Southeast (U.S.)

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.

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.

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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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Harvest Smarter: How Farmer Neil Denton Slashes Grain Loss With Aftermarket Technology

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:22:10 GMT

Neil Denton doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to his crops: His corn today looks to be “a marginal crop” and his soybean yields are “going to be way off” this fall.

His operation, Denton Farms, Barlow, Ky., raises corn, soybeans, wheat, rye and canola in an area known for bluegrass music, Kentucky pit-style barbecue and, of course, bourbon whiskey. But that American-made, caramel-brown legacy spirit can only blunt the sting of a meager crop year so much. Denton has a farm (not to mention a podcast and YouTube Channel) to run, so you can’t really blame him for doing everything in his power to get every single, shiny kernel in the bin.

With that goal top of mind, this spring he pulled the trigger on new crop-specific sets of Bushel Plus concaves to replace the OEM concaves in his John Deere X9 combine. The aftermarket concaves are easy to swap out, he says. Right away, Denton noted the unique grate design, which has helped whittle his harvest losses on soft winter wheat down to 0.7 bu. per acre; that is “phenomenal for small grains,” he says.

Looking to fine-tune his combine performance even more, Denton added the Bushel Plus SmartPan system to his harvest toolkit — a remote-controlled “smart” drop pan and mobile app to monitor and measure grain loss out the back end of the combine. After all, the hilly, western Kentucky landscape presents a formidable challenge when it comes to dialing in header height and other settings for each field.

Denton says he has also enjoyed getting to know Marcel Kringe, Bushel Plus founder and CEO. Kringe is originally from Germany, but today he makes his home on Canada’s canola-ringed western plains, perhaps the ideal location for an innovator focused on harvester optimization.

“He’s one of those guys that’s willing to come out, help you install concaves, and show you how they work,” says Denton. “You just don’t see that very often.”

Denton says he expects to see a full return on investment this year for both the concaves and the SmartPan system. He adds that the ruggedized concaves are built to last, extending their lifespan to far more acres in the combine.

CEO on summer tour

Bushel Plus CEO Marcel Kringe

(Photo courtesy of Bushel Plus)

Kringe is currently amid a multiweek tour of U.S. equipment dealer field days. He says the farmers he has met with are looking for relief from high operating costs and low commodity prices.

“Grain prices right now are a bit tricky, but overall farmers are happy they got planting finished up after a tough spring with lots of moisture down here,” Kringe says. “Right now, they are focused on getting the best out of their crop because margins are tight, right? And if they buy something, they’ll only buy it if it has a good ROI. Our products are all about getting more grain in the bin and having less (grain) loss, and less loss means more money for the farmer.”

Limiting grain lost out the backside of the combine is a passion for Kringe, who got Bushel Plus off the ground from his basement as a hobby. He likens the importance of combine and header adjustments to front-end alignments in the automotive world.

As with tires, if the alignment is off, everything pulls in the wrong direction and wears unevenly, Kringe notes.

“It’s the same idea with a combine. We’re essentially calibrating the machine so it runs smoothly and efficiently — just like aligning the front end of a vehicle,” he says. “Farmers already understand they need to calibrate tools like air seeders, planters and sprayers. Combines need the same attention. It has to be dialed in to perform at its best.”

(Photo courtesy of Bushel Plus)

Kringe has a tagline to remind farmers how often they need to calibrate the combine: New field. New crop. New variety. Any of the three means it’s time to do a fresh calibration.

For growers that have never made aftermarket changes to their combine, but they think now is the time to dive in, Kringe says they should start with a drop pan system.

“You already have a combine with concaves doing the job,” he says. “And while our concaves take that performance further, the SmartPan really gets you thinking seriously about harvest loss. You can only harvest once, and if you’re not measuring what’s coming out the back, you’re flying blind. That’s the one thing you want to have.”

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Pete's Pick: Pair of John Deere 6M Tractors, Mower Conditioner Take Top Billing

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 20:13:28 GMT

This week’s Machinery Pete “Pete’s Pick of the Week” comes from a farm estate auction sale that took place over the weekend in Rogers, Ohio.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

At the James D. Bowersock auction, which was helmed by Kiko Auctions, a 2023 John Deere 6120M tractor with a 600R loader attachment (65 hours) sold for $122,500, which is a new record-high auction price for that model.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

And a 2023 John Deere 6140M with 252 hours (no loader included) sold for $112,500. Pete says that is the second highest auction price of all time on a used 6140M tractor without a loader.

(Machinery Pete Facebook)

That same sale also had a used John Deere 630 9’x9" discbine mower conditioner implement sell for $17,250.

If you’re interested in what else sold at that Ohio sale, you can check out the full report over at MachineryPete.com.

Although Pete had to record his AgriTalk segment (embedded above) from the road this week, he did have a second to offer up some quick advice on how farmers can make their used equipment stand out on a crowded auction docket. A personal touch is the key, Pete says.

“Our auction price data has shown over the years very clearly that when you personalize what you are selling — whether it’s private for sale by owner, at auction or through a dealer — it sells for more money,” Pete says. “It attracts more potential buyers.”

Big Online Sale Tuesday
Speaking of attracting more buyers, Merit Auctions is holding its first virtual consignment sale from its Bainbridge, Ga., equipment lot on Tuesday, July 15, starting at 10 am E.T.

Check out Pete’s Facebook post for more information.

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From Omaha to Georgia: Inside the Farm Machinery Reshoring Boom

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 19:04:17 GMT

After releasing our “Where Farm Equipment Is Made” 2025 update in February , we circled back with farm equipment manufacturers to get a read on how tariffs will affect where machines are made.

Many companies across a wide range of industries are considering or even moving forward with plans to reshore production from overseas back into the United States. We’ve learned this process involves long-term, strategic investments in new facilities and/or expanding factories already established here in the States.

Although each manufacturer shared differing visions for how, when and where it plans to build out additional manufacturing capabilities in the years ahead, a common theme did emerge: farm equipment builders are investing big dollars into reshoring, and many have been for quite some time now.

Let’s hear what the machinery companies are planning:

AGCO Corp.

(AGCO Corp.)

The Duluth, Ga.-based equipment manufacturer says its dedication to American farmers and its own strategic investment plans are “key drivers of our overall growth strategy,” according to an AGCO spokesperson.

The rest of the statement from AGCO, which builds the Fendt and Massey Ferguson equipment brands along with its own AGCO machines, regarding U.S. expansion plans can be found below:

Since 2020, we have invested just under $3 billion in the U.S. across new and expanded manufacturing facilities, product innovations and the largest ag tech deal in the history of the industry. Our commitment has extended across our various brands, locations and Research & Development (R&D) efforts, including the notable 2024 joint venture establishing Colorado-based PTx Trimble, the inauguration of Fendt Lodge – the North American headquarters of Fendt – in Minnesota, a new precision ag production facility in Illinois, modernization of systems and technologies in one of our Kansas plants, and U.S.-based R&D for new sprayer and planter technology.

These investments, AGCO says, will not only enhance production at its U.S. facilities for years to come, but also ensure AGCO remains at the forefront of ag innovation around the world.

Claas

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Claas is still a somewhat fresh face to the North American farm equipment market, but the company has deep roots in Europe. It was founded over 100 years ago in a small German farming town, and today the company has global headquarters in Harsewinkel, Germany.

But you may not be aware that Claas has also built a significant manufacturing operation in America’s heartland. The company opened its Lexion combine production campus, located just south of downtown Omaha, Neb., in 1997. This year marks 10,000 Lexion combines rolling off the main production line inside the 120,000 sq. ft. facility.

(Photos: John Deere, Matthew J. Grassi, AGCO, Kubota)

Claas has significant expansion plans in place for its Omaha campus, including doubling its overall production footprint for the main manufacturing building as well as adding a new training and apprenticeship building.

