Tillage Equipment

Soybean Gall Midge Emerges As Top-Tier Threat

Mon, 11 May 2026 20:19:03 GMT

Soybean gall midge is no longer just a curiosity or annoyance for many Midwest farmers. The pest is chewing into yield and profitability for soybean growers across parts of at least seven states – Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota.

Iowa State University Entomologist Erin Hodgson reports the pest’s footprint is significant, present in at least 42% of the 45.4 million acres of soybeans farmers harvested across the seven states in 2025.

“At least 19 million soybean acres are potentially impacted by this pest,” Hodgson says, noting that the pest continues to spread. Eight new counties were confirmed in 2025, with five of those being in Iowa .

According to a recent farmer survey led by University of Nebraska Entomologist Doug Golick, the pest has become a major threat in parts of Nebraska. “In the last year or two, soybean gall midge is approaching as near high of concern as herbicide-resistant weeds for survey respondents,” Golick says.

Since 2018, the soybean gall midge has spread to 185 total counties in seven states, including five new counties in Iowa this past year, according to Erin Hodgson, Iowa State University Extension entomologist and professor.

(Erin Hodgson)

Look For Small Orange Or White Larvae

Damage from the insect starts at the base of the soybean plants, largely out of sight. Adult midges emerge from the ground in May and June, then seek out tiny fissures in young soybean plants near the soil line to lay eggs, according to Thales Rodrigues da Silva, a master’s student at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

The larvae cause severe, localized yield losses from 20% to 100% loss along field edges and 17% to 50% reductions in entire fields average under heavy infestation, according to University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension. The larvae – small, orange worm-like pests – feed inside the base of the stem, causing plants to wither, die, and lodge (break), with damages sometimes extending 100+ feet into fields. Scouting for the pest should occur after the second trifoliate (V2) growth stage, according to the Crop Protection Network.

This damage in a soybean plant at the soil level shows the result of soybean gall midge larvae feeding.

(University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension)

Because the pest often feeds along field edges, the damage in affected plants is often mistaken for issues caused by compaction or herbicide injury, according to Stine Seed Company .

To confirm the pest’s presence, Stine agronomists recommend digging up compromised soybean plants and splitting open the stem. If white or orange larvae are found feeding within the inner layers, growers should check the Soybean Gall Midge Alert Network tracking system to determine whether the pest has been reported in their area. Next, they should contact their local Extension specialist to help confirm the diagnosis and report the finding if their county is not yet documented in their area.

Cultural Practices Show Promise

Unfortunately, there are few strategies to manage and control soybean gall midge, according to Tony Lenz, Stine technical agronomist.
With no labeled, consistently effective in-season insecticide program and no established treatment threshold, researchers are testing cultural and mechanical tactics that might give farmers at least partial relief.

Tillage ahead of planting — a tough sell in no-till systems — shows some promise in reducing early infestations in current-year soybean fields.

“Turns out that disking alone, at least in (our) study… did reduce infestation,” says Justin McMechan an entomologist and associate professor at UNL.

“There’s a significant reduction as we move from no-till to that… where it’s just disked and planted into, and then disking and hilling (a practice used in growing potatoes), which really is effective, because you’re covering up the infestation site,” McMechan adds.

He notes that even subtle changes in seedbed shape may help by covering fissures or altering microclimates at the stem base.

On planters running row cleaners, McMechan says adjustments at field edges might be one of the more accessible tools.

“There are not huge differences, but they are statistically significant,” he adds.

Field edge management has been another area of experimentation, including mowing or managing dense vegetation next to infested fields. Results are mixed, but McMechan says there are situations where mowing modestly cuts pressure.

“Nebraska saw on occasion where mowing would reduce infestation and lead to marginal yield benefit… we’re talking like 6-bushel differences,” he says, adding that weather and nearby corn canopy can override those gains.

There are no insecticides currently available to control soybean gall midge. A combination of cultural practices and mechanical efforts is likely the best option, for now, to stop or slow the pest.

(Justin McMechan)

Scientists Evaluate ‘Out-Of-The-Box’ Practices

Other work by researchers is pushing even further outside the box to find control measures. At UNL, graduate research assistant Kristin Heinrichs Stark is testing whether a biodegradable surface barrier called BioWrap can physically trap larvae in the soil and prevent emergence.

The work is early-stage and raises reasonable questions about cost and field-scale application rates, but it points to the kind of layered, non-chemical tactics Extension researchers say will likely be needed to address the pest.

Even as these cultural and physical strategies are developed, Hodgson reminds farmers that the ag industry still lacks any clear control option once larvae are inside the soybean stem.

“We really don’t have a treatment threshold, or a rescue treatment option at this time,” she says. “We know that the soybean gall midge certainly can cause yield losses, plant death, and that directly relates to yield. But we don’t really have great answers on like, how many plants does it take? How many larvae per plant (causes yield loss)?”

For now, farmers dealing with soybean gall midge are being asked to combine careful field scouting, crop rotation, and targeted cultural tactics to address the pest as the research community races to find answers and close those gaps.

Specialists from three Midwest universities provided the latest updates on soybean gall midge (SGM) this spring in a webinar, available at the link below:

Boost Your Bottom Line By Keeping Your Soils In Place

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:20:39 GMT

Not every cost on the farm shows up on an invoice. In the view of Eric Beckett, some of the most expensive losses corn and soybean growers face this spring will be invisible — soil carried away by winds moving across their fields.

Beckett, an agronomist with Sunrise FS, says a combination of windier springs, tighter margins and volatile fertilizer prices is forcing a reckoning with long-standing tillage and nutrient application habits. The goal for farmers, he contends, shouldn’t be just agronomic performance this season but risk management, as well.

“Anytime we drag a piece of tillage equipment across the field, we are essentially breaking down that soil aggregate into smaller aggregates,” Beckett says. “That makes soil more susceptible to loss.”

While Beckett isn’t calling for an end to tillage, he is urging farmers in Illinois and beyond to consider the “ramifications coming down the road” before making multiple passes to clean up winter annuals or level tile lines.

A Growing Storm in the Midwest

Beckett’s concerns are grounded in shifting weather patterns. Meteorologists like Victor Gensini at Northern Illinois University have noted a rise in the frequency of convective storms and damaging straight-line winds across the Midwest and Southeast.

Likewise, Nutrien principal atmospheric scientist Eric Snodgrass reports that the Midwest is in a rapid transition from La Niña to ENSO-neutral conditions. While this “swift exit” can open planting windows, it also creates erratic atmospheric patterns. High-velocity winds are expected to surge through the Mississippi and Missouri River valleys through early April.

Beckett offers a concerned reminder for farmers tempted to push through windy conditions: “You’ve paid good money for that fertilizer. Why would we go out there when it’s windy and we have no idea where that fertilizer is going to end up, especially if it’s a variable-rate application where we know specific areas of a field need those nutrients?”

Calculating the True Cost of a Pass

Beyond the risk of blowing nutrients, Beckett suggests farmers “crunch the numbers” on the physical cost of every pass. With diesel prices hovering around $5 a gallon currently and tractor leases reaching $300 to $400 per hour, the overhead of extra tillage adds up quickly.

Beyond hard costs, tillage in what are currently dry soils will create additional costs. Beckett describes the ground in his area as “dry as a bone” six to eight feet down.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, this isn’t just an east-central Illinois issue: 41% of the U.S. corn-producing area and 42% of soybean acreage are currently experiencing some degree of drought. In droughty conditions, every unnecessary tillage pass further dries out the seedbed and can impact topsoil.

Navigating the Label and the Law

Wind doesn’t just steal nutrients; it creates significant legal liability. Most herbicide labels cap applications at 10 mph—a limit that is a legally binding mandate for many products, not a suggestion.

“If you are applying outside those windows and something goes wrong, you can be held liable,” Beckett cautions. To navigate these tighter windows, he suggests focusing on three tactical areas:

Carrier Volume: Increasing from 5 or 10 gallons per acre to 15 or 20 gallons can improve coverage and reduce the risk of fine, drift-prone droplets.
The Dust Factor: Even if winds are within legal limits, fine soil particles can “tie up” product and carry it off-target before it even hits the ground.
Drift-Reduction Tools: While not a license to spray in a gale, modern spray tips and drift-reduction agents are underutilized tools that can significantly improve stewardship.

The New Era Of Documentation

As new requirements tied to the Endangered Species Act take hold, Beckett says the burden of proof for compliance falls squarely on the applicator—whether that is the farmer or a custom applicator.

“Each field has got to have its own documentation,” he says. “Even if it’s just a manila folder... fill out what your mitigation practices are, what your setbacks are. Have that established in a file so the applicator can add to it as the season progresses.”

