankful for the moisture since it was a fairly open winter.

“We were generally pretty dry this winter.,” he said, “When we warmed up in February into March, we were dry, and now that we just got two inches, we’re in pretty good shape to get the crop started.”

And a good start to the crop is a big key to high yields, which leaves McCarthy optimistic about the season.

Elevated Corn Rootworm Pressure Projected For The Midwest

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:51:42 GMT

The “billion-dollar bug” is sharpening its teeth for 2026. Bayer CropScience reports corn rootworm pressure could be significant this year across major corn growing areas.

Based on 2025 beetle capture data from 555 monitored fields, the company projects medium to high rootworm pressure for the upcoming growing season in much of the Midwest:

31% of the corn fields sampled in 2025 had counts exceeding the economic threshold of 2 beetles/trap/day, which was 2% higher than 2024 fields (29%), 22% less than 2023 and 2022 fields (53%), and 7% less than 2021 fields (38%).
46% of the continuous corn fields sampled in 2025 were above the economic threshold, which was up 3% from 2024 (43%), down 25% from 2023 (71%), down 28% from 2022 (74%), and down 6% from 2021 (52%).
17% of the first-year corn fields in 2025 were above the economic threshold, which was 1% higher than 2024 (16%), 3% higher than 2023 (14%), up 7% from 2022 (10%), and equal to 2021 (17%).

On a broad scale, Bayer reports that rootworm larval populations — and consequently the risk potential from all CRW species this season — are likely to be elevated in fields in northern Illinois, south central Illinois, western Iowa, eastern, southeastern, and southwestern Nebraska, eastern and southeastern Wisconsin, and northern Colorado. Read the full report here .

Rootworm larvae feeding on corn roots compromise the plants’ structural integrity and can slice yields in affected fields by as much as 45%.

2026 corn rootworm pressure forecast based on 2025 beetle capture in 555 fields in CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI, and PA.

(Maps: Bayer, Beetle Monitoring Project from 2024 and 2025)

How Two CRW Variants Beat The Corn-Soybean Rotation

“CRW beetles are very, very adaptable to many of the things that we throw at them,” says Ashley Dean, Iowa State University Extension field crop entomologist.

She says CRW is forcing many row-crop growers to rewrite their management playbooks to address the pest better, especially variant populations.

Dean reports that the “variant” label describes two distinct genetic adaptations of corn rootworm:

Northern Corn Rootworm (Extended Diapause): These small green beetles have learned to hit the “snooze” button. Instead of hatching the following spring, their eggs remain dormant in the soil for two or more years—sometimes up to five. This allows larvae to emerge exactly when a field rotates back to corn.
Western Corn Rootworm (The Soybean Variant): These yellow-and-black striped beetles have developed a behavioral shift. Instead of staying in cornfields to lay eggs, females migrate to soybean fields to deposit them. When that field is planted to corn the next season, the larvae are already waiting in the soil. “These variants have essentially lost their fidelity to corn when they’re laying eggs,” Dean notes in a webinar.

These maps give approximate locations for western and northern corn rootworm variants.

(Iowa State University Extension)

A Multi-Pronged Management Strategy

Addressing corn rootworm effectively requires farmers use a localized, field-by-field strategy, says Jim Robinson, chief technology officer for Rob-See-Co. Because geography, soil, and history vary, growers should work with agronomists to tailor traits and stewardship practices to their specific acres rather than relying solely on regional forecasts, he advises.

Here are four additional recommendations Extension and industry advise farmers use in areas with expected high populations of CRW this season:

Make Root Scouting Non-Negotiable: Dig and rate roots in every field—continuous or rotated—to understand your baseline pressure. For assessing damage, use the interactive node-injury scale from Iowa State available here .
Consider Longer Rotations: In areas with heavy Northern corn rootworm extended diapause, adding a third crop like oats can break the cycle, Dean says.
Strategic Use of Bt and Insecticides: While Western corn rootworm has shown resistance to all four Bt traits in some areas, these tools still have a place. However, Iowa State suggests choosing either a Bt hybrid or a soil-applied insecticide rather than using both as “insurance” unless pressure is extreme.

To help farmers make informed decisions, Chris DiFonzo, professor & field crops entomologist at Michigan State University, provides the Handy Bt Trait Table for U.S. Corn Production , a valuable resource that outlines available Bt traits, their targets, and other key information.

Leave a Check Strip: When testing a new transgenic hybrid or insecticide in first-year corn, leave an untreated strip. This is the only way to verify if the treatment provided a return on investment.

Barn Find Bonanza: Low-Hour John Deere 7810 Smashes Record

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 18:39:14 GMT

If you kick around the used farm equipment world long enough, every now and again you’ll come across the Holy Grail of auction finds: low-hour, premium condition (i.e. like new) pre-DEF machines.

Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson likes to call them “barn finds.”

This week’s Pete’s Pick of the Week is a pristine barn find that brought home a big return for its 89-year-old owner:

Last Wednesday at an online farm equipment auction in Viroqua, Wisc., a 2002 John Deere 7810 2WD row crop tractor with only 915 engine hours (shown top of page) sold for $158,392, which absolutely destroyed the previous record high for a 2WD 7810 by over $45,000.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

Another notable transaction from last week was a 1990 Case IH 7120 FWD tractor with over 4,000 engine hours (shown above) that sold for $61,000 at BigIron.com’s Rodney Patterson Farm Retirement online auction in Stratford, Iowa. It represents the second-highest all-time auction result for a 7120 with over 4,000 hours.

And this dealer-owned skid steer set a record for a used Case IH 435:

“You don’t see them very often, but they’re out there, more often than people think,” Pete says of the barn find John Deere 7810 and Case skid steer. “The guy probably retired decades ago and kept it to move some snow or something and it hardly had any hours on it. These pre-DEF, low-hour, barn finds always, always attract big money.”

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And another notable auction result from the Rodney Patterson sale was a 1988 Case IH 1660 combine with 3,801 hours (shown above) that sold for $15,250.

Auction Market Insights

Pete shared a couple observations on the used farm equipment auction circuit during his appearance on AgriTalk this week:

His data shows that farm equipment auctions are up 14.5% through the end of September, year over year. And Pete anticipates an uptick in “whole farm fleet liquidations” in the months ahead and into 2026 due to the ongoing farm economy depression and many farmers aging out of active farming.

“[Right now] we’re just on the front end of this; the end of the year is going to be very busy as far as the number of auctions,” Pete says. “[There’s] all these different stressors and uncertainties out there, and combined with the fact the average age of the American farmer is older than me — and I’ll be 60 in a few weeks … yeah, there’s going to be a lot of auctions.”

Upcoming Auction to Watch

On Nov. 4, McGrew Equipment (Seven Valleys, Pa.) will host an auction featuring 150 skid steers (including an ASV PT100 with 141 hours) and several nice used tractors, like the Deutz-Fahr 5110G in the video above with only 33 hours. You can find more details at mcgrew-equipment.com.

Winter Is Coming: Farm Equipment Prep Pointers From an Oil and Fuels Expert

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:49:56 GMT

Every winter, after fall harvest and tillage are wrapped up, farmers begin prepping farm equipment for the long slumber ahead until spring planting arrives. Or, if you plan on using that tractor or UTV to move snow or for other tasks around the farm, you need to prep your machinery for that as well.

There are several essential steps farmers need to consider for winter farm machinery use and storage, says Jonathan Woetzel. Woetzel has enjoyed a long career with Minnesota-based cooperative CHS, where he focuses on quality assurance for the Cenex brand, which is CHS’ in-house label for its fuels, lubricants and propane.

How to handle fuel

Cenex fuel at Shumaker Ringnecks Pheasant Farm

(Adam Hester )

His first piece of winter farm equipment preparation advice for farmers and fleet managers is make sure you have the right diesel fuel on hand.

“The wax that naturally occurs in diesel fuel, especially No. 2 diesel fuel, when it gets too cold, the wax crystallizes and becomes a solid form that doesn’t pass through filters very well,” Woetzel explains. “There are fuels available, like our Cenex Winter Master premium diesel fuel, that include additives to prevent gelling.”

That unwanted fuel thickening, or gelling as Woetzel calls it, is mitigated specifically by cold flow improver (CFI) additives in the fuel.

For any gasoline-fueled equipment you’re not planning on running this winter, Woetzel recommends adding a fuel stabilizer to the tank if you’re not able to empty it out prior to storage. Although, oftentimes a premium winter diesel fuel blend will already contain fuel stabilizers, so check with your fuel supplier before investing in aftermarket stabilizers.

Oil and lubricants

Oil_Analysis_Cenex_rev

Changing the oil in any equipment you store for winter is a good idea, he adds.

“I say that because used oil, if it’s been in there for quite some time, has lost some of its ability to prevent rust and corrosion,” Woetzel says. “So, get the old oil out and put in fresh oil and a new filter, and then fire it up and run it for 10 minutes or so to circulate the oil. Now all the internal engine parts are coated with oil to prevent rust and corrosion.”

The quiet winter period is also a great time to send off any used oil samples for lab analysis, which helps detect internal equipment issues (e.g., contaminants like coolant leaks or unusual engine wear), and then you can address maintenance needs before spring planting season. Most oil testing services turn samples around in 48 hours and will email a PDF of the results.

Another consideration is oil type. You want engine oil that will flow quickly as the machine starts up. Woetzel says you want to use high-quality synthetic oil.

“A full synthetic gives better cold starting capabilities and lubrication,” he adds. “And you want to make sure you have the right viscosity grade, like a 5W-40. That 5W means it’s going to flow very well right away at cold startup and work well in cold temperatures.”

Coolant and antifreeze

dan anderson coolant

Because coolants and antifreeze are formulated for a wide range of temperatures, there’s not much to worry about in that regard. Woetzel does recommend checking your owner’s manual for the manufacturer’s recommended coolant change intervals, and if you’re due for a coolant swap, get that done (and a coolant flush) before winter hits.

If you’ve purchased a used machine that’s already full of antifreeze, but you’re not sure what type or if it’s the right formulation for your climate, there are handheld testers that you can purchase to verify the fluid’s actual freeze point.

Finally: hit those grease points

types of grease

(Dan Anderson)

Take a second and think about when you last greased up all the grease points on your tractor, combine, planter or tillage tool, Woetzel says. If you’re putting the machine into storage and won’t need it until it warms up, a standard No. 2 grease is good for spring, summer and fall. If you’re going to keep using it during the winter, he recommends using a No. 1 grease.