Here is the statement Matthias Ristow, president & managing director of business administration – Claas Omaha, shared regarding the company’s expansion plans:

Claas is investing significantly in its production hub in the United States, and not only recently. Over the last five years, we have added to our production facility to provide a better location for our rework and reconfiguration areas, as well as a dedicated work area for our quality control department for the pre-delivery inspections each machine must go through before being shipped. This is part of our comprehensive quality assurance program.

We also have built a new service academy where we train all the technicians from our U.S. dealer network (we have a similar location in Canada) so we can keep their skills up to date and make sure they have the proper certifications to work on our machines. Technology updates and changes are trained there as well.

Furthermore, our new service academy houses our apprenticeship program where we train the future assembly technicians in a three-year rigorous training program, managed by the German Chamber of Commerce. The program has several advantages. Technicians receive a regular paycheck (“earn while you learn”), receive an associate’s degree from a community college we partner with, receive a certificate from the German Chamber and have a job when they graduate from the program debt free.

Farm Journal recently had the opportunity to tour Claas’ Omaha operation, where we learned the manufacturer is also expanding its partnerships with domestic material and component manufacturers. For example, it recently began working with a finished parts supplier local to Nebraska to fabricate the grain spout for each Lexion combine.

CNH Industrial (Case IH and New Holland)

(CNH Industrial)

Although short on specifics, CNH Industrial (Racine, Wisc.) confirms it plans to “continue to expand our footprint through capital investments in our U.S. facilities, partnerships with local suppliers and programs that strengthen the communities where we live and work.”

CNH adds it currently employs more than 9,000 people across 17 U.S. states, with 14 manufacturing facilities and 22 R&D centers active throughout North America.

And approximately 70% of the components used in CNH Industrial’s U.S. plants are sourced from domestic suppliers while 95% its steel is purchased from U.S.-based mills. It says this approach to domestic material sourcing supports thousands of suppliers’ jobs and reinforces its investment in American-made quality.

John Deere

(John Deere)

The farm equipment manufacturer with global headquarters in Moline, Ill., was first to share its future investment plans with Farm Journal. Back in May, the company announced a 10-year, $20 billion outlay plan for its U.S. production base. This year alone, Deere says it will pour $100 million into its U.S. operations.

John Deere says this initiative includes:

A 120,000 sq. ft. expansion of the company’s remanufacturing facility in Missouri.
Construction of a new excavator factory in Kernersville, N.C.
Expansion of its Greeneville, Tenn., turf equipment factory.
New assembly lines for 9RX high-horsepower tractor production in Waterloo, Iowa.

John Deere plans to invest a total of $22.5 billion into its U.S. manufacturing network once the 10-year project is complete.

Kubota North America

(Kubota North America)

Kubota Tractor Corporation (KTC) established its North America headquarters in Grapevine, TX., in 2017. The Japanese equipment manufacturer shared the following statement regarding U.S. expansion plans.

North America is critical for Kubota, and the U.S. is our largest market. We firmly believe in local production for local consumption and have made more than $1 billion in U.S. infrastructure investments in the last couple years to meet the growing needs of our dealers and customers. For example, we recently announced the opening of a new loader facility in Gainesville, Ga., (invested $190 million), a new Western Distribution Center in California (invested $72 million), and an R&D facility (invested $100 million) that’s also in Georgia. We have other network investment announcements in the works, and we plan to continue to invest over the next five to 10 years as we respond to market demands. Today, we are more than 7,000 American workers strong who market and sell, and fabricate, weld and assemble equipment with domestic and global parts.

Want to learn more about where your favorite farm machines are made? Check out “From the Factory to Your Fields: Where Farm Equipment Is Made”.

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Be Aware: Dangerous Asian Longhorned Tick Continues Migrating West

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:42:46 GMT

The Asian Longhorned Tick (ALHT) poses a serious threat to cattle health. ALHTs carry Theileria, which is a protozoan parasite that infects red and white blood cells. It can lead to anemia and, in some cases, death.

ALHTs are native to eastern Asia, eastern China, Japan, the Russian Far East and Korea but were introduced to Australia, New Zealand and western Pacific Islands. In other countries, it can also be called a bush tick, cattle tick or scrub tick.

In the U.S., ALHT was first detected in New Jersey in 2017. Since then, it has spread to more than 20 states with recent confirmations in Illinois , Michigan and Iowa .

According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) ALHTs are known to carry pathogens, which can cause disease and may also cause distress to the host from their feeding in large numbers. For example, a dairy cow may have a 25% decrease in milk production after becoming a host.

A female can reproduce without a mate and lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time. This can cause great stress on a heavily infested animal and result in reduced growth and production. A severe infestation can kill the animal from excessive blood loss.

Asian longhorned tick life stages and relative actual size.

(Photos of unfed ticks by Centers for Disease Control. Photos of engorged ticks by Jim Occi, Rutgers, Center for Vector Biology.)

What does it look like?

Unfed ALHTs range from a light reddish-tan to a dark red with brown, dark markings. While the adult female grows to the size of a pea when full of blood, other stages of the tick are very small — about the size of a sesame seed.

Adult females are a grey-green with yellowish markings. Male ticks are rare.

APHIS reports it only takes a single tick to create a population in a new location.

The above photos are of a AHLT engorged (on the left) and an adult AHLT not engorged.

(New Jersey Department of Agriculture)

ALHTs need warm-blooded hosts to feed and survive. They have been found on various species of domestic animals — such as sheep, goats, dogs, cats, horses, cattle and chickens — and wildlife. The tick has also been found on people.

What are the health risks?

APHIS says ALHTs are not known to carry Lyme disease, but they can cause tickborne diseases affecting humans and animals such as:

Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Heartland virus
Powassan virus

APHIS says those diseases have not been confirmed outside of a laboratory setting in the U.S. In addition, U.S. ALHT populations can transmit U.S. Theileria orientalis Ikeda strain (Cattle theileriosis) in the laboratory.

In an Iowa State University release , Grant Dewell, Extension beef veterinarian and associate professor, says cattle affected by Theileriosis will show signs of lethargy, anemia and difficulty breathing. They may develop ventral edema, exercise intolerance, jaundice and abortions.

“Although signs of Theileriosis are similar to anaplasmosis, younger animals and calves often display more severe signs compared to mature cows and bulls,” he says. “Due to anemia from both tick infestation and Theileria, the risk of death can be elevated. If cattle producers suspect either Theileria or ALHT, have a veterinarian collect appropriate samples and submit them to a veterinary diagnostic lab.”

According to an Oklahoma State University press release , under laboratory conditions ALHT is a competent vector of numerous pathogens that can cause disease in humans, including Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever), Heartland Virus and Powassan Virus.

In “ Clinical Infectious Diseases, ” Bobbi Pritt, MD, MSC, with the division of clinical microbiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., reported a human bite that occurred in New York in 2019. She says though the report of a human bite isn’t surprising, it proves the invasive longhorned tick continues to bite hosts in its newest location.

“This is extremely worrisome for several reasons,” she writes. “One reason is Asian longhorned ticks can carry several important human pathogens, including the potentially fatal severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus and Rickettsia japonica, which cases Japanese spotted fever. While these pathogens have yet to be found in the United States, there is a risk of their future introduction.”

Also, Pritt says several other human pathogens have been detected in the ticks, but it’s not clear if the ALHT species are able to transmit them to humans. They include Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Borrelia species. Lyme disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria.

She warns the organisms are present in states where ALHTs have been found and that it’s possible the tick — known to be an aggressive biter— might be able to transmit Heartland virus given its close relationship to SFTS virus.

How to Tackle Ticks

According to APHIS, various strategies effectively mitigate tick populations on hosts and in the environment.