This level of detail is necessary because the industry is “under the microscope.” In an era where every passerby has a smartphone camera, Beckett says an application in a dusty field can end up on social media in minutes.

Ultimately, Beckett is asking farmers to make a deliberate pause to question habits and routine applications.

“I’m not standing here saying that everybody’s got to put cover crops on and turn every field green,” he says. “But if, collectively, everybody took it a little bit more upon themselves, I think we’d be in a lot better shape.”

Beckett addresses the topic of managing tillage and spray applications in unpredictable weather conditions during a recent episode of the Illinois Field Advisor podcast. You can watch the complete podcast here .

Shallow Tillage: A Strategic Reset Tool For Conservation And Conventional Systems

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:32:12 GMT

Tillage decisions have long been framed by some farmers and equipment manufacturers as an either-or choice. But on many farms, tillage needs don’t fit neatly into either camp. Crops vary, soil conditions change, and some problems in the field simply don’t yield to an all-or-nothing approach.

That’s where shallow tillage is starting to gain traction—as a strategic middle ground between conservation and conventional tillage practices.

“Shallow tillage sits between no-till or zero till and conventional tillage,” says Josh Metsker, chief sales and marketing officer for Kelly Tillage.

A Practice That Helps Preserve Soil Structure

Shallow tillage focuses on working the top 1” or 2” of soil while leaving the deeper profile largely undisturbed. That differs from traditional, primary tillage tools that often work 4” or more into the soil, which can disrupt soil structure. By contrast, shallow tillage aims to create an active, well-mixed surface layer while preserving the structure that lies beneath.

Shallow tillage also differs from vertical tillage. Metsker says vertical tillage tools are typically designed to cut and size residue while minimizing lateral soil movement. He believes that approach, while useful, doesn’t always go far enough for what many growers need.

“A lot of your vertical tillage is good at cutting residue, but it doesn’t really level much, or terminate weeds, and it doesn’t incorporate fertilizers,” he explains. “You get a lot of stalk destruction, but not necessarily those other things.”

Metsker says the Kelly Tillage System is built around a chain of ground-engaging discs, with options tailored to different soils and cropping systems. “The secret to the sauce behind a Kelly is our ground engaging discs,” he notes. “We’ve got about seven different disc options, and we can tailor those to fit your farm.”

Shallow tillage represents an approach to working the soil that acknowledges both the long-term benefits of reduced disturbance and the short-term realities of weed pressure, residue and seedbed demands.

For farmers, the appeal lies in its flexibility. Shallow tillage does not require abandoning no-till principles or reverting wholesale to deep conventional tillage. Instead, it offers a calibrated option — a way to bring iron into the field when it is truly needed.

“By going shallow, we’re preserving subsoil moisture, subsoil organic matter and nutrients and soil structure and all those things that you have worked so hard to build into your soils,” Metsker says. “We’re helping preserve that by not going deep, but still getting the benefits of deeper tillage.”

Practical Solutions To Persistent Problems

For many no-till or zero-till farmers, the decision to consider shallow tillage often begins with a problem rather than a philosophy.

Herbicide-resistant weeds are one prime example. As more weed species develop resistance to herbicide active ingredients and chemistries become more limited or more expensive, corn and soybean farmers are increasingly looking for another tool to bring to the fight.

“If you’re a no-till or zero-till farmer, you sometimes end up with weed problems that only tillage can fix,” Metsker says. “You know, weeds can’t resist iron.”

In that context, shallow tillage becomes another mode of action for control. A well-timed pass can uproot or bury small, emerging weeds, interrupting their life cycle without resorting to deep inversion tillage.

Seedbed preparation is another area where shallow tillage can play a key role. Even well-managed no-till systems can struggle with residue hair-pinning, planter bounce, and inconsistent seed placement, particularly in heavy-residue situations. Metsker says this is where shallow tillage with a disc chain harrow, like those offered by the Kelly Tillage System, tends to shine.

“We’re able to create a perfect layer of soil for your planter to run on,” he says.

A smoother soil surface helps the planter maintain optimum depth, achieve uniform spacing, and help deliver more even crop emergence across the field. In a competitive environment where every bushel counts, that kind of consistency can make the difference between average and top-end performance, Metsker says.

In summary, Metsker offers five reasons farmers might want to consider shallow tillage and the Kelly Tillage System, specifically:

You want to stay mostly no-till but need a “reset” tool: Occasional shallow passes can help farmers manage residue, level ruts, or address compaction at the surface without the need for farmers to abandon the long-term soil health benefits they’ve built, Metsker reports.
You battle herbicide-resistant weeds: He says using shallow tillage means using iron strategically to terminate small weeds and reduce dependence on chemistry alone.
You want to develop a better seedbed and the opportunity for more consistent crop emergence. Shallow tillage can help you create a smooth, uniform surface that improves planter performance and stand establishment.
You want to avoid the full cost of conventional tillage. Metsker says the Kelly Tillage System can reduce fuel consumption and equipment wear while preserving soil moisture and structure.
You are looking for tillage flexibility for changing conditions. Having an “intermediate” tillage option allows you to adapt to wet falls, heavy residue crops, or weed flare-ups without committing to deep tillage.

Now Could Be A ‘Powerful Time’ to Buy Late-Model Used Machinery

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:03:32 GMT

For many farmers, the current machinery market feels anything but stable. Yet according to Cory Nordhausen, vice president of sales for the western U.S. with AgDirect, this moment could actually provide a good opportunity for thoughtful buyers.

“I kind of feel like maybe we’ve reached a reset or a moment of stability in the equipment market,” he says.

Nordhausen isn’t suggesting that prices are low or that buying decisions are easy. Instead, he believes that the relationship between new and used equipment values, combined with evolving inventory levels, has created a window where strategic, well‑planned purchases could make sense.

From Shortage to the “Great Reset”

To understand where we are, Nordhausen says you have to look back at the challenges that started in 2020. It was an era defined by choked supply chains and empty dealer lots.

“Equipment was flying off the shelves. Dealership inventories became depleted, and just the lack of supply was there… you were still waiting on farm equipment for six, 12, 18 months in 2022,” he recalls.

As demand began to cool through 2023 and 2024, inventory began to build. However, Nordhausen believes the market has hit an equilibrium, particularly in the used segment. While it might feel like there is a surplus, the data tells a more nuanced story about high-quality, late-model iron.

“Stability is probably looking at just the value of used farm equipment in relationship to the price of new farm equipment,” Nordhausen explains. “What’s happened is a lot of that good one-to-three-year-old equipment that’s been in the auction space for the last couple of years, that’s come down significantly. I suppose you can look at planters, combines, tractors, and sprayers and say that there’s probably 40% less of that stuff in the auction space today.”

Are Prices Reaching A Bottom?

If the auction blocks are seeing 40% less late-model inventory, it suggests the “oversupply” phase is tightening. For farmers who have been waiting for used prices to bottom out, Nordhausen suggests that is in the process of happening now.

“We probably won’t see, unless something crazy happens, the price of used equipment going down much more,” he says. “Some of that good late-model, one-to-three-year-old equipment is starting to bring a little bit more money than it has. That’s simply due to supply and demand.”

Looking further down the road, the lack of new equipment sales in 2024 and 2025 has potentially created a “pipeline problem” for the future. If fewer new machines are sold today, he believes there could be a shortage of high-quality used machines two or three years from now.

Consider Labor Needs And Repair Costs

In this tight-margin environment, Nordhausen’s advice to farmers is to be thoughtful and strategic, as they focus on the big four items: tractors, combines, planters and sprayers. In the process of weighing whether now is the time to upgrade, he also encourages farmers to evaluate their labor needs and the cost of repairs.

“You have to look at, what piece of equipment are you going to buy that is going to bring the most efficiency to your farm? What’s going to save you the most time? What’s going to help you when you can’t get as much labor on your farm to run that equipment?” he asks.

Furthermore, he believes the “run it until it breaks” philosophy has some downsides.

“Repair bills are not going down. The price of parts is up. Shop rates in dealerships continue to increase year over year,” Nordhausen says. “One really has to find that balance of ‘how much money am I going to stick into that used piece of equipment on my farm’ versus when’s the time right to trade it.”

Financing as a Strategic Purchasing Lever

When margins are compressed, liquidity is king. It’s why Nordhausen says he views financing not just as a way to pay for a machine, but as a way to protect a farm’s balance sheet.

“You can amortize those payments out… and save some of that liquidity off your balance sheet so you can go use that in other places,” he says.

While the standard industry structure remains a five-year term with 20% down, Nordhausen would also encourage farmers to evaluate leasing.

“On the lease you have a large balloon on the end—we refer to it as a residual—and that lowers each annual payment... really allowing you to get that cost per hour, cost per acre down,” he says.