“We tell them to switch to a No. 1 grease, which is softer and easier to pump, and it flows better,” Woetzel explains.

Your Next Read: Record Breaking Used Hay Baler And Seed Drill Headline Pete’s Pick of the Week

Record Breaking Used Hay Baler And Seed Drill Headline Pete's Pick of the Week

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:22:49 GMT

Hay and livestock equipment is scorching hot on the used farm equipment auction market. This week’s Pete’s Pick of the Week is a shining example of positive momentum within the segment.

At a Jason Aycock Auctioneering sale Saturday in South Hill, Va., a “really sharp” New Holland BR7060 round baler (shown top of page) with 7,700 bales on it sold for $31,000. That topped the previous record auction price by $2,000.

(Jason Aycock Auctioneering)

In the same auction lot, a Hayduster 107 10-foot no-till seed drill (shown above) with 1,110 acres on it sold for $22,000, which once again broke the previous record high at auction by $2,000.

Here is a video from Machinery Pete’s Facebook page showing both machines being auctioned off:

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And a few weeks ago, at a Richie Brothers auction in Saskatchewan, a 2017 John Deere 569 round baler with 5,968 bales under its belt (shown right) sold for $56,000 CA, which equates to just over $40,000 USD. Machinery Pete says that’s the seventh highest price all-time on a John Deere 569.

Used utility tractors with loader attachments also remain in high demand in the livestock/cattle producer markets.

(Jason Aycock Auctioneering)

At the Aycock sale in Virginia over the weekend, a New Holland T5070 with over 4,000 engine hours on it (shown above) with a NH 852 T loader implement included sold for $41,000. Pete says that’s not a record, but it still represents a “pretty, pretty strong price.”

And what about other livestock farming equipment, like feed trucks? Are those machines also bringing big dollar bids at auction? Yes, they sure are, says Pete.

(Purple Wave Auctions )

A 2024 Kenworth C500 feed mixer truck with a Rotomix 7002016 XD mixer (shown above) and 16,424 miles on it sold for $203,500 at a PurpleWave.com online auction last Wednesday.

“Whether it’s a round baler or a loader tractor, one of the things driving the market here is, you know, what’s a new one cost? When you’re buying horsepower on the used tractor market, it’s such a contrast with the price of new to a good used one that, even though it’s a record price, it’s still a big gap between the [price of a] new one. And that makes it awful attractive for used buyers,” Pete says.

Upcoming Auction

On November 4 Big Iron Auctions/Sullivan Auctioneers will be hosting the Jon and Marcia Kinzenbaw “No Reserve Collector Tractor Auction” in Williamsburg, Iowa, and online at BigIron.com. Jon Kinzenbaw founded Kinze Manufacturing Inc.

You can check out the auction docket for that sale here , bidding closes November 4 at 9:00 am CDT.

Your Next Read: Machinery Pete’s 5 Pointers For Equipment Auctions

From Best Buy Toy to Pro Spray Drone: A Father-Son Duo Takes Flight In Missouri Cattle Country

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:41:27 GMT

Iowa State University freshman Rhett Keaton and his father, Vance, are launching a drone spraying side hustle.

The father-son duo started out just having some fun several years ago, buzzing around the house with a $20 drone from Best Buy that “drove mom crazy”. But now, they are getting serious about turning entertainment to revenue.

Vance, who runs 5K Cattle Company out of Anderson, Mo., ran out and purchased a DJI Agras T20P spray drone this spring, and both Keatons secured the Part 107 Commercial Pilot Certificate needed to operate on a farm. Combined with the private pesticide applicator’s license 5K Cattle Co. already held, the guys can now apply restricted-use pesticides to their own pasture ground.

University of Missouri Extension experts recently weighed in on the promise of drone usage in farming, and more specifically, in cattle operations. Field specialist Caleb O’Neal likens the technologies’ versatility and practicality to that of a UTV.

“Back in the 1980s, it would have been rare to see a UTV being used on a farm,” he says. “Visiting farms today, I’m hard-pressed to find an operation larger than 20 acres that doesn’t have some type of UTV that they utilize on a regular basis.”

And while the Keaton’s are banking on custom application services with a spray drone as their next play in ag, you don’t have to spray crops or weeds to use drones for the benefit of your farm or ranch, according to O’Neal.

Use of drones in agriculture is increasing as row crop and livestock producers find new ways to improve efficiency and productivity.

(Photo courtesy of Caleb O’Neal.)

“Livestock producers can monitor fences and availability of water and can make sure animals are where they should be without even opening a gate,” O’Neal explains. “Drone technology lets cattlemen quickly check estrus indication patches for optimized breeding timing, monitor cows during calving season, look for hidden newborn calves and look out for potential predators.

Getting back to the Keatons, the next step is for Rhett, who is majoring in ag systems technology in Ames this fall, to secure his Missouri commercial pesticide applicators license.

Once that happens, the pair can start marketing drone spraying services to neighboring farms. Their plan is to start locally with pasture and grassland applications before seeking out work on row crop farms to the north once foliar fungicide season hits.

Related - The Scoop Podcast: What’s Next For Ag Drone Application?

Even though the T20P is one of the smaller spray drones offered by DJI, Keaton says it’s proven to be the perfect fit so far. He also rents a neighbor’s spray drone, paying a per-acre fee, when he needs more than one bird to cover more ground.

“We do a lot of flying in and out of trees and stuff like that,” Keaton says. “Having that smaller drone with less capacity and a more efficient battery, I get about double the battery life as [the bigger drones] do. But I also have about half the tank.”

The reservoir on the T20P holds about 5.5 to 6 gallons of tank mix, so Keaton will usually need to land and refill his tank after about five or six minutes of spraying. He averages 23 acres per hour when everything is set up for a quick land-refill-takeoff cycle.

Keaton says Corteva’s DuraCor herbicide, an aerial application-approved formulation containing two Group 4 AIs, is the main product he’s been spraying from the drone thus far. The product label calls for 2 to 3 gallons of active ingredients (mixed with carrier water) applied per acre with coarse droplets.

A fellow rancher kicks the tires on Vance and Rhett Kaiser’s spray drone trailer at a field day event. The Kaisers operate 5K Cattle Company out of Anderson, Mo., and have plans to launch a spray drone custom application business in the near future.

(Rhett Keaton )

Keaton and Vance also picked up a nicely appointed spray drone trailer off — of all places — Facebook Marketplace. The whole setup – drone, trailer, extra batteries, etc. – cost about $30,000 all-in, Keaton says.

“We found one that was cheaper to buy than it was to build our own, especially with the generator — that is probably the most expensive part of that trailer,” he explains. “It already had the generator, pumps, the mix tanks and a thousand-gallon freshwater tank, and everything was lined up.”

With the spray drone in the air and the nice, shiny trailer parked edge-of-field as Keaton makes his passes, cleaning up weed escapes in fields that he says are “pretty clean” already, neighboring farmers often take notice and stop by to ask if he and his dad can come by and spray some of their ground, too. Their plan is to find the sweet spot between a $12 to $20 per acre fee to charge for their drone spraying services.

Speaking of sweet spots, O’Neal feels that spot spraying, guided by aerial imagery or even first-hand producer knowledge of where weed problems are significant and need to be addressed, is a good target for drone service providers like the Keatons.

“A pasture with a rash of blackberry weeds in isolated areas has great potential for a prescription herbicide application where only the problematic areas receive treatment via a spray drone, as opposed to a broadcast application where the entirety of the field is treated whether it needs it or not,” he says.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity [for it] around us. There’s a lot of guys with hay fields, and they do a lot of burn down applications. That’s one thing we are planning on hitting on,” Keaton says. “I think some guys would be interested in that. Especially if we have a wet spring and guys can’t get in the field.”

Missouri Extension field specialist O’Neal agrees with that assertion.

“In my neck of the woods in southwestern Missouri, the topography can be quite unforgiving, with some areas too harsh to allow access by ground spray rig or even an ATV,” O’Neal says. “With an aerial piece of equipment like a utility drone, landowners can now get herbicide applications on these problematic areas and put them into useful forage production.”

With a pilot year of flying his family’s acres fastened securely under his belt, Keaton says the arrow looks to be pointing up on spray drone technology in agriculture.

“Hopefully we can expand and get maybe another trailer or a bigger drone, it just depends kind of on what’s calling for us,” he says. “I’ve got to see exactly how much work is out there in this business and from there just make it all work out. Our foot is just in the door [right now].”

Your Next Read: Now is the Time for Beef Producers to Invest with Purpose

Scratch Your Classic Iron Itch With 3 Old Tractors That Still Steal the Show

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 20:18:11 GMT

Today’s tractors are jam-packed with GPS guidance and autosteer, sensors and camera arrays and LED lighting packages. Operators sit comfortably in air-conditioned cabs with built-in mini fridges full of cold drinks and responsive computing displays at their fingertips.

The whole deal gives the look and feel of a rolling mission control/home office on wheels and, quite frankly, many new tractor cabs are probably a whole lot nicer than your average home office.

There’s clearly no going back to the bare-bones, analog tractors with rigid metal seats and open air cabs Dad and Grandpa ran, but many of today’s farmers have cultivated an enduring affinity for the classic farm workhorses of yesteryear.

If you consider yourself among the legions of classic Iron Heads, check out this trio of recent Tractor Tales segments for a quick hit of some of that sweet, sweet farm machinery nostalgia:

Rebel With a Cause: The Ex-Pat Tractor That Wasn’t Supposed to be Sold in the U.S.

Southern Michigan farmer Nicklas Totzke might just possess the ultimate classic tractor trump card: a well-conditioned 1947 Empire 90 that Machinery Pete says is one of only about 380 known to exist today.

Totzke’s prized red Empire was originally shipped overseas to help rebuild bombed-out Eastern Europe farming villages devastated by the Axis blitzkrieg campaign during World War II. He says the spartan red machines are pretty “light duty” and were built with mostly Jeep Motor Company components — produced at the time by Willys-Overland and Ford Motor Company — and were used primarily to pull old horse drawn equipment.

Totzke says about 1,000 to 1,200 of the export-only machines reverse immigrated back to North America, ending up on farms across Canada and here in the U.S., which is how he ended up with his beloved Empire 90.

The Farmall 230 That Dutifully Trudges on in Pennsylvania Dairy Country

Pennsylvania dairy farmer Ed Thiele will never forget the day his father proudly test drove a brand new Farmall 230 around the streets of Butler, Pa. That impromptu dry run must have gone well, because today that same candy apple red beauty with the iconic pewter white IH hood ornament resides in his machinery shed near Cabot in Butler County.