Regular tick treatments should be effective against ALHTs. Consult your veterinarian or agriculture extension agent about which products to use.
Check your livestock for ticks regularly.
Safely remove ticks from people and pets as quickly as possible. If you think you’ve found an ALHT, seal it in a zip-top bag and give it to your veterinarian for identification.
Habitat modifications can help prevent ticks on feedlots and pastures. This may include mowing grass, removing trees, reducing shade by thinning trees, understory removal and placing mulch barriers.
Apply acaricide using label instructions to tick habitats, such as woodland edges and grassy patches, during times when ticks are most actively seeking hosts. Although it varies by year, ALHTs are generally active from March to November. Consult your state and local regulations for approved acaricides.

“Cattle producers should aggressively control external parasites this summer,” Dewell summarizes. “Insecticide ear tags alone are not enough to control ticks. Consider incorporating a back rubber or regularly applying a pour-on during the summer. Pyrethroid-based products are also available that include a tick control label. If an increase in tick infestations is observed, an avermectin pour-on may be the best intervention.”

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All The Details: Inside John Deere’s New F8 and F9 Forage Harvesters

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 18:20:36 GMT

John Deere is rolling out two new forage harvesters for North American dairy producers and custom harvesting operations.

The brand new F8 and F9 Series feature three factory-installed operator cab options, a technology stack that will one day enable autonomous operation, and enhanced feed quality via an integrated inoculant dosing system.

How are F8 and F9 different?
The F8 Series (425PS to 645PS) is a narrow base model that takes the place of Deere’s 8000 Series forage harvester, while the F9 Series (700PS to 1020PS) replaces the 9000 Series. Within the F9 Series is the F9 1000, which is Deere’s largest forage harvest machine to date.

(Editor’s Note: “PS” stands for Pferdestärke, which is the German term for horsepower. PS to horsepower is not an apples-to-apples equal ratio. The F9 1000, for example, features 1020PS which equates to 1,006HP, according to the manufacturer.)

The F9 is available in two engine options:

John Deere 18X (no DEF required)
Liebherr V12 24L

It has five horsepower options, while the F8 comes with the JD14X engine and can be configured across six horsepower options.

The manufacturer last rolled out completely new forage harvesters in 2019.

How much will each new model cost?

The feed rolls on John Deere’s F8 and F9 forage harvesters have integrated metal detection to keep unwanted material out of your feed.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

John Deere is not sharing its pricing just yet, but the two new models are built at its Zweibrucken, Germany, factory. John Deere dealers will begin taking orders for the aggressively styled, technology-packed harvesters this fall, with final delivery in time for the 2026 forage harvesting season.

Deere representatives declined comment on what effect, if any, the still-developing U.S.and E.U. tariff situation could have on its launch plans.

Ahead of the launch, Farm Journal went to Madison, Wisc., to kick the tires and learn all about the new machines. The F8 and F9 harvesters we viewed and climbed into were the first finished production units off the factory line. Deere says several units will be field tested with U.S. customers ahead of the full fall launch.

“We’re really excited about the new cab and the technology we’ve added to these machines like central tire inflation, ground speed automation and the new kernel processing units,” says Bergen Nelson, go-to-market manager, combines and forage harvesters.

Here’s some of what we learned about the new forage harvesters:

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Cab Comforts: The same three operator cab options offered with Deere’s X and S Series combines — Select, Premium and Ultimate — are available on the F8 and F9 Series. A smoothly swiveling captain’s chair, as well as an all-new corner post display that shows real-time machine data, are among the additions. Operators who spend long hours in the cab will also appreciate integrated entertainment like SXM Radio and an optional mini fridge.

(Matthew J. Grassi )

Foundational Deere Tech Stack: Each new forage harvester in the series includes Deere’s baseline precision tech enablement stack — which consists of its G5 display, Starfire 7500 receiver and JDLink modem.

Central Tire Inflation System: A completely new feature (top left inset photo) within the G5 display allows the operator to adjust front tire PSI up or down from the cab.

John Deere Inoculant Dosing System 2.0

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Inoculant Dosing System 2.0: New on both the F8 and F9, a high-volume 85 gallon inoculant tank and integrated pump allow the user to accurately adjust silage inoculant dosage rates from the G5 display in the cab. The system is easy to pump and prime as well with the touch of a button located at the rear of the machine.

Ground Speed Automation: This cruise control-like option reads RPMs and throttles the harvester up or down based on crop conditions. For example, harvesting corn at higher moisture levels will increase power output, so the machine will automatically slow down to ensure it doesn’t plug up or do a sub-optimal job harvesting. This feature comes standard on all base models for both series and does not require a yearly subscription unlock or per-acre fee.

Pro Touch Harvest: Another new feature within the G5 display allows the operator to shift the machine from road transport mode to harvest mode in a single click. It can also be used to quickly engage AutoTrac and ground speed automation once the operator arrives at the edge of field.

This all-new XStream 305 Kernel Processing (KP) unit is built by Scherer in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

New Kernal Processing (KP) Units: The new harvesters feature two completely redesigned KP units, the Ultimate 250 (also made in Germany) and the Scherer XStream 305, which is made in Sioux Falls, S.D. An integrated winch and internal rail mounting system makes switching the machine from corn forage to hay forage in the field quick and simple. The number signifies each KP unit’s roll diameter width in millimeters.

“Both KPs will go in both machines and have four different roll options depending on how aggressive the dairyman wants their end feed quality to be,” says Shane Campbell, product marketing manager, forage harvesters.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Integrated Harvest Lab 3000: This on-demand constituent sensing module pulls over 4,000 samples per second with +/- 2% accuracy, and John Deere says it can save dairy operations time and money versus collecting and sending samples to a lab. The sensor tech (available as an add-on option) enables accurate measurement and documentation of dry matter, starch, protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber for both harvested forage and manure. The data can be stored, organized and shared via Deere’s Operations Center. Within Operations Center, users can take geo-referenced data and build out spatial starch content — as well as moisture and protein — maps for hybrid selection and fertility management. Because if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.

Active Fill Control 3.0: Using sensors and cameras on the grain spout, this tech feature automatically detects the trailer or grain cart next to the forage harvester and begins filling it with a preselected fill strategy. This reduces the number of times an operator has to adjust the spout manually and also lessens fatigue and neck strain, according to Deere.

(Matthew J. Grassi)

New Operating Modes: Several of the models within the F9 Series offer what Deere is calling its “Engine Power Plus” feature — which gives a sizeable horsepower boost when the machines senses it needs a little extra chopping power to the harvesting head. There is also an ECO mode that can be toggled on when the machines don’t need the extra torque.

Ease-Of-Access: Both models have side and rear panels that easily open to grant full access to the inner workings of the machines, making the new forage harvesters much easier to service and maintain without a lift or other heavy specialized equipment. The machine is setup so techs and mechanically-minded farmers will not have to climb underneath it to perform daily maintenance.

“At the end of the day, we know it’s all about the cow, and these machines will put out quality feed,” Nelson says. “We’ll have these out at the farm shows this summer, including Farm Progress Show, World Ag Expo, World Dairy Expo and the U.S. Custom Harvesters Convention.”

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Record Prevent Plant Acres Cause Devastation for Southern Farmers

Fri, 30 May 2025 19:11:24 GMT

Farm Journal first reported on the somber situation in the South in April . The financial pain of growing cotton this year created a bleak outlook. At that time, National Cotton Council’s Gary Adams said, “We’ve gone beyond just losing money now that we’re to the point of losing the farm.”

Since then, the situation has grown even worse for farmers in the mid-South. It’s turned into a nightmare, with relentless rains causing devastation and preventing farmers from planting crops this year.