He acknowledges there is a trade-off, however: “There is a little bit of a penalty to pay, because you pay a little more interest because you’re carrying more principal. But if you’re purely looking at cash flow, that’s a very strategic way to get the payments lower.”

Weigh The Various Options With A Sharp Pencil

Nordhausen encourages farmers evaluate buying opportunities carefully, specifically when it comes to low-interest or 0% incentives.

“I think you’ve got to do the math, right? Just because you see 0% interest, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the best deal,” he cautions. “There’s probably a cost to you on the other side of it baked into the price.”

To counter this, he suggests farmers use tools like the AgDirect mobile app to calculate the “true cost” of buying down a rate. Armed with the math, he believes a farmer can have more negotiating power at the dealership.

“If you’re more interested in just a low cash price, you can offset that, saying, ‘I don’t need 0% interest. What’s your best cash money deal?’”

Another consideration – as dealerships become more cautious about taking in trades to manage their own inventories, more of the action is moving to auction platforms and private-party sales. Nordhausen notes that AgDirect has seen “huge momentum” in these channels over the last decade.

Looking Ahead: Plan Now for Tomorrow’s Needs

Nordhausen believes farmers should be thinking two to three years out about their equipment needs.

With fewer new units being sold now and late‑model used inventories tightening, he sees a real possibility of higher used prices if commodity markets would strengthen. “With the lack of used inventory that we built in ‘23, ‘24 and ‘25, there might be a higher demand. And what happens with demand—prices go up.”

His central message to farmers: use this “reset” period to upgrade strategically, align purchases with both efficiency gains and cash‑flow realities, and above all, he adds, do the math before you sign.

Could Strip Tillage Be Your Key To Lower Costs And Higher Yields?

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:51:29 GMT

Strip tillage has provided Ron Verly with a valuable resource nearly every farmer wants more of during planting season: time.

The southwest Minnesota farmer says he is able to create a good seedbed while leaving residue between rows for erosion control and moisture conservation. The result is a significant head start on every season.

“I build strips in the fall, and then I plant right into those strips in the spring,” he says. “While [conventional till farmers] are trying to figure out which field they can go hit with the field cultivator, I’m already out setting my planter.”

Verly’s experience reflects a key benefit: using strip-till can reduce field time by nearly 50%, according to the Strip-Till Farmer 2025 Operational Benchmark Study.

Efficiency in Fuel and Horsepower

Five years ago, Verly was looking for a way to transition away from conventional tillage. The move to strip-till allowed him to reduce his high-horsepower needs and fuel consumption.

“With conventional till, we run a 500 QuadTrac, which can burn over 25 gallons of fuel per hour, and I’ve eliminated a pass,” Verly explains. “I’m running a smaller tractor with my strip-till. There’s a lot of variables to doing strip-till, but if you add them all together, there’s savings to be had.”

Beyond time and fuel, strip-tillage allows for better precision in nutrient management. Verly aligns his fertility program directly with the strip.

“My fertilizer is right where I’m putting my corn and soybean seed,” he says. This targeting helps him maximize every nutrient dollar spent on the ground his grandfather started farming more than 80 years ago.

Before making the switch to strip-till, Ken Ferrie advises farmers to balance pH levels since soil will no longer be mixed. “After you begin strip-tilling, you can then apply smaller lime applications more frequently,” notes Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

Navigating the Learning Curve

Transitioning to strip-till is a management shift that requires a flexible mindset. Garrett Asmus, a fifth-generation farmer from north-central Iowa, suggests that new adopters be prepared to deal more with residue.

“You’re not working the ground and hiding the residue, so there can be times when there’s a lot more of it on the surface to manage,” Asmus says. “Make sure your planter is equipped to handle it.”

Asmus also emphasizes the important role technology plays in the process: “GPS lines are very important with strip-till because you’re putting that narrow strip down (usually 6” to 10”), and then you have to come plant directly over that, so accuracy is really important.”

Verly agrees that “tinkering” is part of the process. “Every year is different. Some years it’s a breeze, and some years you’re out there struggling a little bit,” he says. “There’s a ton of adjustability on these machines, and you need to be willing to make adjustments for your conditions and for each season.”

Asmus, who farms with his dad, Harlan, says they started their journey to strip-till in 2002, working with an experienced custom operator who could teach them the ropes and minimize the potential for costly mistakes. They continued the arrangement for nearly a decade.

“At that point, we invested in our own strip-till bar, and went 100% strip-till,” Asmus recalls.

Timing and Resilience

While Verly and Asmus prefer to build strips in the fall, Ferrie notes that creating spring strips are an option, provided the weather cooperates.

“We’ve built strips in March and early April, and when we got rain to settle them we got a decent seedbed,” Ferrie says.

However, in dry years, he notes that spring-built strips can dry out too much — but there is a Plan B available. “If it’s too dry to plant in the strips, it’s usually dry enough to no-till,” he adds.

The Long-Term Payoff: Yield and Soil Health

Strip-till requires a “long game” strategy. Verly notes that the most valuable results can take a few seasons to achieve.

“You’re not going to see results the first year. You’re going to see results the third year, the fourth year, the fifth year,” he says.

For Verly, the proof is in the bin. Before the switch, he says his soybeans had hit a yield ceiling of 50 to 55 bushels. “By my fourth or fifth year with strip till, I was getting 70 to 72 bushels,” he says, adding he expects to see additional yield increases over time.

“Soil health equals plant health, plant health equals yield,” he says.

Is Strip-Till Right for You?

Ken Ferrie offers five questions for you to consider if you’re contemplating making a move to strip-till:

How well can you manage disease pressure?
Are you willing to take the time to adjust your planter for conditions in each field?
Can you control gully erosion in strips on rolling ground?
Can you control weeds with a burndown herbicide?
How will you manage traffic so you don’t drive over the strips with herbicide and fertilizer applications?

Case IH Debuts Its Nutri-Tiller 1000 Series For High-Precision Strip-Till

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:21:18 GMT

As strip tillage gains traction among corn growers seeking better seedbed quality and nutrient efficiency, Case IH is meeting the demand with its new Nutri-Tiller 1000 Series. Unveiled this week at Commodity Classic, the series launches with 6-, 8-, and 12-row three-point hitch–mounted models.

“We’ve got a limited number of machines for 2026,” notes Tony McClelland, Case IH global product manager. “We’ll have full production available for 2027, and we’ll actually start taking orders on the ’27 machines in May.”

Two Row-Unit Configurations

At the core of the Nutri-Tiller 1000 Series is a redesigned row unit engineered to help growers create the ideal environment for seed corn. “The magic and the story here is how the row unit is forming the strip — leaving the right width, the right berm height and shape, and clearing residue to help maximize seed-to-soil contact,” McClelland says.

The redesigned row unit is engineered to help growers create the ideal environment for maxium seed-to-soil contact for corn.

(Rhonda Brooks)

To accommodate varying field conditions, Case IH offers two distinct configurations:

Shank Row Unit: Designed for deeper fracture, creating what McClelland calls a “deeper flower pot for the crop.” It operates at speeds up to 7 mph.
Coulter-Only Row Unit: Provides a shallower “flower pot” and is built for higher-speed operations up to 10 mph.

Precise Nutrient Placement

The series emphasizes precise fertilizer banding within the future root zone, allowing for more efficient uptake and potentially reducing the volume of product required.

“We can do all forms of fertilizer, whether dry, liquid or gas for anhydrous ammonia,” McClelland says. “This machine has a Raven rate control module on it that we can use to control the various forms of fertilizer, whatever you happen to use.”

Beyond nutrient management, the tool promotes early emergence by fostering quicker soil warming and consistent moisture levels. CJ Parker, soil management marketing manager at Case IH, emphasizes the long-term benefits: “The Nutri-Tiller 1000 series is designed to deliver exceptional tillage results while championing long-term soil health and conservation. By minimizing compaction and leaving protective residue between the strips, it enhances the soil’s nutrient utilization — helping farmers protect their soil while supporting strong yield potential.”

High-Tech Efficiency

To maximize narrow work windows, the Nutri-Tiller 1000 features full in-cab control. Operators can adjust residue managers, row unit down pressure, strip keepers, and berm conditioning on the fly without manual field stops.

The series integrates into the Case IH technology ecosystem via FieldOps, simplifying guidance and prescription management.

Additionally, Active Implement Guidance ensures planting remains perfectly aligned within the strips. These tools, managed through the Pro 1200 display, help operators minimize overlap and optimize inputs on every pass.