“It’s been in the family ever since,” Thiele says, adding that if a fire were to set its sights on his treasured machinery barn, Dad’s classic Farmall — not the high-priced, expensive modern tractor he uses on his dairy operation — would surely be the first tractor he’d run into the flames to pull to safety.

While the machine today is semi-retired it can still run an auger, Thiele notes. The old tractor is in such good condition you can hardly tell it’s been chugging along for nearly seven decades at this point.

“Back in the day it had a sickle board mower on it, we raked hay with it, pulled silage wagons with it; we did everything with it when I was a kid,” he adds.

Wait, Machinery From the 80s Is Considered Classic Now? Well Then, That Makes Me Old

At one point in time, the John Deere 4840 tractor, at 180 hp, was the largest and most powerful row crop tractor in the manufacturers stable of farm machines. Illinois farmer Chad Jacobs says his 1982 edition represents the final swan song for the model itself, before Deere’s more advanced, new 4850 took its place in 1983.

Jacobs acquired the classic tractor to preserve his grandfather’s memory and heritage. Grandpa picked up the tractor out of necessity, right after tearing up the draw bar in his 4020 hauling manure.

“This is what was sitting on the [dealer] lot; it has 2,800 original hours on it,” Jacobs says. “We still drag a lot of wagons around, so it’s a wagon puller now.”

Jacobs farms with his brother, and the pair are working to teach the next generation of Jacobs progeny about the family farming legacy, passed down over all those rides in Grandpa’s trusty 4840.

“As far as me sitting in here and pulling wagons with it, it just brings back memories of my grandpa,” he says. “I think he’d be very proud of the fact that it’s still being used.”

For more classic Tractor Tales, head over to the @FarmJournal YouTube channel to watch archived segments, or follow Tractor Tales on X @TractorTales . New episodes of “U.S. Farm Report,” where new Tractor Tales segments debut, air every Friday afternoon on Farm Journal TV.

Your Next Read: Nebraska Farmer Calls Out Agriculture Machinery Companies Over High Prices

Pete's Pick: 21-Year-Old John Deere Tractor Almost Hits $150,000

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 17:40:07 GMT

This week’s Pete’s “Pick of the Week” is a 20-plus-year-old tractor that came in just south of $150,000, but you can argue the buyer actually secured a nice bargain when you put it in the context of how much a new high-horsepower row crop tractor will run you.

At a farm auction in Asbury, Mo., a 2004 John Deere 8420 tractor with only 1,053 hours on it sold for $146,250. Pete says it’s the 16^th highest auction price of all time on an 8420, and nine of the past 10 high auction prices have all been recorded within the past four years. It’s a trend line that continues to show farmer preference for older, good conditioned, pre-DEF used tractors.

“It was one owner, so it checked all [the boxes],” Pete says. “And to push $150k, 21 years old … it was interesting when I posted this across social media, you get a lot of discussion and people were saying ‘Yeah, it’s a big check, but again for the horsepower and given it’s good condition [used] with a little age on it … the belts are tightening, and it’s sort of indicative of … the gap between a brand new and a good used one, those price increases on the new have gotten so high the past three to four years, you’ve opened this chasm.”

Pete also notes a “beautiful 1980s tractor” from Nebraska that sold last Tuesday in a DPA Auctions online sale.

A 1986 Versatile 1150 with what Pete calls that “beautiful orange and yellow color combo” sold for an even $50,000. It had 8,117 hours on it.

One of the more noteworthy transactions from last week, according to Pete, was a 2025 John Deere 616R sprayer with 127 hours selling for $309,000 in the DPA online sale. This sprayer was noted as “severely damaged – driven into a creek.”

(DPA Auctions)

“Driven into a creek and hard cash, it still goes over $300,000,” Pete says. “For comparison, our good friends at the Steffes Group sold a ‘24 model 616R sprayer with 464 hours in June and that went for $450K. The one that sold Tuesday, if it had not been driven into a creek, it’s going north of $450K. So, if you wonder what does that cost, driving into a creek? Well, you’re talking $150K to $160K. So, now you know.”

As far as rare, unique machinery selling over the past week on the auction circuit, Pete highlights a couple pieces of iron there as well.

A New Holland 1283 self-propelled baler — Pete says you just don’t see many of them around anymore — sold for $6,200, which is the highest auction price Pete can recall on that particular machine.

And in the same Big Iron online auction, an Allis-Chalmers 60 pull type combine with a two row corn head sold for $4,510.

(Big Iron Auctions)

Your Next Read: Machinery Pete’s 5 Pointers For Equipment Auctions

Why Machinery Pete Sees Used Tractor Values Coming on Strong, Plus Weekend Auctions To Watch

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 15:28:38 GMT

“Finding its footing” is the tag line Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson uses to describe the current state of the tractor segment in the farm equipment auction world.

Pete is seeing value stabilization come into play after the used tractor class weathered a major drop in auction pricing last fall. It’s a boomerang effect on the heels of an aggressive push of used late-model tractors to auction by equipment dealers at the end of 2024. By proactively managing inventories last year, Pete says, dealers now are in a better inventory position and used tractor prices are bouncing back.

“The number of auctions through the [end] of September was up 14.5% versus last year, too,” Pete says. “I think that’s going to increase through the end of the year into early ‘26, just with the way the winds are blowing. Even though the number of auctions is up, we’re finding this footing because of what dealers did last year on this newer late model stuff.”

Pete’s Pick of the Week shows used tractor prices are on the upswing:

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At a Witcher Auctions two-day consignment sale in Arkansas last week, a like-new, full factory warrantied 2022 Massey Ferguson 4710 tractor with a loader (with only 5 operating hours!) sold for $45,495. That’s the highest price Pete has recorded in 2025 for a used 4710.

“There was a note on the Massey, and it just said, you know, the dude had bought it and then just, just didn’t use it,” Pete says. “And you know, it sounds funny – a two-year-old tractor with five hours on it – but I do run across those situations a fair amount more [often].”

A pair of tractors sold in a recent Big Iron online auction also caught Pete’s eye:

(Big Iron Auctions)

A 2024 John Deere 8R250 with 1,897 hours on it sold for $185,500. Pete says that’s the highest auction price all-time for a 8R250 with over 1,500 hours.

(Big Iron Auctions)

And a 2023 John Deere 6R155 4WD model with 693 hours sold for $167,500.

Upcoming Auctions

On Saturday, October 11 in North Carolina, Rich & Rich Auctioneers is hosting a “Carolina Red Dealer Inventory Reduction” sale that brings together machinery inventories from Case IH dealers, B&S Enterprises and Carolina Agri Power. Pete is keeping tabs on a low-hour, low-profile Farmall 105 A loader tractor featured in that sale.

Another notable sale Pete thinks may be worth your attention is also taking place on Saturday: the James R. Cash Auctions & Real Estate Jernigan Farms equipment auction near Springfield, Tenn. Pete is watching a John Deere 8130 tractor and a Claas LEXION 670 walker combine in that sale.

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Machinery Pete Goes Deep on Retro Farm Equipment With Pick of the Week

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 18:47:31 GMT

Whether it’s an old John Deere combine that grandpa ran for decades or a shiny orange Allis-Chalmers tractor that’s been in the family for generations, vintage farm equipment is a big draw on the auction circuit. The appeal of classic machinery is equal parts nostalgia, old-school craftsmanship and practicality.

This week’s Pete’s “Pick of the Week” selection is a pair of notable classic iron deals:

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At a Rich & Rich Auctioneers sale in North Carolina, a narrow-front Farmall 806 tractor sold for a remarkable $16,000. That’s almost $10,000 over the average auction price, although Pete does mention that two similar 806s (one a rare front-assist model) sold for over $24,000 in recent months.

At the same Tar Heel State auction, a 1988 International Harvester 4586 four-wheel drive tractor sold for $24,250, which Pete says is the second-highest auction price of all time.

And most people that have been to a farm equipment auction know there are all sorts of machinery types that land on the docket apart from your usual mix of tractors, combines and sprayers.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At a Richie Bros Auction in Tennessee, a 1923 Ford Model T Snowmobile farm truck, which Pete called a “quirky unit” due to it having front skis and rear tracks, sold for $30,000.

And a pre-1920s (Pete wasn’t sure on the exact year) Buckeye 1081 Traction Ditcher sold for $10,500 in St. Charles, Mich., last Tuesday.

Oct. 1 Auction

Pete says the Kiko Auctions “Clean Late Model Equipment” sale in Ohio on Wednesday, Oct. 1, has a solid mix of heavy construction and farm equipment from Case IH, John Deere and New Holland available to bid on. You can check that sale out here.

Pete's Pick: 3 Used Loader Tractors Draw Big Bids, Plus A Heartwarming Classic John Deere Buy

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 22:55:59 GMT

The used farm equipment auction market continues to show robust demand and strong resale prices for good condition, used loader tractors .

That’s exactly why Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson highlights three strong loader tractor transactions as his most recent Pete’s Pick of the Week.

At a Purple Wave online auction, a 2022 New Holland T5.110 tractor (885 engine hours) with a loader implement (pictured top of page) sold for $61,600. Pete says that is the highest auction price ever for that year/make/model, according to MachineryPete.com sales data. The machine was from Broken Bow, Okla.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At a Younger Auction Company sale in Rockport, Mo., a 2014 Case IH Maxxum 125 tractor (2,135 hours) with a L756 loader sold for $72,500, which Pete says is the second-highest auction price ever for that model with a loader and more than 2,000 engine hours.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And at another Purple Wave online auction, a 2021 John Deere 6155M tractor (860 hours) with a 640R loader implement sold for $135,300. Pete says that is the third-highest auction price of all time with a loader and more than 500 hours.

“Dollars are tight all across ag and, you know, not much new stuff is selling — and we understand why,” Pete says. “I think [we saw] more layoffs at the manufacturer level last week , unfortunately. So when this continues to stretch out, but you [still] need horsepower and equipment on the farm, what you tend to look for is the best condition used [machinery].”

Pete also shares this nice story out of Plain City, Ohio, where a young farmer named Wyatt bought his great grandfather, Don Hess’s, old John Deere 430 tractor at an auction for $900. It was also the young man’s birthday, so quite the 24 hours for that auction goer out in Ohio.

“It was just very cool, and it made a lot of people happy to see a young person interested in their great grandfather’s history and tractor, and keeping that in the family,” Pete says.