Wettest Spring in 133 Years

“It’s been a challenge,” says Franklin Fogleman, who farms in Marion, Ark., just across the bridge from Memphis, Tenn. “Not only have we been facing economic challenges, but we seem to have faced rain since the 1st of April that is unprecedented.”

The wettest spring in 133 years is wreaking havoc on farm fields, after what farmers thought was a strong and early start to planting.

“We got off to a very good start. The last 10 days or so of March, we had a very good run. We were in a very good position with an early start to the crop. It was dry, crops were coming up and looked good,” he says. “We received a rain around the 1st of April that wound up totaling 13" over a couple of days. We lost a substantial amount of crop at that time to flooding.”

That water stuck around for two to three weeks. They got back in the field just before Easter, before getting rained out again for a month.

“Then we received approximately 5" of rain over four days, and we’re back to having about 1,000 acres of the farm underwater that was planted and had small crops that probably won’t survive,” Fogleman says.

Farming Legacies on the Line

Fogleman’s family has been farming here since 1849. And this year, not only is it the acres he won’t be able to plant, but also the growing number of acres that need to be replanted. He’s running out of time to do both.

“We probably have 1,500 acres of rice, and I’m down to about 200 acres of beans to plant for the first time. I will probably have another 700 — maybe 800 — acres of things to replant again,” he says. “But the thing that’s tricky about that math is the roughly 1,500 acres of rice that we haven’t gotten planted, we won’t plant a crop on.”

Fogleman says once the water finally recedes on those acres — which could take days — it’s too late to plant rice. They’ve looked into planting soybeans instead, but the economics don’t support it.

“The window has basically closed on us in the last couple of days,” he says.

But the thing that’s tricky about that math is the roughly 1,500 acres of rice that we haven’t gotten planted, we won’t plant a crop on.

Franklin Fogleman, Arkansas

Farmers Face Historic Prevent Plant Acreage Numbers

That’s the reality for farmers from southern Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.

“The weather has just been terrible,” says Robert Agostinelli, who farms in Coahoma and Quitman Counties in Mississippi. ”We’ve attempted to plant four or five times, and every time we got rain within 24 hours. So, out of about 2,300 acres of cotton, we got about 550 acres planted. That’s all.”

Just 24% of his crop. That’s all this Mississippi farmer got planted this year, which marks a first.

“This has never happened before. I’ve been farming for 41 years, and this has never happened. It was just unheard of,” he says.

You can hear the devastation in farmers’ voices. What’s even more gut wrenching is Agostinelli took out 60% crop insurance coverage with ECO on top, but the ECO doesn’t cover prevent plant.

“Looking back on it, if we would have thought this was a possibility, we probably would have taken out different insurance or something,” he adds.

This has never happened before. I’ve been farming for 41 years, and this has never happened. It was just unheard of.

Robert Agostinelli, Mississippi

That’s the story for farmer after farmer. Crop insurance will help, but it’s not even coming close to making them whole.

“It helps, it’s better than not having it. But the truth is it’s like putting a band-aid somewhere that you need stitches. It’s not enough, it just enough to survive, if that,” Fogleman says.

“Farmers Are Hurting... They’re Hurting Bad”

Andy Graves, a crop consultant in Clarksdale, Miss., adds, “These guys are hurting. They’re hurting bad, and this isn’t what we needed.”

Graves owns Graves Agronomy Service. Even through this rain, he’s up early walking fields and doesn’t like what he sees: flooded out fields, suffocated crops that are barely hanging on and fields overgrown with weeds.

“I don’t know what’s fixing to happen with what’s going on up here right now because it’s as close to disaster as I’ve ever seen on the cotton side, anyway,” Graves says.

We needed a home run, and we’re not going to get it.

Andy Graves, Mississippi

Graves is in the middle of cotton country. It’s a big cotton area with seven gins within 30 miles. Even before the wet weather hit, cotton was facing a mountain of challenges, the main one being price.

“It’s not good. It is more of disbelief, honestly,” Graves says. “I get up every day, and I can’t believe this has happened. We’ve had two record crop years the past two years. And most everybody has not shown a profit, so it was bleak. It was a really rough winter trying to talk to some people about what we’re going to do this year. We needed a home run and we’re not going to get it.”

Today, about 65% of the cotton in Graves’ area is planted.

“A big majority of that just went in and got 6" of rain behind it,” Graves says. “I’m hoping for the best, but it’s cold and wet right now. I’ve never seen a spring like this.”

Cotton Isn’t the Only Crop Swamped By Heavy Rains and Low Prices

It’s not just cotton that farmers are battling. Soybeans are also struggling in the ground, and the corn is wind whipped or battered by hail and sand.

“We’ve had everything. It’s a mess,” Graves says.

Even if the rain stops, the other battle for farmers in the area is the weeds that are already too tall to effectively control.

“We’re going to throw everything we can at it and do the best we can to knock it back, but losing dicamba is going to hurt in the soybean crop. A lot of my cotton up here is Enlist cotton, so I still do have the Enlist technology. We can probably clean a lot of this up with combinations of Liberty, Roundup and Enlist, but it’s going to cost a fortune to do this.”

Farmers on the Brink of Going Under

Graves has been a crop consultant for nearly 30 years. He says without any disaster aid or help, he doesn’t know if some of these Mississippi farmers will survive.

“We have some really strong farmers up here, really strong,” Graves says. “They got that way because they farm very efficient, very smart and don’t make any dumb moves. We’ve had two record yields up here with cotton, soybeans and corn the last couple of years, but they’re financial losses. Now the prices are lower this year, and we’re faced with what we got now with weather. So, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

Devastation Hits Infrastructure and Industries Farming Supports

The devastation isn’t just impacting farms. It’s the infrastructure and industries farming supports.

“It rolls downhill,” Graves says. “I mean, if they’re out of business, I’m out of the business. We’ve got gins, airports, chemical applicators — we have a community. It’s a tough deal to be looking at right now, and it’s not just here. I’ve talked to some people in Arkansas all the way up to Missouri in the past week. It’s all over the place.”

“This is Worse Than a Drought”

Farmers know how emotionally and mentally challenging it can be to cope with a drought. But with this relentless rain this spring, farmers can’t even get their crops in the ground, and that makes it worse than dealing with drought.

“In our area of the Delta, we have irrigation. So, when it’s dry, we can cure that problem,” Fogleman says. “It can be an expensive solution, but it is a solution that’s better than nothing. When your crops are underwater, when it is too wet to get into fields to fertilize or when it’s too wet get into the fields to spray, there’s really nothing that you can do.”

Agostinelli says for cotton, it was in the red any way he looked at it this year.

“This is the kicker. The price is so low that if we farmed it, we will lose even more money. That’s how bad it is,” he says. “It’s very stressful and if there’s no assistance coming, I can just see a lot of farmers going out this year.”

Fogleman adds, “Farmers are pretty resilient and they have a lot of fight, but I have to admit, as I talk to my friends, as I talk my neighbors, these are trying times and people are feeling the impacts of it.”

This is the kicker. The price is so low that if we farmed it, we will lose even more money. That’s how bad it is. It’s very stressful and if there’s no assistance coming, I can just see a lot of farmers going out this year.

Robert Agostinelli, Mississippi

Your Next Read: Cotton Farmers Describe Somber Situation: ‘We’ve Gone Beyond Losing Money to Now Losing the Farm’

Farm Equipment in 2025: Insider Tips for Finding Deals, Used Machine Migration Trends And More

Fri, 09 May 2025 19:07:09 GMT

There’s just no getting around it: 2025 is a tough time for the farm equipment manufacturing sector. Overall demand for new machines is down to Great Recession-era levels, and most farmers are tightly grasping the bankroll they’ve built up over the past couple years.

There is a silver lining though, according to Moving Iron Podcast hosts Casey Seymour and Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson. Bargains on late-model, used equipment are out there, you just have to know where to look.