John Deere Unveils New High-HP 8-Series Tractors Alongside Key Planter and Combine Updates

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:36:15 GMT

John Deere is pushing its flagship 8 Series tractor into new territory, launching a ground‑up redesign that aims to give farmers 9 Series power in an 8 Series body — without sacrificing the maneuverability growers rely on for planting and row-crop work.

“We’re really excited to introduce this new line of 8R and 8RX tractors,” said Michael Porter, marketing manager during a media event at the company’s Austin, Texas, facility. “Our customers have been asking for a tractor that really fits this gap where we need the power of our 9 Series but still delivering the maneuverability and comfort of a row crop tractor.”

Bridging the Gap Between 8R and 9R
Until now, Deere’s 8R lineup topped out at 410 hp, with the 9 Series picking up from there. The new high‑horsepower 8R and 8RX models (444, 490 and 540, wheels and four‑track machines) slide in squarely between those platforms.

The goal: pull ever‑larger planters, high‑speed tillage tools and big manure tankers while still feeling like a row‑crop tractor.

“This needs to feel like an 8 Series,” Porter said. “It needs to turn super tight, feel nimble and not feel like a bigger tractor.”

JD14 Engine and ‘Punching Above Its Weight’
At the heart of the new tractors is the JD14 engine, borrowed from the 9 Series and dropped into an all-new 8-Series frame. Deere pairs that with an updated power strategy Porter says fundamentally changes how these tractors perform under load.

“We’re introducing what we call peak power IPM (Intelligent Power Management),” he said. “We’re taking our max engine horsepower and adding IPM to it to get an additional 40 horsepower on top of that which allows the 8R and 8RX 540 to max out at 634 hp under some conditions.”

Porter says the result is a machine that “punches outside of its weight class when it comes to power and performance, able to pull massive implements like DB90 planters, high-speed tillage tools
and large grain carts.

“This tractor has no problem pulling a 90‑foot high speed planter at 10‑plus mile an hour speeds,” Porter said, adding it can cover 1,200 acres a day under favorable conditions.

Off‑Board Electric Power at 56 Volts
Beyond raw horsepower, Deere is baking in electrical capability that ties tractor and planter more tightly together.

“This is also going to unlock our new [56V power] offboarding option,” Porter said of the Electronic Variable Transmission (EVT). “You’ll have one plug… that’ll power our electric row units straight from the tractor, really showcasing that ultimate planting solution.”

Instead of separate PTO or hydraulic power generators for modern electric planters, Deere’s vision is simple: plug the Deere planter into the Deere tractor and go.

Although the new 8R machines are visibly larger, Deere redesigned the frame, steering and ballast system around one non‑negotiable: “One thing we were not willing to sacrifice is the nimbleness and the feel of our row crop tractors,” Porter said. “We wanted it to turn like an 8 with the power of a 9.”

New John Deere Operator Experience
The new tractors are the first to receive Deere’s completely redesigned cab, CommandARMand drive controls, which will roll out across the 8 Series.

Highlights include:
· Push‑button start and a standardized left‑hand reverser
· A new seat with expanded adjustments, optional heating and massage, and ventilation
· Integrated wireless phone charger
· A new convenience display
· Simplified, highly configurable paddle switches and buttons on the CommandARM

Deere is also unifying drive controls into three new drive strategies (CommandX, CommandX Plus, and CommandX Pro). This suite allows operators to tailor their driving experience. Each level builds on the previous one unlocking additional features and customization to help meet each farmer’s needs.

To determine which new 8-Series tractor model will best fit your farming operation, contact your local John Deere dealer or visit deere.com.

New Planter Enhancements

John Deere is introducing several new planter enhancements – all designed to help farmers meet key agronomic success factors, including uniform emergence, uniform spacing, correct seed population and nutrient availability. Advancements in planter technology have been made in furrow application, furrow depth and residue management, uptime and logistics.

“Farmers look for agronomic success at planting as their entire season depends on it,” said Anthony Styczinski, marketing manager, planters and air seeders. “Increased input and seed costs demand we do everything we can to give the seed the best chance.”

Correct fertilizer application at the time the seed hits the ground is a part of the equation to give the seed the best possible start. Model year 2027 John Deere planters will have an option for a dual-product fertilizer system that allows operators to carry and apply product in-furrow and/or off to the side.

(John Deere)

Fertilizer Application Enhancements
Correct fertilizer application at the time the seed hits the ground is a part of the equation to give the seed the best possible start. Model year 2027 John Deere planters will have an option for a dual-product fertilizer system that allows operators to carry and apply product in-furrow and/or off to the side to give the corn plant the right nutrients at the right time of the growth stage, leading to higher corn yields.

The dual-product system includes both ExactShot and ExactRate. ExactShot is John Deere’s in-furrow application that delivers nutrients directly to the seed where they are used most efficiently. ExactShot saves up to 66% of in-furrow nutrient input. The second part of the dual system is ExactRate, which applies high-value fertilizer off to the side.

The combined system includes dual liquid tanks, and a dual set of stainless-steel fertilizer lines with pumps relocated under the tanks. Both liquid tanks have fertilizer-level sensing, making it easy for the operator to know how much product is available in each tank.

Another update is a new agitation system that keeps certain chemicals suspended and separated in the tank to ensure even product coverage. An auxiliary tank option enables the use of high-value micronutrients, biologicals, fungicides, and insecticides.

The dual fertilizer system is available from the factory on model year 2027 1775NT – 16/24R, and DB60 – 24R planters.

Furrow Optimization
“The importance of consistent seed depth and a clean furrow are critical to getting that seed off to the right start,” Styczinki said. “Studies show that uniform emergence can improve yield up to 20 bushels per acre, emphasizing the need to optimize the furrow as much as possible.”

New this year to John Deere planters is ExactDepth, an electric depth control that supports an in-cab on-the-go range of depth adjustments and individual row unit depth calibrations. ExactDepth also allows operators to optimize depth with prescriptions for each field and/or subfield zones.

Furrow residue has shown that one day of delayed corn emergence can reduce plant yield by 6%, on average. John Deere’s FurrowVision solution helps operators identify when residue is impacting the furrow, allowing them to manually optimize row cleaner settings. This system features three in-furrow cameras mounted on the planter that provide real-time sectional views of the furrow, as well as depth measurement readings, residue detection filter and additional quality map layers in the John Deere Operations Center.

Another new feature to improve furrow quality is Downforce Automation powered by FurrowVision, optimizing downforce settings and making it easier to create the best furrow in every field. Downforce Automation optimizes the amount of applied downforce by taking into consideration ground contact, soil resistance and furrow health as measured by FurrowVision.

Planting Logistics
Tight planting windows demand keeping the planter rolling as much as possible. Logistics is a new feature available through the John Deere Operations Center for those with the G5 Advanced license. Logistics provides real-time monitoring of equipment location, work status and product levels, keeping everyone on the farm informed and updated.

Combine and Front-End Equipment Updates

John Deere is making a wide range of updates and enhancements to its model year 2027 X9 and S7 combines and front-end equipment. Utilizing the latest in predictive and automated technologies, these new features promise to help farmers harvest under more diverse and dynamic crop conditions, utilize the automation across more crop types, and minimize the level of intervention required by the operator.

For model year 2027, Predictive Ground Speed Automation features Green Crop Detection. This new feature uses enhanced processing power and a highly trained algorithm to accurately detect green crops within an otherwise-mature stand. The result: The combine can adjusts its ground speed in response to a wider range of crop conditions, improving overall harvest efficiency.

(John Deere)

“These updates will enable our customers to achieve three critical goals: getting their crops out during tight harvest windows; helping less experienced operators perform better in the field; and achieving an efficient, high-quality harvest,” said Nathan Kramer, John Deere harvesting marketing manager.

The new model year 2027 combine features include:

Harvest Settings Automation updates
Harvest Settings Automation helps operators get into the field faster by automatically setting concave clearance, fan speed, rotor speed, sieve clearance and chaffer clearance, all based on the combine model, crop type and geolocation. After the operator inputs limits for grain loss, foreign material and broken grain, the system automatically adjusts the five combine settings to stay within the selected limits.

Harvest Settings Automation is currently available for corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, canola and rice. For model year 2027, Harvest Settings Automation will add lentils, peas, rye, triticale, oats and sunflowers to the list of crops from which producers can choose.

Predictive Ground Speed Automation updates
First offered for model year 2025, Predictive Ground Speed Automation controls the combine’s ground speed based on crop height and biomass measurements taken pre-harvest from satellite scans and from on-the-go measurements made by cab-mounted cameras.

Predictive Ground Speed Automation uses terrain maps to automatically adjust combine speed for sensitive areas like waterways, ditches, and terraces. Cab-mounted cameras add real-time detection of conditions such as down crops or dense weed patches, allowing precise ground speed regulation through these areas for optimal performance.