Your next read: A Dive Deep Into Used Equipment Market Forces and Tips to DIY Your Next Sale

A Dive Deep Into Used Equipment Market Forces and Tips to DIY Your Next Sale

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 18:23:55 GMT

Farmers are feeling the squeeze of low commodity prices and uncertainty in the market — and that’s especially true for soybean growers right now — yet good condition, pre-DEF used farm equipment is still in strong demand.

Whether you’re selling a row crop tractor down at the local auction, parking the old combine out by the road with a “For Sale” sign on it, or throwing up a listing on Facebook Marketplace, Casey Seymour and Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson say there are best practices sellers need to use to present their machines in the best possible light.

Focus on taking a high quantity of clear images from a variety of angles, and show any defects with the machine. Make sure to wash and clean the machine as best as possible.

A detailed written description of the machine that includes its operating hours, how it was used on your farm and any maintenance history you can share is also recommended.

Use video (cell phone camera is fine) to give the online buyer a virtual “walk around” of the machine. Another tactic is recording a selfie video. Have the owner stand in front of the machine and speak directly to buyers about various upgrades and features on the machine and why they should consider buying it.

“You can throw a fishing lure, but if you don’t put any bait on the fricking hook, you’re not going to catch a fish,” says Pete.

Once pictures and videos are ready (that’s the bait on the hook), it’s time to cast the line into the water by setting a fair and realistic price. Use MachineryPete.com as well as other online auction platforms like Big Iron and Purple Wave to see how much the same make/models have sold for recently. Try to avoid emotion in your pricing decision, and do not say “Call for Price” in the listing. It sets off red flags that the machine will be overpriced.

“At the end of the day, there’s really three things that matter: how many pictures [and videos] do you have that tell a good story about the machine, what does your description look like and are you priced fairly in the market,” adds Seymour. “That’s it. Boom, boom, boom.”

Economics Update

Rich Posson, business cycles analyst, Critical Point & Ag Financial Strategies, correctly predicted the Federal Reserve lowering interest rates this week, and he thinks rates could bottom out early in 2026 and then rise again in 2027. Find out what he is seeing in the world of macro and microeconomics that will affect machinery sales.

The High Plains Perspective

Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist, 21st Century Equipment, joined the podcast to unpack the for-sale-by-owner trend and how sellers who choose to go that route can make sure they don’t leave any cash on the table.

Head over to YouTube to watch the full episode . Please be sure to hit the “Thumbs Up” button to “Like” the video and click on the “Subscribe” button to get a notification when a new episode drops.

Your next read: Tips And Tech Tools To Take The Sting Out Of Harvesting A Highly Variable Corn Crop

John Deere Layoffs Continue Amid Sales Downturn, 142 Iowa Employees Notified

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 22:38:28 GMT

Farm equipment giant John Deere has confirmed it is laying off 101 employees at its Waterloo Operations (last day on October 17) and 41 employees at the Des Moines Works (October 31) plant, according to an official statement emailed to Farm Journal.

It is a little over a month since the last round of layoffs , which affected over 200 employees across factories located in the Quad Cities region of western Illinois and eastern Iowa.

Deere says in the statement: “Production schedules at each John Deere factory vary to align with seasonal farming needs. When fewer orders come in, each factory adjusts accordingly.”

Despite the layoffs and an overall tough farm economy that some think will stretch well into 2026, Deere still intends on moving forward with its $20 billion investment strategy here in the U.S., according to the statement.

During John Deere’s earnings call in August, the company issued a warning that tariff costs could total $600 million for fiscal year 2025. The company’s share price dipped 6% immediately following that call. Deere’s net income for Q3 also sank 26%, and its total net sales decreased by 9% compared to Q3 in 2024.

At the beginning of August, John Deere addressed long-standing Right To Repair concerns with a new digital diagnosis and repair product for John Deere machines and Hagie STS high-clearance sprayers. That tool costs $195 per tractor for farmers and $5,995 per year for independent service technicians.

And in May, Deere acquired Minneapolis-based drone and sensor provider Sentera . Financial terms for that deal have not been disclosed.

John Deere also just dropped a new commercial featuring injured San Francisco 49ers quarterback and Iowa State Cyclone Brock Purdy cooking meals for farmers with tractor influencer @JustAJacksonThing. You can check that out below.

Additional Information

Deere shares the following bullet points regarding compensation benefits available to laid off employees:

Affected employees are eligible to be recalled to their home factory for a period equal to their length of service. Those laid off are automatically placed in seniority order for openings they are qualified to perform at the factory.
Weekly supplemental unemployment benefit (SUB pay), dependent on number of years of continuous employment.
Transitional Assistance Benefit (TAB) pay, which may cover up to 50% of their average weekly earnings for up to 52 weeks. 
Profit sharing, calculated based on hours worked, average earnings and the company’s profit margin.

Healthcare benefits employees can receive during a layoff include: 

Employees can keep healthcare coverage for at least six months, or as long as they are eligible for SUB pay.
Weekly Indemnity (WI): Employees who become disabled while on layoff can get WI benefits for the same duration as their SUB pay.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Employees and their household members can access EAP services for the duration of their recall rights. EAP provides up to eight sessions of in-person or virtual therapy per year.

Other benefits laid-off employees may receive include: 

Life insurance
Legal assistance
Tuition reimbursement and job-placement assistance.

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Tips And Tech Tools To Take The Sting Out Of Harvesting A Highly Variable Corn Crop

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:19:16 GMT

Are you harvesting high-moisture corn this fall, and did that same corn experience significant foliar disease pressure? If the variable conditions crop scouts noted on Farm Journal’s Pro Farmer Crop Tour hold true for most of the Corn Belt , then the answer to both of those questions is likely “yes” — and that means you will need to adjust your harvest workflow.

Here are some tips and technologies to help get this crop off as efficiently and stress-free as possible, and then keep it in good condition until you’re ready to sell it:

Plan For Success
The first shift you need to consider is the sequence in which you harvest your fields. If you have a field that was inundated with higher disease pressure than others, and the crop is still standing, you want to prioritize that one over fields where the visual symptoms of disease pressure are not as widespread.

Related: Maximize Soybean Yields — Harvesting This Week Could Be Key

“It’s just [a matter of] expediting the process and getting that infected field harvested quicker than what you had anticipated, which a lot of times comes with higher moisture corn,” says Tyler Kilfoil, digital bin manager, AGI.

Calibrate Yield Monitors

Yield monitor by Darrell Smith

(Darrell Smith)

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie is worried some farmers might “get into depressed mode” and skip over yield monitor calibrations this fall. Even if yields appear to be below your expectations, Ferrie says these yield maps will be valuable in the years to come. So, get that yield monitor calibrated.

“Even if the yield [data] is depressing, get a good spatial calibration on that yield monitor for both beans and corn,” Ferrie says. “So, when we sit back and the combine is in the shed, we can go through all this data, and it’ll help us make some decisions.”

This year’s data could be particularly useful because it has been such a difficult year, agronomically speaking.

“There’ll be things that show up [in the data] that you don’t see every year, and those yield maps are going to be key,” he says. “That’s the data we need. [It’s] going to help you make decisions not only next year, but for years after.”

Combine Automation Can Help

Two men with a tablet in front of a John Deere vehicle.

(Premier Crop Systems)

Once you have a game plan for attacking your fall harvest and your yield monitor is set, there are new tools within some combines that can help manage variability from field to field.

If you’re running a new John Deere combine (model year 2025 and up), consider using Predictive Ground Speed Automation (PGSA) and Harvest Settings Automation this fall, says John Deere combine specialist Tim Ford.

Related: 5 Yield-Saving Combine Adjustments For Touch-And-Go Fall Harvest

PGSA is a sensing technology that serves as another set of eyes for the combine operator, scanning the crop continuously 28' ahead of the corn head. It reads crop height, biomass and can even detect downed crops. It will speed up where it sees lighter biomass and slow down and take its time in higher biomass.

Harvest Settings Automation works in a similar fashion. The operator sets acceptable levels of grain loss in the combine controller, and then sensors within the machine will read the crop ahead and adjust things like header height and speed to make sure the combine harvests within your set parameters.

“These two systems act as a teammate. We’re not taking the operator out of the cab. We’re using sensors, data and technology to take a heavy burden off the operator and put it on the automation,” Ford says.

Bin Ready? Set It And Forget It

Grain Bin By Lori Hays

(File Photo )

Once the crop is off, AGI’s Kilfoil says the next decision is figuring out what to do with it.

“If it was high moisture when you picked it, that involves getting it down to a proper storage [moisture] level, maybe even running it through an eco-dryer to pull the moisture out of the corn,” he says. “From there, the final landing place is in the bin.”

Once you have this highly variable crop dried down and nestled in the bin, you need visibility into how the grain itself takes to storage conditions, all while keeping a close eye on weather conditions outside the bin, too. That’s where a grain bin monitoring system with automation can pay off — freeing up your time and attention while the system does the checking for you. And it’s just safer than manually checking bins.

“Grain bin monitoring technology is your eyes inside your bank account,” Kilfoil says. “For guys who aren’t typically used to shelling higher moisture corn and storing higher moisture corn, a product like AGI’s Bin Manager lets you sleep in peace at night. It gives you eyes inside the bin, and it’s going to fully automate your system and help with that [storage] process and decision making.”

Your next read: How Pro Farmer 2025 Crop Estimates Compare and Contrast With USDA Expectations

Pete's Pick: 29-Year-Old Used Case IH Skid Steer, 2000 John Deere 8310 Draw Strong Bids

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 18:19:57 GMT

This week’s Machinery Pete “Pete’s Pick of The Week” comes to us from the world of construction equipment.

On Thursday, Sept. 11, at a retirement auction in Gaines, Mich., a 1996 Case IH 1845 C skid steer with 1,745 hours (see Facebook post below) sold for $20,700. Xyz Auction Service handled the bidding.

“Now, if I had a nickel for every time someone told me: ‘Hey, Pete, my favorite skid steer model is an 1845 C’ I’d have a lot of nickels, [and] this one was nice,” Pete says. “I thought, you know, getting up almost over $21K for an almost 30-year-old skid steer, [that’s] pretty good stuff.”

Last Thursday must have been a good day in the used equipment auction world, because another transaction that day also caught Pete’s attention.

At the Tom Mix farm retirement auction near Clay City, Ill., a well-maintained 2000 John Deere 8310 tractor with 4,222 hours (see Facebook post below) sold for $111,200. According to MachineryPete.com sales data, that is the fourth-highest price all time on a used 8310. Schmid Auction handled the bidding there.