“If you’re looking to do some buying used equipment-wise, I don’t think you’re going to be able to find it cheaper than right now,” Seymour says.

“My advice is, you know, call your dealer,” Machinery Pete adds. “Go and have a talk with them because that late-model stuff on the lot, you know, they’re still motivated to move it. You can get yourself some good deals.”

Farm Truck of Tomorrow?

(Slate Auto)

One very good deal Seymour and Peterson are watching is a new, American-made electric pickup truck brand, Slate Truck (shown above). The company plans to offer a base model starting at $25,000 that can also be converted into a SUV.

“They’re still testing it, but they’re saying we are going to give you a cheap, low cost, but solid and reliable $25K pickup truck,” Seymour says. “Now, it’s not the prettiest truck out there, but it’ll be fascinating to see how it sells. Personally, I think it might do well.”

Pete agrees there might be some appeal for a low cost, electric pickup around the Corn Belt. Recently, a 2023 GMC Denali Diesel Duramax with over 30,000 miles sold at auction for $78,000. And a brand-new, heavy-duty pickup today can easily run you over $100,000.

“Now, will you get out your checkbook and write that check for $25K? We’ll see, but with the price of everything rising so high, that’s America, that’s capitalism,” Pete says. “If you can build something at a different price point and make it appealing and it still gets the job done, you might have the next Apple computer, who knows?”

Used Equipment Migration 101

Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist, 21^st Century Equipment, joined the podcast this week and went down a used equipment migration flow rabbit hole with Seymour.

A few major trends in farm equipment migration across the U.S. today are most notably:

North to South Migration: In general, farming equipment in the North is often of a higher spec (more horsepower, more technology) compared to the equipment found across much of the South. This flow of used equipment is driven by southern farmers seeking to upgrade machinery.
Shifts in Crop Demand: As cotton prices decline, farmers in the South are switching to corn and soybeans, which leads to higher demand for high horsepower used equipment coming down from up North.
Dealer Lot Differences: There are more tractors and used farm machinery moving into the South than leaving it, and many dealers in the South are dealing with an oversupply of certain types of tractors, like mid-horsepower loader tractors. That means you might be able to find some bargains if you’re in the market for a used utility tractor.

“You’re going to start seeing more of this migration of equipment out of bigger farms in the North and into the specialty crop and livestock farms in the South,” Seymour says.

Fintel and Seymour also discussed where spring planting progress stands today, the advent of adjustable power bins on large combines, and how tillage practices that vary by region impact the movement of used tillage tools in the farm equipment auction world.

Chip Nellinger, co-owner of Blue Reef Agri-Marketing, also joined this week’s episode to give an update on commodities and markets.

Watch the full version of this week’s Moving Iron Podcast over at YouTube.

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Another Sign of Trouble in the Ag Economy: Farm Bankruptcies Are on the Rise

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:35:58 GMT

It’s no secret there’s trouble in the ag economy. As AgWeb reported in March , the Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor found 62% of ag economists think the row crop side of agriculture is currently in a recession, and 85% think the situation will accelerate consolidation on farms and among agribusinesses. A new report from Bloomberg Law shows family farm bankruptcies are also on the rise.

Bloomberg Law’s Alex Wolf and Skye Witley recently reported that family farm bankruptcies had already increased by 55% last year compared to 2023. And there’s no sign of that slowing down, as Wolf and Witley report bankruptcies are trending even higher this year. That’s as farmers continue to grapple with depressed agricultural commodity prices and high input costs.

Farm bankruptcies are on the rise in the U.S.

(Bloomberg)

“And while much of the industrywide distress predates his second stint in the White House, (President Donald) Trump has quickly nudged more farmers closer to the brink of going under and created turbulence for producers trying to make ends meet,” Wolf and Witley reported in the Bloomberg Law story. “Unpredictable tariffs, immigration overhauls, federal program cuts and frozen Agriculture Department funding are now part of the discussions farmers are having as they seek financial help.”

The report shows the last time farm bankruptcy filings soared was in 2019, which was the height of the previous trade war with China. The previous Trump administration sent farmers more than $20 billion in Market Facilitation Program payments (MFP) to help cover export losses.

Following that financial aid to farmers, the report shows family farm bankruptcies, filed under Chapter 12 of the U.S. bankruptcy code, declined each year until 2024.

According to court records, the number of new cases in 2024 jumped to 216 from a near 20-year low of 139. The report also shows those filings have continued to speed up this year, with 82 cases filed over the first three months of 2025, which is nearly double the figure for the same period a year ago.

$10 Billion in ECAP Money to Farmers

More help is on the way, if not already on farm. That’s because the American Relief Act of 2025, which was passed by Congress late last year, authorized the $10 billion for ECAP payments to help offset losses growers incurred during the 2024 crop year. Those payments are being dispersed now, and farmers have until August to sign up.

According to Joe Glauber, former USDA chief economist and a current emeritus fellow with the International Food Policy Research Institute, direct payments have helped farmers. But the threat of farm bankruptcies, and the reality of financial pain if markets don’t improve, is still there

“Remember, we are getting a ton of money put into the sector this year from the bill that was passed by Congress in December,” Glauber told “AgriTalk’s” Chip Flory. “So that’s $31 billion coming in with $10 billion of that going out to farmers as direct income support to offset low margins. So, I don’t think we’ll see a lot of farms going out of business. But certainly, if these short, tight margins persist for a long time, then that’s going to affect people.”

Rural Bankers Show Concern

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the number of farm loans at risk of defaulting is the highest it’s been since 2020 as demand for non-real-estate farm loans has surged while repayment rates dropped. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago serves the Seventh Federal Reserve District , which includes Iowa, and most of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Ag lenders are also concerned. The most recent Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) shows for the 19^th time in the past 20 months, the RMI sank below the 50.0 growth reading in April. This specific index surveys bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.

While tariffs and Trump’s focus on trade are causing uncertainty, Ernie Goss, MacAllister chair in regional economics at Creighton University, says ag lenders are actually supportive of Trump’s tough stance on trade.

“The economic outlook for 2025 farm income remains weak, according to bank CEOs. Despite the negative fallout from tariffs, 75% of bankers support the tariffs on China, and 79.2% back the 90-day pause on other tariffs,” Goss told “AgriTalk’s” Chip Flory. “I’m an economist and we economists, we’re not very keen on tariffs and trade restrictions. Nonetheless, the bankers, three out of the four bankers are supportive of what the president’s doing there, and I would argue that the farmers are on the president’s side as well.”

The RMI also found rural bankers remain pessimistic about economic growth for their area over the next six months. The April confidence index increased to a weak 36.0 from March’s 30.4.

“Weak grain prices and negative farm cash flows, combined with downturns in farm equipment sales over the past several months, pushed banker confidence lower,” Goss said.

Cotton Hit Especially Hard

Cotton farmers are especially feeling the pain with younger farmers already having difficulty getting financed for this year. Cheap cotton prices and dwindling demand are just part of the problem. Input costs have climbed, and there’s no safety net to be found from a new farm bill. One Georgia farmer told Farm Journal that the current farm bill is irrelevant and worthless, and if a new one doesn’t get passed this year, the cotton industry is doomed.

“We’re going to plant cotton and don’t even have a clue if we’re going to get our money back,” says Franz Rowland, who grows cotton in Boston, Ga. “There’s no farm bill to support us, and the reference price is so low that it’s not anything that we can depend on. So, we’re going to put several million dollars in the ground and don’t even know if we’re going to get it back.”

As president and CEO of National Cotton Council (NCC), Gary Adams sees and hears the somber situation for U.S. cotton farmers from coast to coast. Adams says the outlook for 2025 is even worse than 2024.