For model year 2027, Predictive Ground Speed Automation features Green Crop Detection, a new feature that uses enhanced processing power and a highly trained algorithm to accurately detect green crops within an otherwise-mature stand. Green Crop Detection allows Predictive Ground Speed Automation to adjust the combine’s ground speed in response to a wider range of crop conditions, improving overall harvest efficiency.

John Deere is also launching Precision Upgrade Combine Automation Packages allowing customers that purchased the Select Technology Package with a MY25 or newer S7 or X9 from the factory to upgrade to Premium or Ultimate Technology Packages. Farmers who purchased the Premium Technology Package from the factory now have the option to upgrade to the Ultimate Technology Package.

Other MY27 features include:
Tru-Threshconcaves with remote concave and separator grate adjustment. New half-length concaves allow modular installation, improved durability and are compatible with new model year 2027 X9 combines.

HarvestLab Install Ready. All model year 2027 X9 combines will feature factory pre-cut openings in the clean grain elevator suitable for HarvestLab mounting making installation easier.

JDLink Boost. Both X9 and S7 combines can come equipped with a JDLink Boost receiver from the factory providing satellite connectivity in areas with limited or no mobile connectivity.

Power folding ladder. All model year 2027 John Deere X9 and S7 combines will feature a new power folding ladder option similar to those available on select John Deere sprayers.

New 35’ (10.7m) unloading auger. The new unloading auger on the X9 offers an additional 4ft (1.22m) of clearance between the header and unloading auger, enabling the use of wider headers.

New 550-bushel grain tank capacity. The optional 550-bushel grain tank on the X9 allows for longer time between unloads, more capacity when opening fields, and includes heavy-duty final drives.

To learn more about the new John Deere planter options, combine enhancements and front-end equipment updates contact your local John Deere dealer or visit deere.com.

Ken Ferrie: Answers To Tough Questions On Vertical Tillage

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 19:53:12 GMT

Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, recently fielded several questions from farmers during a virtual agronomic forum to help reset how they think about tillage, soil structure and long-term crop performance.

Following is the first question, which came in from a farmer in northeast South Dakota. The grower explains that some of his acres were disk-ripped last fall while others were chisel plowed. This spring, he plans to use either a high-speed disk or a VT super coulter to finish and ready the seedbed in those fields. He asks Ferrie which tool would be the best one to use.

Start By Assessing Fall Tillage Results

If the goal is to go with vertical tillage this spring, Ferrie advises the farmer to first confirm that his fall tillage achieved full-width shatter in the top 4" to 6" of soil.

He advises the farmer on how to go about the process of evaluation:
1. Raise the front cutters on the fall tool so residue can still flow but so the blades aren’t doing most of the tillage.
2. Then, dig behind the implement and look for shattering across the full width of the machine, 4 to 6 inches deep.
3. Once full-width shatter is verified, lower the cutters only enough to hit the residue level you want on top, not to drive the tillage.

He offers a practical rule of thumb: tillage depth ≈ half the shank spacing.

On a chisel plow at 14” to 16" spacing, that means running 7” to 8" deep, which is very achievable, Ferrie says.
On a disk ripper at 30" spacing, that would require 15" deep tillage—and is where most farms hit the wall on horsepower or traction, he notes.

Ferrie points out that many disk rippers were built for horizontal systems, where columns of untilled soil are left from the surface down. In a horizontal program, a spring horizontal pass shears off those columns and smooths everything for planting.

Why Tool Choice Depends On Soil Structure

This is where the tool decision becomes critical. Ferrie explains:

The VT super coulter “levels from the top” but does not knock out those vertical columns of untilled soil left by horizontal fall tools.
If the columns remain, they create a rough ride and uneven crop development: Corn over shattered, well-structured soil grows faster. Corn rooted in intact, dense columns lags behind.

Ferrie offers the farmer a simple in-field test for evaluation purposes: drive a pickup crossways over the fields where fall tillage was done.

“If the pickup bounces hard, and you feel it in the dash and your seat, you do not have full-width shatter—columns are still intact. In that case, use the high-speed disk to shear those columns horizontally,” Ferrie advises.

If the ride feels “soft, squishy, and smooth,” with no bouncing, you’re likely looking at good full-width shatter. Under those conditions, Ferrie advises going with the VT super coulter, because the underlying soil structure is already fairly consistent.

Check out Ferrie’s latest Boots In The Field podcast to learn his answer to these two additional questions:

Does vertical tillage on wet soil create a drastic density layer?
If I don’t put ‘gang angle’ on my vertical harrow, I can’t get the weeds out. How can I manage weeds?”

Get Ferrie’s insightful and detailed answers to those questions here:

Faster Tillage, Smarter Spraying: John Deere Expands Its Machinery Lineup

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:58:58 GMT

Farmers looking to conquer heavy residue and tight tillage windows have new ways to tackle both challenges with John Deere’s expanded High-Speed Disk (HSD) lineup. For 2027, the company is offering four new HSD two-section models, which build on initial introductions in 2025. The latest models will be available in 15’, 19’, 22’ and 25’ widths.

As Michael Porter explains, the disks are purpose-built for the slowest, most time-consuming job on row-crop farms: deep ripping.

The high-speed tillage tools combine multiple operations into a single pass — residue sizing, burial, compaction removal and field leveling — delivering both agronomic and economic benefits, especially when paired with autonomous operation, explains Porter, John Deere marketing manager for large tractors and tillage.

Autonomy Creates New Efficiencies

For 2026, autonomy ready capability is available on the 2730 combination ripper and the 64’ and 69’ 2230 field cultivator models, giving farmers more options to integrate autonomous tillage into their operations. Porter says the autonomy factor could create a whole new level of efficiency for row crop growers short on time and manpower.

“Think about having an operator sit in that machine for 12 hours a day and maybe only getting one or two fields done. Now they can go haul grain … and when they get done, there’s a good chance 60%, 70%, 80% of their fields have already been ripped, and they just need to finish up the last few,” Porter says.

The company’s so-called “combination ripper” is equipped with lights, cameras and a StarFire receiver mast to enable safe, precise autonomous operation. “With autonomy, we need to know where this tool is at all times,” Porter notes.

Farmers with 2016 or newer 2730 combination rippers can update to autonomy-ready through a John Deere Precision Upgrade kit. The kits provide a cost-effective way to enhance existing machines delivering greater flexibility, Deere reports. Combination ripper upgrade kits will be available for order starting in summer 2026, while field cultivator kits are available today.

(Rhonda Brooks)

Sixteen cameras provide 360-degree perception, essentially replacing the operator’s eyes. In autonomous mode, the system detects obstacles, evaluates whether it can proceed, and either continues on its own or alerts the operator through Operations Center mobile with customizable, high-priority notifications.

When it comes to ROI, the payoff comes from both direct labor savings and the ability to reallocate time during harvest.

“In general, we see some customers who have run 5,000, 7,000 acres in a year, at a $40,000 to $50,000 cost to them, and this pays off. Those growers are saying, ‘Hey, I would have had to pay someone X amount of dollars for all those hours sitting in the cab,’” Porter says.

See & Spray Upgrades

Farmers staring down ugly weed pressure and weak commodity prices are demanding more from every input dollar. With that in mind, John Deere is betting its model year 2027 upgrades will prove See & Spray is not just cool tech. Instead, the company is positioning it as a fundamental tool designed to deliver better weed control, increased flexibility and a faster payback for farmers across a broader range of crops.

Historically, See & Spray was a tool for use in corn, soybeans and cotton. For 2027, John Deere is moving into the small grains market.

“We are jumping headfirst into wheat, canola, barley and a handful of other crops,” Ladd says, noting peanuts and sugar beets are also joining the list.

Last year, See & Spray covered over 5 million U.S. acres and delivered nearly a 50% reduction in non-residual herbicide use. For farmers on the fence about investing in the technology, the value proposition is moving away from saving dollars and toward improving the bottom line. For many growers, the company says, a two- to three-year ROI is available with the technology.

“We understand the increasing pressures farmers are facing, driving them to find solutions that allow them more flexibility and the opportunity to do more with less,” says Josh Ladd, marketing manager for application equipment at John Deere. “That is why we have updated See & Spray to directly address those challenges by helping farmers apply exactly what’s needed, where it’s needed, and across more acres and more crops.”

Computing Power Gets Updated

On a recent walk-around of a 2027 machine at the company’s Austin, Texas, R&D center, Ladd starts with what you can’t see from the outside: the machine’s computing backbone. Earlier generations of See & Spray relied on as many as 10 processors. The new models consolidate that power into just three vision processing units (VPUs) mounted on the center frame.