Upcoming auctions
On Tuesday, Steffes Auction Group is hosting the Rost Farms Retirement Auction in Ivanhoe, Minn. Bidding for that sale (see Facebook post below) closes tomorrow at 8 p.m. CT.

And on Wednesday, in Dyersville, Iowa, the Alex Lyon and Son Auction Co. Rental Fleet Construction & Utility Equipment auction will feature a healthy selection of heavy duty machines pulled from rental fleets from around the country. Pete will be attending that sale in person, so be sure to say hello if you’re also checking out the auction in person.

“There are 13 skid steers on the docket, 17 excavators, 13 wheel loaders, and eight tractor loaders/backhoes,” Pete says. “I love covering all types of auctions and any chance I get to hang out with Jack Lyon and his son, Alex, I’ll take. They have sales all over the U.S. and the world, and it will be fun to have him in Iowa.”

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Navigate The Used Farm Equipment Market With 5 Smart Buyer Hacks

Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:40:38 GMT

If you’re looking to acquire a used machine in the next few months, this episode of the “Moving Iron” podcast is for you.

Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson and Casey Seymour have over 50 years of combined experience in the farm equipment industry. Over the decades, they’ve witnessed plenty of good and bad from buyers in the auction and secondary markets.

Here are a handful of tips they recommend buyers heed as they hit auctions and dealer lots this fall and winter:

Keep a close eye on interest rates. In the recent past when interest rates were sub-3%, watching rate fluctuations wasn’t as critical as it is today with 7% and 8% interest rates. Those high rates add a lot of dollars to the final price tag you’ll end up paying out over the years when you finance a tractor or combine.
Have cash on hand? Consider a higher down payment. High interest rates have a depreciating effect on equity in any high-value asset. One way to combat that is to increase your down payment. While 20% is normally the standard, you might consider going higher to 30% to 35% of the total cost of the machine.
Use data from MachineryPete.com and trusted sources. Its fine to be emotional about your favorite college football program or your trusty old farm dog, but emotion in the buying process should be kept to a minimum. Use auction data on the specific model you’re targeting to avoid emotional overpays and stay within current market value.
Get a handle on current machinery supply levels. How many used machines are sitting on dealer lots can have an effect on auction pricing. It’s basic supply and demand economics: if there are a lot of used machines of a particular make and model available on the secondary market, you can probably find a good deal on the auction circuit, and vice versa. You can even do your own unofficial research and take a spin past your local equipment dealer to see what’s on the lot.
Know the trends. Q4 and Q1 of the new year are two time periods when you’re likely to find used equipment bargains because, other than in 2015 and last year, used machinery values often drop once fall harvest wraps up. It remains to be seen, however, if that trend continues.

“I think we’re going to start seeing the numbers fall off, which will push things forward a little bit, [just] supply and demand stuff,” Seymour says. “But between now and probably the first quarter of ’26, that’s going to be your best opportunity to buy a machine at a good value. I don’t think you’re going to be able to buy it any cheaper than right now.”

Commodities and Market Updates

Shawn Hackett, president and CEO of Hackett Financial Advisors, gave an update on recent movement within USDA’s corn and soybean yield projections and how that will affect crop futures. He sees an upper $4 corn market and upper $11 soybean market as appropriate projections moving forward.

And used equipment specialist Aaron Fintel, 21st Century Equipment, says he focuses on how much equity he will be able to realize and how marketable the used machine will be six months from now when making a purchase decision.

You can head on over to YouTube to watch the full episode . Please be sure to hit the “Thumbs Up” button to “Like” the video and click on the “Subscribe” button to get a notification when a new episode drops.

Classic Tractor Shines: 1989 John Deere 4455 Hits $80,750 at Iowa Auction

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 18:11:34 GMT

Machinery Pete’s Pick of the Week didn’t shatter any auction records, but it’s worth noting considering this week’s machine of honor is almost 40 years old.

At a Nate’s Tractor consignment auction on Thursday, Sept. 4, in Riceville, Iowa, a 1989 John Deere 4455 tractor with 3,066 original hours sold for $80,750. It’s the 17^th highest price Pete has recorded for what he says is a classic tractor with an average auction price of $44,751.

“Five years ago [the average auction price] was just under $37,850, and 25 years ago it was at $37,765, so we’ve jumped [up] here in the last five years,” Pete says. “There’s a lot of love for those 4455s out there.”

The all-time record for a used John Deere 4455 was set last year at an auction in Berlin, Wis. That was a 1992 model with 2,260 original hours, and it sold for $160,000. The previous record high for a 4455 was set in 2023 and it sold for $97,850.

You can take a look at all the historical sales data for used John Deere 4455 tractors over at Machinery Pete by clicking this link.

Fall auction season heats up this week

Machinery Pete says the number of used farm equipment auctions is starting to increase. He believes that is partly due to two factors: high used machine inventories on equipment dealer lots, and more farmers hitting retirement age and deciding to call it quits and sell off the fleet.

Pete says the next seven days represent “a market testing week” and there’s a handful of sales he wants interested buyers to be aware of:

Merit Auctions is hosting its large dealer auction online and in-person on its inventory yard in Ft. Madison, Iowa, on Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT. Pete says that sale has a lot of late-model equipment and a wide variety of equipment makes to choose from. It features 31 used tractors, five combines, five skid steers and five sprayers.
Richie Brothers is hosting an online only, timed auction on Tuesday featuring a collection of classic machinery from noted John Deere collector Norman Balzer up in Duke, Alberta, in Canada. There is a 1953 John Deere Model D Wide Front “Streeter” antique tractor that drew Pete’s eye in that sale.
Hoenig Auctions is hosting its online Sievers Equipment Inventory Reduction auction currently , and the bidding closes at 1 p.m. CT on Tuesday. Sievers is a Case-IH dealer, and Pete says there is a pair of 2012 Steiger 450 4WD tractors and a 2008 Case IH 2588 combine among many good quality machines in that sale.
TractorTuesday.com is auctioning off a 1978 John Deere 4840 Powershift tractor out of Ohio among the 394 active listings on its website. TractorTuesday offers zero sellers fees on listings, Pete says.
DPA Auctions has an online-only auction that starts Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT. There’s a nice 2023 John Deere low-hour 8RX 410 tractor in that sale that could be a winner for someone looking for a bargain on a late-model machine. There are also some classic Alice Chalmer and Farmall tractors available.

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5 Yield-Saving Combine Adjustments For Touch-And-Go Fall Harvest

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 18:15:53 GMT

As if 2025 hasn’t thrown farmers enough curveballs for one growing season, corn harvest in the Midwest is setting up to be a tricky affair as well.

Iowa State Extension digital agriculture specialist Doug Houser says it’s been “a long time” since he’s witnessed a corn crop set farmers up for such a difficult harvest season.

The reason for Houser’s concern heading into fall harvest is the remarkable levels of disease pressure that scouts and farmers have noted in corn fields across the country.

He says farmers need to get out and scout fields with a drone (if they have a Part 107 pilot’s certification) so they can get a full picture of just how much disease has taken hold, and then prioritize the fields where they need to get the crop off to avoid fallen plants or additional yield loss.

Moisture variability within fields is also something Houser is worried could trip up some harvester crews this fall.

“I see a lot of fields that have corn and it’s dry, and then in other parts of the field it’s wet,” he says. “It might be a situation where we have to go one way and pick again. I’m not trying to throw the scare tactics out there, but we just have to get prepared for this harvest.”

Houser has five combine settings adjustments he advises farmers to dial in each time they start harvesting a new field:

Rotor/Cylinder Speed: Many fields will require a reduction in combine rotor speed to minimize harvest losses , he says. The moisture swings within individual fields will mean varying kernel test weights, and higher-moisture kernels that are soft will be prone to cracking.
Concave Settings: Houser thinks it might be prudent this year to set your concaves a little wider than you normally would, because soft, high-moisture kernels will often crack more easily with narrow concave spacings.
Fan Settings: Houser says to be very diligent here making your adjustments, because the lighter test weight kernels will want to float backward. You might have to visually inspect the rear of the combine to ensure you’re not throwing kernels out the back end with your residue spreader.
Sieve and Chafer: Start with a wider sieve opening and adjust down from there. The higher moisture, disease-ridden corn leaves have a tendency to gum up and plug up the sieve.
Ground Speed: This is a recommendation a lot of farmers won’t be too happy to heed, but harvesting at slower speeds this fall can help reduce losses. Southern rust and other foliar corn diseases often lead to weak stalks, which increases your risk of lodging.

“I keep saying it, but it’s so important to prioritize those fields [with high disease pressure]. Get those off as soon as you can,” Houser says. “The fields where we’re seeing stalk deterioration, we want to make sure we get those off in a timely manner. I know a lot of producers will say ‘Well, yeah, but Doug, [what about] the drying costs?’ My answer there would be if we don’t get it into the bin in the first place, that’s not going to help either.”

Auction Experts: Buy Used Farm Equipment Now Before Prices Jump, Machinery Specs Matter More Than Ever

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:53:14 GMT

With fall auction (and college football) season fully upon us, Moving Iron hosts Casey Seymour and Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson are paying close attention to how the used equipment resale market shakes out over the next few months.

According to Pete, last year was just the second fall auction season in the past 22 years that saw an overall drop in used machine values, but there are signs this fall will reverse that trend. That would be a positive development for dealers and private sellers looking to get good value for their used equipment at auction.

“I mean, if we get a little positivity in the market, if that continues, it might point toward maybe a stronger end of the year,” Pete says.

Pete also thinks interested buyers need to be aggressive now, because we might have hit the bottom of the market this summer and prices are only going up from this point forward.

Two used machines sold at a Big Iron Auctions sale in Illinois this week; the results show there are still good deals floating around in the auction market, but it is anyone’s guess how long that lasts.

A 2014 John Deere S680 combine with 3,340 operating hours sold for $69,000. Last year, the average auction price for that same model/year combine was $80,185, and the year prior it was right at $99,000.

And a 2017 John Deere 8370R tractor with 4,499 engine hours on it sold for $127,850, which is well below the average auction price of $182,500.

Seymour and Pete are also keeping close tabs on the upcoming Sept. 12 USDA corn production report. A rise in corn futures following the release of that report could increase used equipment buying activity significantly.

“I think if we start to see more people coming to the table to buy stuff, then we’ll see some organic growth in prices,” Seymour says. “But it feels like there could be some volume at the end of the year that gets gobbled up because of this, and that could bleed over to that first quarter [of 2026].”