“We’ve gone beyond just losing money now that we’re to the point of losing the farm,” he says. “Unfortunately, where the industry is, that’s what it looks like as we’re going into 2025.”

Darren Hudson is the Larry Combest endowed chair for agricultural competitiveness and director of the International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness at Texas Tech University. Hudson focuses on cotton, and on “AgriTalk” this week, he described why cotton farmers, and the entire cotton industry, is feeling the pinch.

“Cotton is fairly input intensive anyway, and so urea, nitrogen costs, all these chemical costs, they’re facing those just like every other farmer out there, but we’ve had three consecutive really bad moisture years,” Hudson told “AgriTalk.” “So, we have a long way to go to get back to what you think of as normal growing conditions.”

Hudson says three consecutive years of declining production due to drought isn’t just a problem for producers, it’s also the cotton infrastructure that relies on that crop.

“We’ve had three years, you know, that processing infrastructure all that stuff is strained and disappearing, and it’s getting harder and harder to farm as a cotton farmer out here,” says Hudson, who’s based in Lubock, Texas. “We’re not unusual compared to everybody else. We don’t want to sing a sad story, but I think all of ag is in a squeeze at this moment with [commodity] prices versus inputs.”

Is the Ag Industry Ripe for Consolidation?

Another reality for U.S. agriculture, while the majority of farms in the U.S. are small family farms, that sector doesn’t represent the majority of farm production today.

USDA ERS data shows while 88% of U.S. farms are considered “small family farms,” those farms only represent18.7% of the total U.S. value of farm production.

(Ben Brown, University of Missouri )

USDA ERS data shows while 88% of U.S. farms are considered “small family farms,” those farms only represent 18.7% of the total U.S. value of farm production.

On the other hand, while 3.4% of U.S. farms are “large-scale family farms,” that sector represents 51.8% of the total value of U.S. farm production.

Ready to Roll? Check Out These Last-Minute Planter Tips For Strong Emergence This Spring

Fri, 04 Apr 2025 15:07:32 GMT

Much of the Midwest and Upper South will face torrential rains if the forecasts for this weekend are accurate, so if you’re stuck inside and can’t plant anytime soon, you might as well double check your planter is ready to go once your fields dry up.

Farm Journal Field Agronomist Missy Bauer joined AgriTalk host Chip Flory this week to talk about planter setup tips. Bauer has been called the “Queen of Planter Setup” due to the wealth of experience and knowledge she has to share about getting your planter ready to rock.

“It’s really about those little details … those last-minute details are really important,” Bauer says. “Before the planter pulls out of that shop, we need to make sure our gauge wheels are set.”

Nearly 90% of the planters she sees out running ground have the gauge wheels set too loose, which can result in dry soil getting flung down into the seed trench, she adds. You want good seed-to-soil contact with warm, moist soil at planting for strong and uniform emergence.

Bauer, who operates B&M Crop Consulting, advises once your gauge wheels are set correctly, you need to keep checking them throughout the planting season.

Related - Trace The Path: Spring Planter Setup Tips

From there, make sure you carefully go over your disc openers to check for warping. Bauer says farmers are doing a good job changing out worn disc openers, but it’s critical they check each wheel and make sure there is less than a quarter-inch of variation. You can take two business cards and slide one in from the bottom and one in from the top and see where they come together to see how uniform the openers are, Bauer says.

“That’s real important on those John Deere and Kinze planters, the red planters are a little bit different in that respect,” she adds.

Your planter down pressure system should be another key focus of your pre-field inspections. If you’re planting corn and your goal is precise 2” deep seed placement, Bauer says to plant a few rows and get out and check to make sure you’re actually hitting the target. If not, or if you’re planting too deep, it’s time to make some adjustments to the down pressure settings in the monitor.

Listen below: Yield Champions Randy Dowdy and David Hula Share Top Planter Tips

“Again, you have what you have, as far as technology for this year on your planter, but doing those extra checks in the field and making sure you’re running with the adequate amount of pressure is pretty critical, too,” she says.

And lastly, setting the stage in your fields for strong seed emergence is another critical step, according to Bauer. When you’re making that final seed prep tillage pass, be diligent about checking that the tillage tool is staying level and is doing what you want it to.

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“Making sure we got a good seed bed is important,” she says. “And if you’re on the no-till side of things, with all the moisture we’re getting, there are a lot of weeds coming. So think about burn down and starting clean for planting, so we’re not planting into a weed mat, I think that’s something you don’t want to overlook this year, because margins are tight and they’re going to be tight for the year. So any little details I can put into planting, making sure I can have the best (outcome) on the bushel side is important.”

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U.S. Southeast Faces Daunting Cleanup from Helene as Death Toll Rises

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 13:55:04 GMT

Authorities across the southeastern U.S. faced the daunting task on Saturday of cleaning up from Hurricane Helene, one of the most powerful and perhaps costliest storms to hit the country, as the death toll continued to rise.

At least 47 deaths were reported by early Saturday, and officials feared still more bodies would be discovered across several states.

Damage estimates across the storm’s rampage range between $95 billion and $110 billion, potentially making this one of the most expensive storms in modern U.S. history, said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist of AccuWeather, a commercial forecasting company.

Downgraded late on Friday to a post-tropical cyclone, the remnants of Helene continued to produce heavy rains across several states, sparking massive flooding that threatened to cause dam failures that could inundate entire towns.

“The devastation we’re witnessing in Hurricane Helene’s wake has been overwhelming,” President Joe Biden said on Saturday. “Jill and I continue to pray for all of those who have lost loved ones and for everyone impacted by this storm.”

Biden was briefed about the loss of life and storm’s impact
on multiple states by Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Liz Sherwood-Randall, the White House’s homeland security adviser, the White House said.

The president directed them to continue to focus on speeding up support to storm survivors and accelerating recovery efforts, including the immediate deployment of additional search and rescue teams into North Carolina, it added.

At least 3 million customers remained without power on Saturday afternoon across five states, with authorities warning it could be several days before services were fully restored.

The worst outages were in South Carolina with more than 1
million homes and businesses without power, and Georgia where 750,000 were without power.

Some of the worst rains hit western North Carolina, which
saw almost 30 inches (76 cm) fall on Mount Mitchell in Yancey County, the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center reported.

Atlanta was hit with 13 inches of rain, and farmers in South
Georgia were assessing the damage to the state’s $1 billion
cotton crop and $400 million pecan crop now in harvest season.

Before moving north through Georgia and into Tennessee and the Carolinas, Helene hit Florida’s Big Bend region as a powerful Category 4 hurricane on Thursday night, packing 140 mph (225 kph) winds. It left behind a chaotic landscape of overturned boats in harbors, felled trees, submerged cars and flooded streets.

Police and firefighters carried out thousands of water rescues throughout the affected states on Friday.

More than 50 people were rescued from the roof of a hospital in Unicoi County, Tennessee, about 120 miles (193 km) northeast of Knoxville, state officials said, after flood waters swamped the rural community.

‘CHIMNEY ROCK IS GONE’

The NWS issued flash flood warnings overnight for a swath of eastern Tennessee covering 100,000 residents, warning them to seek higher ground. The Nolichucky Dam in Tennessee’s Greene County was on the brink of failure on Saturday, officials reported, adding that a breach could occur at any time.

In western North Carolina, Rutherford County emergency officials warned residents near the Lake Lure Dam that it might fail, although they said late on Friday that did not appear imminent.

Multiple people in and around Chimney Rock, N.C., described the village’s downtown as washed out, with images online showing inches of mud and sediment, uprooted trees and snapped telephone poles and buildings turned into debris.

“All right folks, listen up, Chimney Rock is gone, Flowering Bridge is gone,” somebody known as Touristpov posted on TikTok, showing videos of the destruction. “I don’t know what they’ll do to get us out of here.”