“We’re able to do that and not make any sacrifices on overall computing power, and there is less weight involved,” Ladd says. “We can only put so much stuff on this machine’s boom before we start to worry about boom durability, compaction and consistency of performance.”

Nozzle technology is also becoming more cost-effective. While the ExactApply (30Hz pulsing) remains the standard for dual-product systems, John Deere is introducing Individual Nozzle Control Pro as a factory option for 2027 single-tank machines.

“For customers who want 15Hz pulsing instead of 30Hz, or are comfortable with a five-nozzle turret, it’s a more accessible option,” Ladd explains. This gives farmers and customer applicators another entry point into row-by-row nozzle control from the factory, he added.

Additional Enhancements

New center-frame camera placement, on the front of the sprayer, to reduce dust interference and enhance detection accuracy for more-consistent application quality. For operators with MY18 to MY26, these cameras will be available through a Precision Upgrade kit.
Higher operating speeds in targeted modes — up to 16 mph depending on crop and configuration, allowing more acres to be covered when application windows are tight.
Optional full boom lighting enables targeted fallow application at night to extend productive hours.

The expanded See & Spray capabilities will be available on MY27 John Deere 408R, 410R, 412R, 612R and 616R sprayers. In addition, all Hagie sprayers – STS12, STS16, and STS20 – will now feature See & Spray Premium as a factory-installed option.

Alongside the expanded See & Spray capabilities, John Deere is introducing several MY27 sprayer enhancements designed to improve overall productivity, operator awareness and in-field efficiency across a wider range of applications.

Updated Name for DA Series Applicators

To better align their applicator portfolio with the broader tillage portfolio, John Deere is updating the naming of its DA Series Applicators, formerly known as the 2510H. While the name might be new, farmers can continue relying on the same proven performance they are used to across multiple seasons.

“With the MY27 updates, we continue to deliver proven durability, increased flexibility and technology-ready solutions that help farmers maximize productivity,” Porter says.

To learn more about the updates to the John Deere application portfolio, visit JohnDeere.com or contact your local John Deere dealer.

Farmers Ask How To Set Up A Hybrid Chisel To Achieve Maximum Tillage Results This Fall

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 22:11:35 GMT

Ken Ferrie gets a lot of questions this time of year from farmers on how to do a good job of setting a tillage tool. “Farmers want to know what depth to go after, where to run it, when to use the cutters and shanks,” says Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

But before he can answer any of those questions, he says farmers need to be able to tell him what kind of system they use. Most commonly in central Illinois, row-crop growers are going with either conventional horizontal tillage or conventional vertical tillage.

Conventional Vertical Tillage: In this system, farmers often use a disk ripper or a chisel plow to work the soil in the fall and then finish it in the spring with a vertical harrow prior to planting.

Conventional Horizontal Tillage: Because you’re going to make your seedbed with horizontal tillage in the spring – using something like a soil finisher, disk field cultivator or high-speed disk – how deep you run the tillage tool this fall is important but not critical.

“With conventional horizontal tillage, it comes down to how fast do you want to pull the tool – more so than how deep you want to go – how much coverage you want of your corn stalks,” Ferrie says. “For a lot of people, they’ll find that spot where they have the horsepower to pull it at the speed they want, using their front-end cutters like we have here to try and get that coverage. That’s an OK approach, because you’re going to build your seedbed in the spring with a soil finisher.”

In a new video, Ferrie demonstrates how he sets the up a hybrid tillage tool for both horizontal and vertical tillage.

Achieving Full-Width Shatter
Ferrie says with vertical tillage if the fall pass is your primary tillage that you’re doing – where you’ll chisel or rip in the fall and then run a vertical harrow in the spring before planting – that requires a bit of a different result with the fall pass.

“We have to get what’s called full-width shatter from shank to shank,” he says.

To achieve that, Ferrie sets the tillage tool a bit differently. “I’m going to suck these disks up as high as I can to make sure flow still goes through the rig, so you’re not plugging up. But I don’t want these disks doing much work. I want the shanks doing all the work,” he says.

(Crop-Tech Consulting)

“This tool is doing a good job of laying things down level, and the amount of residue on both sides is somewhat equal. From the road, you would not know this tool is set differently for these two different types of passes,” Ferrie says.

You have to get behind the tool and down into the knife tracks to see what kind of shatter or soil fracture you’ve achieved.

After making the conventional horizontal tillage pass, digging behind the shanks reveals a humped soil bottom and solid berms in the video. These are problems Ferrie says you would be able to address next spring before planting, using a disk or soil finisher to shear off the berm.

In this photo, Ken Ferrie shows berms that have not been shattered but could be fixed next spring with horizontal tillage using a disk or soil finisher.

(Crop-Tech Consulting)

In contrast, a vertical tillage system requires more extensive shatter. The columns between knife tracks have to be fractured all the way down and across, leaving no solid berms. Otherwise, you’ll get a lot of chatter and bounce in your planter as you go across the field.

“We’ve got to shatter this thing in that 6” of this column. It needs to be busted up and shattered so it’ll disperse when we hit it in the spring,” he says, showing shattered berms in the photo below.

For conventional vertical tillage, the tool is set deeper to achieve full shatter from shank to shank, ensuring soil is well-tilled for a spring seed bed. Ferrie demonstrates here how easily the berms collapse as opposed in a conventional horizontal tillage scenario.

(Crop-Tech Consulting)

“In the conventional vertical system, we went down an inch to an inch-and-a-half more, so we could get the shatter so these points don’t make it all the way to the top. Digging behind the knife shanks here you see the columns in the middle, but the difference is these columns are fractured. So I’ve got these columns fractured, and I’m going to be able to come in here in the spring and buff this thing off to get a nice seedbed to plant into,” he adds.

Your next read: Drought Conditions Require Careful Attention To Fall Tillage Practices

Drought Conditions Require Careful Attention To Fall Tillage Practices

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 17:57:01 GMT

With harvest now in the rearview mirror in many areas, farmers are focusing their attention on fall tillage. The soil type you’re working in and where you farm are making a big difference on how fall tillage is going, according to Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

Some fields in Illinois and surrounding states that had excessive rainfall last spring have ruts and compaction to address but are currently in the midst of D2 and D3 drought levels. With that challenge in mind, Here’s a look at some tillage options by system:

Strip-Till: In lighter soils – particularly light silt loams – Ferrie says farmers are creating good strip-till berms, with few to no chunks or clods that will have to be addressed next spring.

“These will mellow out and create a pretty decent seedbed next spring. Even though the soil is hard and dried out, the lighter soils are stripping nice,” he reports.

That’s not the case where farmers are working heavier ground with clay to clay-loam soils. Strip tilling in these soils is creating a rougher environment that Ferrie is afraid will lead to some tough seedbeds next spring.

“If you’re running a strip freshener next spring, much of this problem can be corrected, but only if you’re running that freshener before these large clods become dried clods in the spring,” he says. “Clods that get smashed into the furrow by the planter next spring will create some germination issues.”

If you use a strip freshener, one avenue Ferrie says you might consider is to bypass the fall strips and just freshen them in the spring to achieve a good seedbed. But if conditions continue to be dry going into next spring, he would advise farmers to conserve available moisture and just no-till the field.

Conventional-till: To eliminate ruts in conventional-till, use a chisel plow or disk ripper on cornstalks, then follow with a leveling pass next spring. Run a chisel plow at a slight angle across the wheel tracks to break up soil compaction.

In bean stubble with 4" ruts, use a soil finisher and level in the spring. If ruts are 6" to 8", use a chisel plow to fill them in first. If possible, spot chisel to fix only the areas in the field with ruts. Follow with a soil finisher pass next spring. Use aerial imagery from the growing season to help determine whether you can patch the field or if it all needs to be worked.

Vertical-till: In a corn-to-soybean rotation with ruts or severe pinch rows, use a chisel plow in the cornstalks followed by a vertical-till leveling pass next spring. When using a chisel plow, make sure you achieve full width shatter from shank to shank for optimum results, Ferrie says.

In a soybean-to-corn rotation, use an in-line ripper in bean stubble when dealing with pinch rows and 4" ruts. Run the in-line ripper at an angle to make sure you cross the ruts or pinch rows. If you run with the rows, it might not bust wheel tracks apart; it will only pick them up and set them back down. In these scenarios, it will likely take two passes with a vertical-till leveling tool next spring to eliminate the tracks.

In 6" to 8" ruts, don’t use an in-line ripper. Instead, Ferrie suggests using a chisel plow. If ruts are spotty, chisel them in first and then in-line rip the entire field, leaving a large portion of the field covered in residue. If deep ruts appear across the entire field, run the chisel plow across it all.

Be sure to respect land contour to eliminate erosion.