Commodities Analysis

Chip Nellinger, co-owner, Blue Reef Agri-Marketing, says fall harvest is now underway south of I-70, but a lack of moisture in the Eastern Corn Belt and increased crop disease pressure throughout the Midwest have corn and soybeans on separate paths.

“In the case of corn, you have yields coming down, but demand is phenomenal, arguably in some segments the best it’s ever been, you combine that with shrinking yields, and it can become somewhat explosive,” Nellinger says. “[It’s] kind of the opposite in beans; yields are probably coming down, but we’ve yet to see any movement on a Chinese trade deal.”

High Plains Update

Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist, 21^st Century Equipment, joined Seymour to break down how machinery specs and different features drive resale values both regionally and nationally. Fintel says smart buyers must have a conversation with their dealer during the purchasing process so they know which machine specs used equipment buyers are looking for.

For example, combines with four-wheel drive and “Tri-Power” (power fold, power cast and power rear) are critical specs for high resale value. In the tractor segment, PTO shafts and high flow hydraulics are the current must-haves.

“With that third and fourth buyer paying more attention [to machine specs] it’s as vital as ever to get the right specs,” Fintel says. “Even if the guy has ordered the same thing for 30 years, there needs to be a discussion [with the dealer] all the time, because with how technology drives so much in ag right now, things change weekly.”

Head over to YouTube to watch the full episode. Hit the “Thumbs Up” button to “Like” the video and click on the “Subscribe” button to get a notification when a new episode drops.

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New 2026 Balers and Hay Tools Launched By Case IH, John Deere, New Holland, And Vermeer

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 17:01:15 GMT

Case IH’s new RB6 series variable chamber round baler offers durability and less maintenance with triple seal bearings throughout the machine. This ensures contaminants stay out while lubricants stay in to maintain optimal operation.

The RB566 model includes several enhancement options:

(Matthew J. Grassi)

New double roller windguard increases compression and control for OSF pickups, allowing for increased capacity and ground speed.
The new Bale Weigh capability allows operators to monitor and record individual bale weight on an ongoing basis via in-cab monitoring. This capability weighs the bale in chamber without pausing the machine.
Pro 700 Plus display or Pro 1200 display compatibility.
FieldOps machine and telematics data via mobile and web apps have the ability to monitor individual bale data such as drop location, weight and moisture content.

“Another thing we’ve done is, on our pickup, we’ve went to a double roller windguard on the 566. Our customers who are bailing a lot of corn stalks, they’re dealing with some big windrows,” says Brian Williams, livestock product specialist, CNH Industrial. “And what this does is it pushes those windrows down and smashes them out and allows them to feed into the baler more fluidly so they can go faster.”

The RB6 series is manufactured in the U.S. in New Holland, Penn. , and order writing is open now. Orders signed this fall will begin shipping in March 2026.

John Deere intros V452M Round Baler with stepped-up automation features

(John Deere)

John Deere says its new V452M round baler provides enhanced productivity and precision ag tech integration for hay and forage operations.

The V452M headlines a newly updated lineup of VR and CR round baler models, introducing a new naming convention and advanced features purpose-built for heavy crop and silage conditions, while the current 1 Series round balers will continue to serve customer baling needs.

Expanding the versatility of John Deere’s round baler lineup, the VM, VR and CR lineup updates include variable-chamber and variable-wrapping combination models.

Key features of the V452M include:

Advanced Bale Chamber Technology: Three starting rolls and two belt drive rolls ensure consistent bale rotation.
Larger Bale Chamber: 4-by-5½ feet chamber width to maximize bale weight.
High-Density Silage Capability: Produces silage bales up to 11.7 pounds per cubic foot.

The full updated Model Year 2026 Deere baler lineup introduces several features to boost productivity (capabilities vary by model):

Industry-Leading Gate Cycle Time: As fast as three seconds for more bales per hour.
Moisture Sensors and Bale Scales: Seamlessly connect to the free John Deere Operations Center for near real-time bale documentation and yield insights.
G5 or G5e Monitor for in-cab adjustments and data-driven decisions.
High-Capacity Feeding System: A 7.2-foot-wide five-bar pickup handles heavy windrows with ease.
Baler Automation With New Unplug Assist automatically stops the tractor when the target bale size is reached and manages the gate cycle. When needed, Unplug Assist automatically stops the tractor and disengages the PTO when a plug is detected.

The VM, VR and CR balers will begin shipping in November 2025. For more information, contact your local John Deere dealer

New Holland rolls out Roll-Belt 1 Series Balers

(New Holland)

New for model year 2026, New Holland is introducing three updated Roll-Belt 1 Series models designed to work smarter, bale faster and ensure producers stay connected.

New Holland says feeding performance gets a boost with its Roll-Belt 451, 461 and 561 models. A newly designed single roller windguard now comes standard on all OSF (OverShot Feeder) pickup models. And a larger 8.4" roller — 60% larger in diameter than its predecessor — helps better compress the crop mat and improve feeding into the chamber.

For those baling larger windrows, a new dual roller windguard is available as an upgrade option on the 561 model. The front and rear rollers pivot independently, providing adaptive control in variable crop and ground conditions. Operators can also lock both rollers together when compressing loose or fluffy windrows.

“Each of these three models has a distinct fit. Take, for example, the Roll-Belt 561. In corn stalks, it truly shines,” says Alex Berwager, livestock and dairy business manager, New Holland. “We’re seeing a 16% improvement in feeding capacity thanks to the dual roller windguard, jumping from 43 to 50 tons per hour. That means less plugging from the controlled crop flow and greater productivity to tackle more when your time is short.”

Vermeer launches fleet of new baler and hay tools for 2026

(Vermeer)

Vermeer’s new model year 2026 baler and hay tool launch is led by the all-new ZR-2200 self-propelled baler.

The launch fleet also includes:

604 S series balers
605S Rancher baler
ZR-2200 self-propelled baler with the Z604S bale chamber
3 new models of carted wheel rakes.

“We’ve taken feedback from dealers and hay producers to build equipment that’s intuitive, durable and designed to deliver results,” said Shane Rourke, managing director of forage, Vermeer.

604S Premium Baler

(Vermeer)

The new 604 S series balers come in three models: Rancher, Signature and Premium (shown above).

Vermeer says the machines are built to help producers get more 6’x4' (1.8-m by 1.2-m) bales put up in a day.

The 604S Rancher is a reliable, straightforward option for value-focused producers who want durable components and convenient operation.
The 604S Signature features enhanced driveline capacity and rugged components, ideal for high-volume operations.
The 604S Premium pulls out all the stops with smart automation, comfort-focused features and productivity tools that help operators work faster, smarter and with less effort.

All three models share common components — including the camless wide pickup with a hydraulic pickup lift, a mechanical netwrap system and the Atlas Pro control system with in-cab density adjustments.

ZR-4S self-propelled baler.

(Vermeer)

Since the launch of the ZR5-1200 self-propelled baler in 2017, producers have consistently asked for a 4' (1.2-m) model that delivers the same level of automation, comfort and productivity.

Vermeer says it is answering that request with the new ZR-2200 self-propelled baler with the Z604S bale chamber (ZR-4S). The ZR-4S (pictured above) features zero-turn maneuverability, integrated automation and a premium cab packed with operator-focused features.

From auto tie and eject to real-time bale data and TempSense bearing temperature monitoring, the ZR-4S self-propelled baler is built to keep operators productive, informed and comfortable.

VRC Carted wheel rake

(Vermeer)

Three new carted wheel rakes — the VRC820, VRC1022 and VRC1224 — offer robust construction, updated hydraulics, and simple adjustments to help producers get the most out of every pass.

With raking widths ranging from 20' (6 m) to 24' (7.3 m), these rakes are designed for longevity and ease of use for operators of all sizes.

Full availability on these new hay tools is expected in Spring 2026.

Your Next Read: Less Work, Better Bales - John Deere Intros Weave Automation

Harvest Milestone: New Holland's Twin Rotor Technology Celebrates 50 Years of Threshing and Separating Power

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 21:08:03 GMT

Any innovation with a half-century worth of staying power deserves some recognition.

That includes New Holland’s transformative Twin Rotor combine technology (pictured below), which was invented by a team of engineers in Belgium and patented by the manufacturer in 1975 and has left an indelible mark on the harvesting equipment sector: Over 70,000 combines with the once “game changing” innovation have been built and shipped to farms around the world since its debut 50 years ago.

(New Holland)

The story of the twin rotor starts, according to New Holland’s Ryan Schaffer, vice president for North America, just over a decade prior when New Holland acquired Belgian combine manufacturer Leon Clay Co. in 1964.

Clay’s engineers had already started on a twin rotor prototype before the acquisition went through, and New Holland’s engineering team jumped in and finished the job.

The rest, as they say, is history.

“This was at a time when grain quality was becoming more important to farmers, because farming had shifted from producing for local markets to producing grain more as a globally marketed commodity,” Schaefer explains. “The twin rotor design works because it utilizes physics to thresh the grain faster and more gently than other combines of its time.”

Schaefer likens the twin rotor separation process to something most kids from the ’90s will surely remember: the barf-inducing, head spinning Gravitron fair ride.

For those that don’t know, the Gravitron was a UFO-shaped, LED-bedazzled amusement ride that fairgoers pile inside of, where they would position themselves against a vertically moving, slanted wall. The ride would then start to spin in a circle at a very high speed until it generated enough inertia and centrifugal force to push the interior walls against the riders with enough force (along with static electricity) to basically plaster them against the wall like a bug smashed against a window with a fly swatter. Then, the floor would drop and riders would be treated to a several stomach-turning seconds of feeling like they are floating in air and defying gravity

And that’s exactly how the twin rotor works: The two hollowed out rotors spin at high speeds, creating enough inertia and force to toss the heavier material, in this case the harvested grain, into the grain tank and lighter material like chaff and pieces of stalk is blasted out the back of the combine.

New Holland’s CR 11 combine.

( Emmanuel Bourgois)

While that twin rotor setup was initially used in New Holland’s flagship combine of the time, the TR 70, it has lasted throughout the years and today is at the very heart of New Holland’s mammoth, sensor-and-automation-tech-packed CR 11 combine. Case IH also offers a twin-rotor setup in its AF-11 machine.

“When we built the CR 11, we clearly set out to produce a larger machine with a higher (grain tank) capacity, but it also had to help improve the operator’s bottom line,” Schaefer says. “A focus on lowering the total cost of harvesting — which calculates everything from maintenance costs to harvest losses — for our farmers powers every design update we make to our combines.”