In nearby Buncombe County, landslides forced Interstate Highways 40 and 26 to close and parts of them were washed out, the county said on X.

Mountain communities such as Boone and Burnsville, N.C., were cut off as highways were clogged with debris or washed out, said Rebecca Newton, who was scrambling to find anyone with cell service in the area who could check on her family home near Mount Mitchell.

“Towns are totally cut off,” she said after spending her morning making dozens of calls to friends in the area. “They’re using helicopters to get people out of Boone and Asheville.”

“Spruce Pine is gone, nothing but rooftops poking out of water,” she said of the mountain community about 50 miles northeast of Asheville.

Newton said a friend told her she had watched houses in her neighborhood slide one at a time into a river near Boone.

“It’s unreal,” she said.

The Burnsville Hub Facebook page is replete with people desperate to find anyone to check on relatives and friends cut off from telephone service.

One poster, Rachel Richmond, wrote, “I need any route that will get me as close as I can. I will walk the rest of the way. I need to get to my parents.”

WAKING TO DISASTER

The extent of the damage in Florida began emerging after daybreak on Friday.

In coastal Steinhatchee, a storm surge - a wall of seawater pushed ashore by winds - of eight to 10 feet (2.4-3 meters) moved mobile homes, the weather service said. In Treasure Island, a barrier island community in Pinellas County, boats were grounded in front yards.

The city of Tampa posted on X that emergency personnel had completed 78 water rescues of residents and that many roads were impassable because of flooding. The Pasco County sheriff’s office rescued more than 65 people.

A total of 11 people died in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis said on Saturday, speaking in Perry, Fla., which saw 15-foot storm surges, larger than those seen in hurricanes in recent years.

“If you look around here, you can see that some homes are just rubble,” he said. “This stuff comes in, it’s fierce and it’s just unstoppable.”

FEMA’s Criswell joined DeSantis on a tour of storm-damaged areas of the state. She will travel to Georgia on Sunday and North Carolina on Monday, the White House said.

“I just want to say on behalf of the president that we extend our deepest sympathies for those families that have lost loved ones,” Criswell said.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s office reported 15 storm-related fatalities in that state, while North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said there had been two deaths there.

At least 19 people died during the storm across South Carolina, the Charleston-based Post and Courier newspaper reported, citing local officials.

(Reporting and writing by Rich McKay; additional reporting by Joseph Ax, Andrew Hay, Brad Brooks, Ismail Shakil and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Bill Berkrot, Daniel Wallis and Paul Simao)

Florida Bus Crash Involving Farm Workers Kills Eight, Leads to DUI Arrest of Driver Involved

Wed, 15 May 2024 20:25:34 GMT

A bus carrying farm laborers in northern Florida collided with a pickup truck on Tuesday and overturned, killing at least eight people and critically injuring eight others, authorities said.

The driver of the pickup truck, Bryan Maclean Howard, was arrested by Florida Highway Patrol troopers on eight counts of manslaughter while driving under the influence, according to a statement from Dave Kerner, executive director of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

In addition to the eight people killed and the eight critically injured, another 37 bus passengers were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Marion County Fire and Rescue said in a statement.

The bus crashed through a fence and overturned after side-swiping a pickup truck and careening off the roadway, Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Steve Gaskins said in a statement.

The workers were headed to pick melons at Cannon Farms in Dunnellon, a small farming community about an hour’s drive south of Gainesville, when the bus overturned. Marion County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to the scene just after 6:30 a.m. EDT (1030 GMT), the department said in a Facebook post.

“Today, we faced a tragic incident on West Highway 40 in Ocala with a devastating bus wreck,” wrote Marion Fire Chief James Banta in the post.

Cannon Farms, which operates a commercial farm, said on Facebook that it will be closed on Tuesday “out of respect to the losses and injuries endured early this morning in the accident.”

Cannon said the accident “took place to the Olvera Trucking Harvesting Corp,” but a representative could not be reached immediately to clarify. It is unclear whether Olvera owns the bus or hired the workers.

“Please pray with us for the families and the loved ones involved in this tragic accident,” Cannon said. “We appreciate your understanding at this difficult time.”

(Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago, Rich McKay in Atlanta, Brad Brooks in Longmont, Colorado, and Dan Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Doina Chiacu, Jonathan Oatis, Aurora Ellis and Deepa Babington)

2024 Land Value Influencers in Your Region

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 21:41:34 GMT

Using a combination of data with boots on the ground experience, Peoples Company has released its fourth annual land values report.

The report shows a three-year period of remarkable land appreciation across the country – something Bruce Sherrick, professor and director of the TIAA Center for Farmland Research at the University of Illinois, says has not been surprising.

“We kind of have a rolling narrative around this and quite often people will remark it’s shocking that farmland almost anticipated inflation or that it’s shocking how well that’s done through time. And I don’t think I’m surprised by that,” he says. “I’m surprised by the accuracy or the degree or the strength of that relationship if anything.”

Annual rates of return have been in the double digits for many regions. In the Northern Plains region specifically, the rate of change in the past year has been especially high.

“In the last year, what we’ve seen is really quite remarkable in the middle of the country,” Sherrick says. “That area has kind of caught up to previous years in the Midwest and Lake states.”

As far as what’s affecting land values in the rest of the country, Peoples Company breaks the data into eight regions.

Pacific West

Annual performance on permanent cropland in the Pacific West and California has suffered in recent years due to a period of low nut prices, tariffs, water challenges and high operating capital.

3 Unique Characteristics of The Permanent Crop Industry

Steve Bruere, president of Peoples Company, anticipates a lot of land transactions in the California market in 2024.

“The amount of irrigated, plantable acreage is shrinking,” he adds. “The acreage left standing will be more valuable over time because of the optionality of what you can grow on it.”

Pacific Northwest

Similar to the Pacific West, the Pacific Northwest has had a period of good returns and offers a lot of optionality of what can be grown on the land. The land values in comparison to its western neighbors, however, are much lower to produce a similar product. That factor – alongside increased access to water resources – allows the region to absorb displaced production from other areas.

“We’re seeing at least that phase of exploration on some of those fresh market crops that may have some compressed acreage and higher water costs to deal with in California looking at the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia River Basin area in particular, as a transition point,” says Dave Muth, Peoples Company’s capital markets managing director.

Southern Plains

The Southern Plains region – Texas and Oklahoma – is experiencing good land value returns despite water issues and labor complications. As these challenges continue, renewable energy projects are becoming key to the region’s profitability.

“Think about it: 20,30, or 40 years ago, when someone was looking to buy a ranch, if transmission lines ran across it, that might take it off the list. Now those same transmission lines are seen as a huge asset,” says Eric O’Keefe, editor of The Land Report. “This emphasis on energy, whether it be in terms of oil and gas or renewables including direct carbon capture, is going to be a complete game changer. I think it’s going to be driving land values in Texas for decades to come.”

Northern Plains

Total returns per year in the Northern Plains over the past three years are averaged at 18.5% - the highest in the country.

“The increase in values have been rather dramatic compared to other parts of the country in the last three-year period. Part of that’s driven by relative yield gains, but it’s also the genetics and the attention to doing genetics for this part of the country by the major seed corn and other seed producers,” Sherrick says. “It has made this a possible competitor for the rest of the country.”

The focus on foreign and corporate ownership in this area also makes it unique in comparison to other regions.

“You see a difference in these types of markets where the farmers aren’t driving values,” Bruere says. “If you take that institutional investor out of the market, it definitely impacts land values and we saw that real time this summer and Kansas and Colorado.”

Delta Market

The Delta Market – Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas – has seen the most stable returns over time when compared to other regions across the country, which makes it attractive to outside investors.