Deep ruts usually aren’t an issue in strip-till and no-till fields because the soil is more firm. However, take action to fix tracks and 2" to 4" ruts, as the benefits far outweigh the risks.

No-till: Ruts usually aren’t too big of an issue in no-till fields because the soil is firm. However, don’t let a 4" rut or pinch rows fool you. Both can be hard on ear counts the following year.

If you’re dealing with wheel tracks in a no-till soybean scenario, there’s a good chance freezing and thawing paired with a vertical-harrow tool will do the trick. If fixed, you can return to no-till the following year.

With 4" to 6" ruts in cornstalks followed by soybeans, plan to shallow chisel the field to achieve full width shatter and then level with a vertical harrow. Once fixed, the field can return to no-till the following year.

In soybean stubble with ruts in small portions of the field, patch it with tillage and continue to no-till the rest of the field. If pinch rows or ruts are present across the entire field, use vertical tillage to address the problem and then return to no-till in future years.

“Ultimately, in order to avoid long-term yield effects, fields might have to come out of no-till or strip-till to fix ruts and compaction issues,” Ferrie says. “Ruts often show up in aerial imagery for two to three years. As soon as the problems are fixed, the field can return to no-till or strip-till.”

Anhydrous Ammonia Considerations In Dry Soils
Without some rainfall in areas suffering from drought, Ferrie is concerned anhydrous ammonia (NH3) applications will be challenging to seal. In some cases, when growers are smelling ammonia a day after application, that means the product is making its way to the soil surface and being lost.

Ferrie says you should be able to stand out in the field as NH3 is applied and not see it or smell it. That was not the case this past week in some central Illinois fields.

“I saw one field that had cracks big enough that you could put your hand down in them. The anhydrous bar was not only smoking around the knives, gas was coming out through the cracks in the soil between the knives,” Ferrie reports.

Anhydrous ammonia will move in soils until it finds enough soil moisture to convert from ammonia to ammonium. In dry soils, an inhibitor will be ineffective because it is designed to stop nitrification and not volatility.

“That’s why growers wonder why they can smell ammonia leaking out of a dry soil when they use N-Serve. It doesn’t work like that. You’re not protected against volatility,” Ferrie explains.

Instead, N-Serve acts to slow down the bacteria that converts ammonium to nitrate, keeping nitrogen in the ammonium form longer.

European Corn Borer Populations Rebuild
Ferrie says he had a number of farmers call in this fall regarding certain hybrids that were dropping ears. Most of the fields contained non-GMO hybrids, and in many cases the problem was caused by European corn borer and the hybrid was not at fault.

Ferrie advises farmers to inspect ears from the fields in question, if still available, for telltale signs of the pest. “Look at that butt of the ear in the shank,” he says. “Corn borer will leave a tunnel in the shank, or through the center of the cob, coming out the butt of the ear into the shank.”

Ferrie says he is seeing populations of the pest starting to rebuild in areas where non-GMO corn has been grown multiple years.

“Corn borers have been gone so long, most growers have forgotten about them, or they’re too young to have farmed when corn borer was a threat,” he explains. “Inspecting some ears now will give you insights on what you’re dealing with and a leg up on what you need to plan for next season.”

Learn more of Ken Ferrie’s recommendations on how to address tillage, NH3 and pest control in his latest episode of Boots In The Field:

Your next read: Unpacking the Disappointment: 5 Reasons Some Iowa Growers Had Ho-Hum Corn Yields

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.

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Don't End Up In The Ditch! Update Your GPS Guidance Lines For 2026

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:53:33 GMT

Farmers who use a local RTK network or state-run Real Time Network (RTN) — Iowa and Ohio both offer these signals — for auto steer and GPS guidance systems will need to recapture new GPS coordinates for field boundaries and A-B lines before spring planting.

That’s because The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) will soon replace two outdated reference frames, NAD 83 and NAVD 88, with a new corrections datum. The shift could knock your current A-B lines and GPS field boundaries off by anywhere from 1 to 4 meters, according to a pair of Iowa State University Extension precision ag specialists.

The Ohio State University Extension and FABE professor Dr. John Fulton issued a similar warning last fall at the Ohio Farm Science Review.

Iowa State University precision ag engineer Luke Fuhrer and digital Extension specialist Doug Houser say farmers using a major commercial satellite RTK network, such as those offered by John Deere and Trimble, should be OK for 2026.

Farmers who need to make quick updates to field boundaries or A-B lines, or check on the potential impact to existing telematics data this winter, are being told to use the free NGS Coordinate Conversion and Transformation Tool (NCAT) to shift their GPS coordinates from NAD 83/NAVD 88 to NATRF2022.

Fuhrer and Houser also want you to consider:

Physically recollecting GPS coordinates for field boundaries, control points or benchmarks using a system aligned to the new datum.
Recalculating your historical data using updated reference points or transformation software.

Example Scenario

(John Deere/Mel Koltai)

The Iowa State researchers share the following scenario as an example of a farmer who will need to make updates before spring planting:

“A farmer in eastern Iowa has been using a local RTK base station tied to NAD 83 to map field boundaries with sub-inch accuracy to avoid a neighbor’s fence line.

“After 2026, the new NATRF2022 datum will shift those GPS-defined boundaries by several feet. While the fence hasn’t moved, the guidance lines will now show up partially in the neighbor’s field. Without correction, auto-steer will drift across actual property lines.”

Before spring 2026, Fuhrer and Houser want this farmer to:

Back up all current GPS files and data.
Talk to his/her equipment dealer about firmware updates or new coordinate system support.
Use NCAT or dealer-provided tools to test a few key points and see how much they move.
Consider a quick resurvey for high-value areas.

For more info, check out the NGS “Get Prepared” resource here .

Machinery News: JCB Fastrac 6000 Tractor, Väderstad and Valley Debut New Products, Unverferth Acquisition

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:18:33 GMT

JCB Launches New Fastrac 6000 Series Tractors

(JCB)

British machinery manufacturer JCB says its new Fastrac 6000 Series tractors provide farmers with a feature-laden, highly productive power unit suited to a multitude of field and transport tasks.

Some notable features on the new machines include:

Two models will be available in the series, the 6260 (284 hp) and 6300 (335 hp)
25,240 lb. rear lift capacity plus a four-speed PTO shaft; optional 11,023.6 lb. front lift and 1000 rpm PTO.
A new chassis design combining sculptured front casting and rear fabricated structure, new engine and powertrain combinations for optimum power, torque and fuel efficiency, and a new central tire inflation system (CTIS).

The Fastrac 6000 Series will be available in North America in Q2 2026.

Learn more about the Fastrac 6000 Series at jcb.com/en-US/ .

Implement Innovator Väderstad Launches Trio of Products

E-Connect

(Väderstad)

Väderstad announces its new digital machinery telematics platform, E-Connect, as well as a next generation row unit for Tempo planters and a new front tool option for its disc cultivators Carrier XL 425–725.

The manufacturer says E-Connect provides farmers with a digital tool to monitor and manage Väderstad-branded machinery in real-time, with comprehensive visibility into fleet activity and machine performance. Users can track fieldwork progress, analyze operational efficiency and make informed decisions based on accurate, up-to-date data. The platform also integrates with several major Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS).

In 2026, Väderstad will also introduce its next-generation row unit for the Tempo planter. The new row unit comes with a long list of new features, including:

Planting depth setting from a prescription map
Easier seed tube change
Easier switch between crops
Upgraded seed meters with one-handed seed meter opening

And its new third disc axle configuration, available for Carrier XL 425–725 tillage tools, increases disc density from two rows to three, reducing the disc spacing to just 3.3". The company says this results in 50% more tillage tool contact to the ground, delivering highly intensive mixing, crumbling and residue management.

All three solutions will debut at Agritechnica 2025. You can learn more here .

Valley Irrigation Launches Brand Agnostic Pivot Control Panel

(Valley Irrigation)

Valley Irrigation introduces the ICON+ Smart Panel, the newest addition to its ICON family.

Valley says the new digital control panel combines simplicity with essential functionality while offering a balance of performance and affordability. Valley says it shares the proven capabilities of the ICONX panel while delivering essential control at the panel and advanced management from any electronic device. Farmers can remotely manage an entire fleet of pivots, regardless of the brand or age of the equipment.

The ICON+ Smart Panel is available through authorized Valley Irrigation Dealers. To learn more visit valleyirrigation.com/icon or contact your local dealer.

The company also announced the Valley Irrigation Grant, a $100,000 initiative designed to help growers tackle their most pressing water challenges through smart farming innovation.

Two North American farmers will be awarded in-kind grants through the program, $75,000 for the grand prize and $25,000 for the secondary prize, redeemable for Valley equipment, technology and services through their local Valley dealer.