Combine History on Display

Jacob and Brittany Loftus and their 1975 New Holland TR 70.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

As part of New Holland’s yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary, it connected a group of ag media and social media influencers with southern Indiana farmers Jacob and Brittany Loftus.

The Loftuses are the proud owners of a 1975 New Holland TR 70 combine with the original four row corn head. They use the now rust-pocked, unassuming yellow and red classic every year to harvest 10 acres of organic corn. The couple mostly grows a diverse selection of specialty crops, and some corn and soybeans, across 200 acres in the fertile Ohio River Valley just northwest of Louisville, Ky.

“We acquired this in early 2000 when my Dad decided to upgrade combines, and then we ran it for about 15 years as our main combine. Back then we probably did about 400 acres of beans every year, so it’s done a lot of beans in its lifetime,” says Jacob Loftus.

The couple also keep a backup “parts combine” on hand to pull original parts from when something breaks.

“It’s kind of semi-retired these days, and we actually had two of them at one time before we lost one. It burnt up,” Loftus says.

Inside the Loftus’ 1975 TR 70: no AC and no Bluetooth radio. All nostalgia and classic Iron.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Loftus likens the old harvester to a 1970s muscle car: It just works, and there’s really not much that can break on it, he says. Think the old hand-crank car windows of yesteryear versus today’s automatic power windows.

“You can just set it and forget it, basically. I rarely have to do any adjustments on this machine year to year; it just picks good, clean corn,” he says. “Luckily the main components have never failed, just have to get some bearings, pulleys, chains and belts from the dealer here and there.”

Brittany Loftus gets a kick out of seeing the locals reactions when the unique relic of the past is out kicking up dust and chopping corn. It has to be quite the contrast to today’s modern, shiny steel and tempered glass ensconced futuristic harvesters.

“A lot of the little kids in the neighborhood, he’s like their idol because they’ll stop and watch and go, ‘oh, Jacob’s out in the field, Mom,’ and they are just like mesmerized by big equipment, so that’s really cool,” she says.

Check out this video from YouTube content creators and Wisconsin custom farmers, New Age Custom Harvesting , who were on hand to help celebrate the anniversary and check out the Loftuses’ classic combine:

Your Next Read: Fendt’s New Autonomy Ready Vario Tractors, Split Fold Optimum Planter

First Look: Fendt’s New Autonomy Ready Vario Tractors, Split Fold Optimum Planter

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 17:51:57 GMT

AGCO is not sitting idly by waiting out the new farm equipment sales downturn. The manufacturer is launching new Fendt-branded machines with integrated technology for row crop farmers.

That means new for Model Year 2026 is a massive 1000 Vario Gen4 high horsepower tractor series featuring four models (426 hp to 550 hp) already setup for autonomous tasking via factory-integrated PTx OutRun autonomy kits. And its Optimum 12-row, Precision Planting tech-packed planter represents a significant milestone for the German brand: It’s the first Fendt stack-fold planter to hit the U.S. market.

(AGCO/Fendt)

We’ll start with the new 1000 Vario Series tractor (shown above), which Fendt says is powered by a 12.4-liter MAN engine featuring DynamicPerformance. The new adaptive power feature reportedly optimizes the engine’s horsepower output and improves fuel efficiency.

Fendt is also saying its Gen4 tractor “raises the bar” with new cab improvements and smart farming tech integrations that help operators feel less fatigue and get more work done.

Most notable overall though is factory integrated autonomous tillage and grain cart robotics. The technology was previously marketed by PTx Trimble as a retrofit-only kit, but now it’s available from the factory on select Fendt 2026 tractor series.

“For farmers that are struggling with labor, efficiency or just trying to do timely operations on their farm to enhance their agronomic outcomes, we’re announcing both Fendt tractor integration and tillage,” says Bryce Baker, North America tactical marketing lead, PTx. “So with that, OutRun becomes a retrofit, mixed fleet, multitask autonomy system with more to come in the future.”

(AGCO/Fendt)

Arthur Santos, marketing manager, Fendt, says the top takeaway he is excited to share about the new Optimum stack-folding planter (shown above) is how it enables ultra-precise seed placement in raised bed farming.

Stack-fold planters, Santos adds, are popular with farmers in the Mississippi Delta, across the southwest in Oklahoma and Texas, as well as in different pockets of Nebraska.

“Everything revolves around seed placement, right? And farmers understand that. Farmers can see how the row unit technology is important, but sometimes farmers don’t focus that much on where the row unit is, that environment that you create for the row unit technology,” Santos says. “This is what the Optimum planter will bring. That tool bar flex placing the row unit where it needs to be, and that adjusting hitch placing the row unit where it needs to be. That row unit technology can’t do its job if it’s not placed where it needs to be.”

Santos also points to the row units themselves on the new 12-row, split fold planter offering. He says the units are equipped with a full-suite of PTx-Precision Planting row unit technology.

“We’re taking the best of the best of the Precision Planting row unit technology — V-Set 2 meters, V-Drive, DeltaForce hydraulic downforce, Speed Tubes, and the latest FurrowForce and Reveal tech — and we’re putting it on a planter right onto the frame,” he says. “This is what will distinguish Fendt planters from any other planter, we’re taking that amazing row unit technology that all the brands are chasing and we’re bringing it right to the frame.”

Order writing for the 1000 Vario Gen4 tractor will open up later this year with first deliveries taking place sometime in 2026, AGCO reps state. And Optimum will be rolled out for interested buyers with an initial presale offering in spring 2026.

Fendt is also adding dry fertilizer spreading to its Momentum 30' planter for model year 2026, and the AGCO/Fendt RoGator 900 Series sprayer is also getting a suite of upgrades.

And last but not least, Fendt’s FarmEngage FMIS machinery data platform is now included with all new machinery purchases for three years at no additional cost. The program costs $600 per farm license if purchased a la carte and offers API compatibility with John Deere’s Operations Center and CNH’s FieldOps platform, along with other popular farm management digital tools from Raven, Topcon, and AgLeader.

PTx will also offer a Starlink mini connectivity bundle through its dealer network in the coming months, PTx representatives add.

To learn more about AGCO/Fendt’s 2026 Model Year updates and releases, reach out to your local Fendt dealer.

Your Next Read: Top Tier Story Telling Can Push Your Equipment’s Value Higher In A Roller Coaster Market

Top Tier Story Telling Can Push Your Equipment's Value Higher In A Roller Coaster Market

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 16:21:40 GMT

Volatile is the word that best sums up the current state of the farm equipment auction world.

The market currently sits at a “tipping point” as the busy auction season approaches, according to “Moving Iron” podcast hosts Casey Seymour and Machinery Pete. One of the surest signals of an unsteady market is the fact that used machines with comparable engine hours and specs are selling for significant price differences.

Over the last six months, three used, late-model Case IH Steiger 715 tractors sold at auction experienced a massive $48,000 price difference spread.

Machinery Pete advises dealers trying to stay at the top end of the market to focus on “marketing the living hell” out of machines — and even the auction sale itself. And always hammer home the human faces and origin stories behind each machine.

“You don’t want people leaning backward in their chair. You want them leaning in,” Pete says. “You have to get them on the front of their seat. Back of the seat? That’s when you’re $40K soft.”

And with fall harvest fast approaching — or already on in some areas — the guys note late-model combines like John Deere’s S Series have softened value-wise over the last week. At the same time, well-conditioned, older tractors, combines and sprayers (7 to 10 years old) are still drawing above-average bids.

With the market in such flux, its crucial buyers do a lot of homework before buying and use sites like MachineryPete.com to monitor sales data to know a good deal from a pricey albatross.

“It’s the ‘80s stagflation thing [again] where supply is coming down, but the price isn’t moving,” Seymour says. “You’re seeing $430,000 combines sold with 250 hours that are 12-year-old machines. The (supply) volume goes down. but the price stays the same — it doesn’t go up or down. And that is where the market is. It’s not based on anything other than available capital, interest rates and what commodity prices look like and futures buying.”

Exploring Other Industry Trends

Shawn Hackett, president and CEO of Hackett Financial Advisors, says widespread disease and insect pressure noted last week by Pro Farmer Crop Tour scouts across the Corn Belt will “take some of the top off” USDA yield estimates for corn and soybeans.

“Years like this, what you see from the road is not what you see in the middle of the field,” Hackett says. “My work says Pro Farmer is probably on the right track at 182.7, but anything 185 (bu/ac national average) or less — and the closer we get to under 182 — then we’ll get back into an upper $4 or lower $5 corn futures market.”

Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist with 21^st Century Equipment, takes viewers on a used corn head market deep dive with Seymour.

He says dealers should know the current “sweet spot” for used corn heads sits somewhere between $50,000 and $100,000, and the most in-demand models are two–to- five-year-old John Deere C Series heads. Anything over $125,000, he adds, is a tough sell.

Head over to YouTube to watch the full episode. Hit the “Thumbs Up” button to “Like” the video and click on the “Subscribe” button to get a notification when a new episode drops.

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Kelly Hills Pushes the AgTech R&D Envelope with Driverless Tractor Pilot, Fungicide Spray Timing Tool

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 19:05:56 GMT

Emerging from its annual summer field day , Kelly Hills Unmanned announces the launch of two interesting endeavors that will surely move the needle forward on smart farming technology R&D:

The outfit is co-launching what it is calling the Rural Autonomous Mobility Program (RAMP), a pioneering public-private initiative to bring autonomous farm equipment onto public roads for the first time in the U.S.
Kelly Hills is also launching SpraySense, an AI-powered, autonomous application intelligence product developed through the company’s accelerator program, The Forge.

We’ll start with RAMP

Sabanto, founded in 2018, is working to allow farmers and ag retailers to convert any make and model into an autonomous tractor through an equipment retrofit kit.

(Sabanto)

RAMP, or the Rural Autonomous Mobility Program, was born from the vision of Kelly Hills CEO Lukas Koch and was made possible by the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) Innovative Technology Program.

RAMP’s mission is to enable autonomous tractors and farm machinery to safely and legally operate on rural public roads, solving logistical bottlenecks and revitalizing rural economies.

Initial RAMP collaborators include:

Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems (Program Manager)
Sabanto (Autonomous Tractor Manufacturer)
Nemaha County in Kansas (Local Partner)
KDOT
Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA)
Kansas State University (K-State)

According to a press release, the partners aim to develop policy, infrastructure and safety protocols to allow fully autonomous tractors to move between fields and operational bases without human drivers.

RAMP will operate within a pilot phase in Kansas through 2026, collecting data on autonomous road operations, engaging with local communities and working with regulators to build a scalable model for other states and agricultural regions.