“You don’t get necessarily the same swings that we get in the Midwest in this market. And I’m really bullish – you’ve got plenty of water and you’ve got large fields,” Bruere says. “One of the issues we do struggle with in this market is the tenant pool. You don’t have that same competitive nature for tenants that you’ve gotten Midwest.”

Southeast Market

The Southeast – Florida, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina – has seen moderate returns in comparison to the other regions. The increase in severe weather as well as development in the area leads Sherrick to expect quite a bit of transition in the future.

“I’m actually not worried about land values, hardly at all in this region, for traditional agricultural things,” he says. “Land that gets displaced for a retirement community, a park, golf course or major league baseball facility aren’t reductions in value. They’re just a reduction in the use of it for agriculture.”

Lake States

The Great Lakes region is one Sherrick describes as “still trying to figure out who they’re going to be”.

“There’s great optionality, reasonable acquisition prices and massive increases in land values that have kind of kept the returns high, very correlated with inflation as well,” he says.

Though the yields in the region may not be as high as in the corn belt, the area’s total returns per year over the past three years have averaged 14%.

Corn Belt

Sherrick refers to Illinois and Indiana as indicators and predictors of what’s happening in the agriculture industry.

The region continues to have high appreciation values and above average farm incomes, though transactions have slowed in 2023. The corn belt is anticipated to have continued interest from non-operating investors.

Looking at 2024
Overall, Peoples Company reports the driving factors behind land values are income, interest rates and inflation. As we move into 2024, they expect this will begin to normalize.

Buyer demand is also expected to remain a key player.

“There’s more money that wants to own farmland in there as farmland for sale. That dynamic is not going to change in 2024,” says Bruere. “Right now it feels like interest rates are pulling back a little bit and I think the landmark is going to remain pretty stable in 2024.”

Top Producer of the Year Finalist: Enterprises Come and Go As Market Demands Dictate

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 16:57:47 GMT

Finalists for the Top Producer of the Year award represent the best in the business of farming, specifically entrepreneurial originality; financial and business progress; and industry and community leadership. This is not an award about size or scope. Instead, it focuses on professionalism, sophistication and innovation. Congratulations to Seven Springs Farms, a 2022 Top Producer of the Year finalist. Joe Nichols was recognized at a ceremony held Feb. 14 during Top Producer Summit in Nashville.

At Seven Springs Farm in Cadiz, Ky., the calculator drives decisions. As a first-generation farmer, Joe Nichols has seen the highs and lows of commodity cycles and family business. But he knows a relentless focus on the financials creates long-term success.

In 1994, Joe planted his first crop. Through calculated decisions and relationships, he has grown his operation. It now includes 25,000 acres of corn, wheat, barley, soybeans and tobacco, cattle, crushed rock sales, crop insurance and an erosion control blanket business.

Joe leads a team of 46 full-time and 45 part-time employees. Several employees have been with the team for nearly two decades. The farm team also includes Joe’s daughters and several other family members.

Joe says he looks to hire talented people and then build the job around them. To help with employee retention, he pays above-average rates for his area, gives bonuses and provides constant feedback and appreciation.

With an acute focus on ROI, Joe has expanded and contracted his operation’s size and scope through the years. He does not fall in love with assets. Enterprises come and go as the market demands dictate. He measures nearly every metric on the farm, which helps him with business decisions.

From humble beginnings to a large sophisticated business, Joe continues to dream and plan how to create a business that will stand the test of time.

Now, let’s take a trip to Seven Springs Farms courtesy of AgDay.

The Top Producer of the Year award is sponsored by BASF, Case IH and Rabo AgriFinance.

The Online Top Producer Summit is set for Feb. 22-23 and will include live, on-demand and recorded sessions from the event in Nashville. Register now!

Fear Not the Spider Invasion

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 18:53:20 GMT

Have you heard? There’s a spider invasion expected along the East Coast. However, it comes with a bit of good news: Experts say you don’t need to worry about the bright yellow, blue, black and red Joro spider.

A University of Georgia entomology professor says the spider doesn’t pose a threat to people or animals. Instead, the Joro is one of the few creatures that prey on stink bugs, which are a significant problem for southern crops.

“It constructs a huge web,” says Dr. Nancy Hinkle, professor of entomology at the University of Georgia. “This web, incidentally, collects anything that flies around it, which means they are no longer presenting a threat to our crops.”

Native to Asia, the species mysteriously showed up stateside around 2013. The Joro spider has since thrived, and it’s relatively common to spot in Georgia and the Southeast these days.

A study published in the Royal Entomological Society compares the Joro spider with the golden silk spider, which moved to the Southeast about 160 years ago. The golden silk spider hasn’t been able to spread due to its susceptibility to cold. Despite their similarities, the study found the Joro spider has about double the metabolism, has a 77% higher heart rate and can survive a brief freeze compared with its relative. These findings mean the Joro spider functions better than its relative in a cold environment — and that means it can likely survive outside Southeast.

FAA: Irrigation Pivot Threatens Air Traffic

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 05:18:43 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Radio interference from a farm’s massive metal crop-watering structure is causing havoc for air traffic in the sky over Georgia, federal authorities said in a lawsuit filed this week.

The irrigation structure is on a south Georgia farm where the Federal Aviation Administration has a radio transmitter to relay signals that keep aircraft on course, according to the federal lawsuit.

Interference caused by the 1,200-foot-long structure forced the FAA to shut down its transmitter in February, affecting operations of nine airports. The proximity of Robins Air Force Base makes the situation even more serious, the government said in its complaint.

Flight safety has been compromised, the lawsuit warns.

“The potential for catastrophic harm is great,” U.S. Attorney Charles Peeler says in the complaint, which is also signed by the manager of an FAA facility in Columbus, Georgia.

The lawsuit doesn’t suggest the irrigation structure is actively transmitting a signal. Rather, it says the huge metal framework is degrading the FAA’s signal, which is susceptible to “reflection or scattering” by nearby structures.

The signal from the navigational equipment was so degraded that it had to be shut down in February to avoid transmitting false location information to airplanes, the complaint states. It has remained dormant since then, which has strained the air traffic control system and “creates an unnecessary risk to the traveling public,” it states.

The FAA said in a statement to The Associated Press on Friday that it can’t comment on litigation.

Three men identified by the FAA as land owners are listed as defendants. They couldn’t immediately be reached Friday.

Except for the Air Force base, the other airports affected by the situation are not named in the lawsuit. One of the closest commercial airports is Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of the Pulaski County farm.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is requesting an immediate hearing in court and an injunction that would force the defendants to move the structure — described as a center pivot overhead sprinkler system supported by trusses — outside of a 1,000-foot radius of the flight equipment so as not to interfere with it.

Copyright 2017, The Associated Press

GA Gin Owner: “None Is Going To China [from Warehouse].”

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:18:27 GMT

The Trump Administration increased the trade war with China, officially increasing tariffs on $200 Billion of Chinese imports. The administration is also potentially adding an additional $325 Billion of Chinese goods.

However, China has been shy to buy some ag products like cotton in the Southeast for quite some time.

Betsy Jibben makes the trip to East-Central Georgia to talk with a gin manager about exports which aren’t going to the country. She talks with Ralph Sandeford, the owner of the Midville Gin and Warehouse, Midville, GA; and Bill Easterlin, the CEO and President of the Queensborough National Bank in Louisville, GA; Kevin Cobb, a banker and farmer with Southern Cobb Farms in Washington County, GA and Ashley Arrington, the founder of AgriAuthority and Credit Development Officer with Farmhold Financial.

How Should Farmers Prepare Before They Talk With The Banker?

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:14:41 GMT

As tax season continues, what do farmers need to know as they step into their bank? What information do they need prepared for their bankers?

AgDay Host Clinton Griffiths talks with Ashley Arrington of AgriAuthority.