Let’s learn about SpraySense

(Heinen Brothers)

The inaugural 2025 cohort of The Forge, which we wrote about back in June, brought together ag tech and drone technology companies like Yamaha Precision Agriculture, Pyka, Precision AI, Scanit Technologies, Heinen Brothers Agra Services, and Taranis to co-develop solutions that address one of farming’s most persistent questions: When is the right time to apply fungicide?

According to Koch, the group was originally focused on optimizing fungicide application for corn and soybean growers, but the collaborative efforts exceeded expectations, resulting in the creation of SpraySense.

The platform, an end-to-end AI-driven recommendation and application system, brings together aerial imagery, weather and environmental conditions, disease risk models and traditional agronomy data sets to deliver real-time recommendations on whether, when, where and how to spray.

While its debut application targets fungicide optimization, SpraySense is designed as a modular, flexible platform. Kelly Hills plans to adapt the technology to other crop inputs including fertilizer, biologicals, herbicides and insecticides.

There’s a lot of cool, innovative stuff happening in those gently rolling, emerald green north Kansas hills. Check out KellyHills.us to learn more.

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Used Farm Equipment Swindle Alert: BBB Warns Virtual Vendor Vehicle Scams on the Rise

Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:49:31 GMT

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning used equipment buyers nationwide about another sophisticated scam involving used farm equipment.

This particular grift, according to a press release from BBB, involved a fake online heavy equipment retailer impersonating a legitimate Missouri dealership, Cook Equipment & Trucking (Marble Hill, Mo.).

Buyers from across the U.S., some even from as far away as California and Arizona, reported losing a total of $223,000 after attempting to purchase heavy equipment and farm machinery through fraudulent websites and Facebook Marketplace ads.

Related: Essential Advice for Safely Buying Used Farm Machinery

Victims say they were “ghosted” after wiring money for equipment that never arrived. The BBB does not say whether the victims were able to dispute the fraudulent charges and claw back the proceeds from the scammers.

The reported fraudulent transactions include:

$45,000 for a skid steer loader from a buyer in Oak Hills, Calif.
$32,000 for an excavator from a buyer in Hancock, Mich.
$29,500 for a trailer from a buyer in Amanda, Ohio
$29,000 for a trailer from a buyer in Greenville, N.C.
$28,000 for a skid steer loader from a buyer in Eastman, Wis.
$31,000 for an excavator from a buyer in Des Moines, Iowa.
$29,000 for a skid steer from a buyer in Blue, Ariz.

BBB says the real Cook Equipment & Trucking, a small business operating since 2010, confirmed it has no website and is not affiliated with any online sales. The impersonators registered three fake websites, the most recent on July 14, and continue to run deceptive ads on social media.

“Those shopping for heavy equipment and farm machinery online should do their due diligence so they don’t fall victim to a virtual vehicle vendor scam,” says Michelle L. Corey, president and CEO, BBB St. Louis. “If an item is priced well below market value, that’s a red flag.”

To avoid getting swept up in an online virtual vehicle vendor scam the Better Business Bureau offers these tips:

Research the business at bbb.org or call 888-996-3887
Be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true
Verify the website and contact the business directly
Read all terms and understand refund policies
Use a credit card for added protection
Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker, your state attorney general, the FTC, and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center , and notify the social media platform where the fraud was discovered

To learn more about how to avoid online fraud in the used equipment auction world, check out BBB’s 2024 study on virtual vehicle vendor scams.

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Will 2027 Be The Big Bounce Back For New Equipment Sales?

Thu, 21 Aug 2025 14:17:32 GMT

With new farm equipment sales tracking downward as we venture into the used equipment auction busy season, more farmers are looking to late-model used machines. High interest rates for financing new equipment, as well as low commodity prices, are also factors driving interest in used machines.

Considering basic supply and demand principles, it makes sense Casey Seymour and Machinery Pete are seeing less late-model equipment inventory at auction than last year, and what is available now is starting to increase in price. They discuss the trend on a recent episode of the “Moving Iron” podcast.

“I mean, [John] Deere just laid off more people last week, and that was not unexpected, because you have one, now two, and we’re drifting into three years of lower sales of new [equipment]. There’s just less one-, two- and three-year-old units available — whether on the [dealer] lot, at auction or for sale privately,” Pete says.

(BrockAuction.com)

Pete says a recent auction transaction in western Iowa illustrates his point: a 2022 New Holland CR780 with 400 sep hours (pictured above) sold for $195,700. That’s in the ballpark of 54% of the total cost of a brand new CR7. With commodity prices where they are, Pete thought he would see a lower price come in on that machine, but it was only $7,000 off the all-time average auction price.

Seymour thinks dealers will start to move more equipment off their lots to the auction market if interest rates don’t go down, considering there are real, direct costs associated with machines sitting on the lot.

But even if Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell drops interest rates considerably — as President Donald Trump has been asking for months — Pete isn’t convinced farmers will rush to buy new equipment.

“We were already pretty iron-heavy going into this downturn. Farmers have a lot of iron,” Pete explains. “I think we could drift through ‘26 in the same belt tightening [mode], and then maybe we get into ‘27, and now its four years [into the downturn]. Does that become the point where we see more [buying] activity out of [farmer] need?”

Additional Industry Trends

Shawn Hackett, president and CEO, Hackett Financial, is spending his week closely following the results of Farm Journal’s Pro Farmer Crop Tour.

He doesn’t expect a big increase in projected corn yields coming out of the eastern Corn Belt, but he does anticipate some “really, really big numbers” from the western Iowa and eastern Nebraska portions of the tour.

“I think they’re going to come up with a crop yield somewhere around 185 to 186 (average bu./acre), and I think that is a more rational starting place for the crop based on what was planted,” Hackett says. “While that’s not going to create a problem for corn supplies anytime soon, it would move the carryout bushels and would more than justify a mid-$4 (corn) market.”

Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist with 21^st Century Equipment and CEO of High Plains Wholesale, says the two biggest needle movers in his area are two late-model John Deere machines: the 8RX tractor and S700 series combines.

Used forage harvesters are also starting to demand large dairy farmer and custom harvester businesses’ attention, he adds.

“It’s a market that used to be really wild and crazy in August and April. If you’re in the chopper business, it’s now become a more open market throughout the year — versus just those two months of activity,” Fintel says.

Head over to YouTube to watch the full episode . Hit the “Thumbs Up” button to “Like” the video and click on the “Subscribe” button to get a notification when a new episode drops.

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BREAKING: John Deere Confirms 238 Layoffs Across 3 Plants

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 20:56:26 GMT

Following its earnings announcement for the third quarter and rumors of layoffs, ag bellweather John Deere confirmed layoffs at three sites in Illinois and Iowa. The company says a struggling ag economy continues to impact orders for its equipment.

On Friday, the equipment manufacturer issued a statement detailing workforce adjustments across sites in East Moline, Ill., Moline, Ill., and Waterloo, Iowa.

Here is the full, unedited statement from John Deere:

As stated on our most recent earnings call , the struggling ag economy continues to impact orders for John Deere equipment. This is a challenging time for many farmers, growers and producers, and directly impacts our business in the near term.

As the entire ag sector navigates these challenges, John Deere continues to provide customers the high-quality equipment they deserve while strengthening the foundations of U.S. manufacturing.

We remain committed to keeping our U.S. manufacturing footprint strong, viable and competitive. We are investing nearly $20 billion over the next decade to upgrade and enhance manufacturing facilities across the country. This is on top of recent U.S. investments to open new facilities and expand/modernize others.

Due to decreased demand and lower order volumes, the following factories will be implementing workforce reductions in the coming weeks. Affected employees were informed today.

Facilities involved include:

Harvester Works in East Moline, Ill.: 115 (last day of work Aug. 29)
Seeding and Cylinder in Moline, Ill.: 52 (last day of work Sept. 26)
Foundry in Waterloo, Iowa: 71 (last day of work Sept. 19)

Deere adds affected employees are eligible to be recalled to their home factory for a period equal to their length of service, and those laid off are automatically placed in seniority order for openings “they are qualified to perform at the factory.”

Laid off employees will also receive a handful of financial and health benefits that include supplemental income payments and continuing healthcare coverage for up to six months.

This follows earlier pushback from John Deere about erroneous reports that it was laying off over 800 employees in the Quad Cities, Ill., area. Illinois WARN has since issued an apology, pointing to an internal error as the culprit.

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Economics Update

The High Plains Perspective

John Deere Layoffs Continue Amid Sales Downturn, 142 Iowa Employees Notified

Additional Information

Tips And Tech Tools To Take The Sting Out Of Harvesting A Highly Variable Corn Crop

More harvest 2025 content:

Pete's Pick: 29-Year-Old Used Case IH Skid Steer, 2000 John Deere 8310 Draw Strong Bids

Navigate The Used Farm Equipment Market With 5 Smart Buyer Hacks

Commodities and Market Updates

Classic Tractor Shines: 1989 John Deere 4455 Hits $80,750 at Iowa Auction

Fall auction season heats up this week

5 Yield-Saving Combine Adjustments For Touch-And-Go Fall Harvest

More harvest machinery content:

Auction Experts: Buy Used Farm Equipment Now Before Prices Jump, Machinery Specs Matter More Than Ever

Commodities Analysis

High Plains Update

New 2026 Balers and Hay Tools Launched By Case IH, John Deere, New Holland, And Vermeer

John Deere intros V452M Round Baler with stepped-up automation features

New Holland rolls out Roll-Belt 1 Series Balers

Vermeer launches fleet of new baler and hay tools for 2026

Harvest Milestone: New Holland's Twin Rotor Technology Celebrates 50 Years of Threshing and Separating Power

Combine History on Display

First Look: Fendt’s New Autonomy Ready Vario Tractors, Split Fold Optimum Planter

Top Tier Story Telling Can Push Your Equipment's Value Higher In A Roller Coaster Market

Exploring Other Industry Trends

Kelly Hills Pushes the AgTech R&D Envelope with Driverless Tractor Pilot, Fungicide Spray Timing Tool

We’ll start with RAMP

Let’s learn about SpraySense

Used Farm Equipment Swindle Alert: BBB Warns Virtual Vendor Vehicle Scams on the Rise

Related: Essential Advice for Safely Buying Used Farm Machinery

Will 2027 Be The Big Bounce Back For New Equipment Sales?

Additional Industry Trends

BREAKING: John Deere Confirms 238 Layoffs Across 3 Plants