Applications are now open at valleyirrigation.com/grant and will be accepted through Dec. 15.

Unverferth Acquires Premier Tillage

Minimizer Blade Plow tillage tool.

(Premier Tillage)

Unverferth Manufacturing Co. has acquired the Premier Tillage lineup, including its popular, weed-eradicating Minimizer blade plow tillage tool.

Unverferth says the addition of Premier Tillage products strengthens its commitment to providing a full range of equipment solutions that enhance efficiency, productivity and agronomic performance.

Production of the Minimizer blade plow tillage tool will be moved to the Unverferth production facility in Lexington, Neb. Premier Tillage was founded by Dan Chupp in 1985 and is based in Quinter, Kan. The acquisition ensures Premier Tillage customers will continue to receive product support, now backed by Unverferth’s dealer network.

Learn more at umequip.com .

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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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Clicking On Used? Navigate Online Farm Equipment Auctions Like A Pro

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 18:05:14 GMT

Whether you’re ready to sell some used farm equipment for positive or negative reasons , there are several things to be aware of before diving into the auction market at its absolute peak , which is normally from November to March.

Big Iron Auctions/Sullivan Auctioneers co-founder Mark Stock , who has been in the business for 41 years, says the first thing sellers need to do is to get in touch with your preferred auction platform. Giving advance notice is one of the many keys to a good experience selling at auction.

“If the seller can contact us by the middle of September, that’s great,” Stock says. “My advice for buyers is make sure you look at all the photos [in the auction listing], and then call the owner [before you bid]. We always publish the owner’s name and phone number, which is something most auction sites don’t do. So, call those sellers and ask questions.”

The latest auction update from Machinery Pete Facebook:

Stock also emphasizes going through those images with a fine-tooth comb. He wants new-to-the-market buyers to understand transparency is not some pie-in-the-sky, unrealistic expectation to have. There are plenty of auction companies that prioritize a truly open-ended process.

“We do a good job of showing everything that’s good and also everything that’s bad about that piece of machinery. That’s how we try to earn the buyer’s respect,” he says. “And the sellers, they don’t want to have someone mad after the end of the sale because they didn’t let the buyer know about something.”

The explosion of online equipment auctions, a space where Big Iron is currently one of the biggest players, has proven to be a bit of a double-edged sword in more ways than one. While it’s true today a farmer in Arkansas can jump on their phone and buy a used, $300,000 combine from the seat of the dentist’s chair, some bad actors have tried to weasel into the fray. Selecting a reputable auction company you’ve researched and feel good about working with can help ease any anxiety about getting wrapped up in something nefarious .

“It’s just one example, but we UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) search everything because we want the transaction to be seamless,” Stock says. “And then if there is a loan [attached to] payoff, we work with that creditor to make sure that loan gets paid off before the buyer takes possession. We handle all that stuff so there’s no surprises.”

Kinze Manufacturing founder Jon Kinzenbaw’s antique tractor collection in Williamsburg, Iowa.

(Big Iron Auctions)

When asked what’s coming up from Big Iron, Stock says the digital auction platform has a “really big fall catalog” coming out soon and to check out BigIron.com for more info. On November 4, there is a notable sale for precision ag and farm machinery history buffs. Bidding for that sale opens October 19.

“John Kinzenbaw, the founder of Kinze Manufacturing, has a huge tractor collection, and he’s going to sell off over 100 of those tractors to the highest bidder here in November,” Stock says.

Greg “Machinery Pete” Peterson will be in attendance, too.

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Classic Iron: Farmer Fred Pflugh's Iconic Oliver 1855 Tractor Shines in Western PA

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 12:27:08 GMT

The western Pennsylvania borough that birthed NFL legend Joseph Willie “Broadway Joe” Namath is home to another legend of the green-and-white: farmer Fred Pflugh’s beautifully restored Oliver 1855 tractor.

(Fred Pflugh)

Pflugh, 70, has cobbled together an impressive collection of classic Oliver tractors; he thinks he acquired the 1855 back in 1988 or 1989. The old workhorse hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down just yet: “This tractor just wants to run,” Pflugh says. “It’s strong … it likes to throttle.”

Pflugh’s collection started with his Oliver 1655, and he just kept adding to the fleet over the years. He still farms corn, soybeans and hay to feed to his beef cattle on just over 120 acres, while his son and wife manage a local farm meat market that sells fresh freezer beef.

(Fred Pflugh)

“The 55-series is just a nice tractor,” he says. “They dressed them up from the fifties.”

Pflugh says it was the eye-pleasing look of the Oliver line that drew him in right off the bat. From the two front headlights to the styled grill and iconic white trim that sets off the engine compartment, the classic tractors have that timeless, from-another-era-Americana feel that you can’t replicate today.

Don’t let the good looks fool you, though: Plugh still uses the Oliver 1855 around the farm, grinding feed, mowing hay, disking fields and hauling manure to spread across his rolling Alleghany valley fields.

The tractor’s engine, a Waukesha Turbo, features a straight pipe exhaust that triumphantly juts to the heavens from the front hood scoop. Waukesha Motor Company (Waukesha, Wis.) was founded in 1906 and built over 400,000 lightweight, powerful tractor engines before closing shop for good in the early 1970s. Oliver Tractor Co. was reportedly the engine builder’s largest customer, according to the Waukesha Engine Historical Society.

(Tractor Tales)

Pflugh makes no bones about how he envisions the future for his Oliver fleet: These steeped-in-history tractors will never leave the family farm.

“I think my son will keep them all up, and I wouldn’t doubt that he’ll be showing them, too, ya know,” he says. “I like that they still go to the field, and I like them on this farm, I can tell you that.”

Want more classic Tractor Tales? Head over to YouTube and hit the “Subscribe” and “Thumbs Up” buttons to get the latest episodes on your YouTube feed.

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No, John Deere is Not Freezing Production or Stepping Away From its U.S. Factories

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:48:43 GMT

An online report last week claimed John Deere is shutting down ALL manufacturing in response to the ongoing tariff situation in the U.S.

But we looked into it, and we’re here to tell you: don’t take the bait — or, as the kids say, feed the trolls — because it’s simply not true.

An article authored by Kieran Schalkwyk and titled “John Deere Freezes U.S. Manufacturing in Unprecedented Shutdown” appeared on MSN.com and was aggregated by Google News feeds last week, claiming the manufacturer is “making a radical move that some might think is ‘un-American.’”

John Deere shared the following LinkedIn post Friday afternoon. You can also visit Deere.com for more information on the company’s U.S. manufacturing presence.

The MSN.com post has since been taken down and brings up an error page:

MSN.com screenshot

(MSN.com)

It’s somewhat bewildering timing for this particular misinformation ploy.

John Deere recently put out a blog post outlining its commitment to U.S. manufacturing. The statement says John Deere will invest $20 billion into its U.S. footprint over the next decade, which includes major expansion projects in Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Today, the company has 60 manufacturing facilities in more than 16 U.S. states and employs over 30,000 American workers.

What is true is over the past 18 months, the company has been forced to lay off some employees , and it strategically slowed manufacturing at some production facilities in Iowa in response to depressed farmer demand for new tractors and combines.

Of course, John Deere is not alone navigating a treacherous global farm economy. Machinery rivals AGCO and CNH also made the tough choice to layoff factory workers over the past 12 months. CNH even completely shutdown its overseas machinery imports during the first few days of the tariff policy rollout, although that pause was only temporary.

In February, we updated our popular “Who Makes What Where” feature showing where major farm equipment is manufactured around the world.

Our analysis of John Deere’s global factory network shows that of the 60 John Deere machines relevant to U.S. farmers, 50 of them (83%) are manufactured here in North America. Of all the major farm equipment manufacturers we polled, John Deere has the largest U.S.-based manufacturing footprint other than Canadian-based Buhler Industries, which is 100% North America based.

So, it feels safe to say we can put this rumor to bed once and for all: No, John Deere is not shutting down its factories. Myth Busted. Shutdown the rumor mill.

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Trending Used Farm Equipment: Pre-DEF Still Prime, Regional Needs And Insights For Dealers

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 18:03:11 GMT

Strong auction pricing is holding across all types of used farming equipment, and older, pre-DEF combines and tractors are leading the bump-in-value charge.

For example, the average auction price on a used John Deere S670 combine today sits at just over $82,000, whereas last year it settled in at the $80,000 mark. Keep in mind that used combines are a market bell weather, often signaling trends 12 months to 18 months ahead the high-horsepower tractor segment.

Check out this example from Machinery Pete’s Facebook:

And this 2012, high-hour pre-DEF John Deere 8360R tractor is another solid example.

“The biggest driver right now is total numbers sold, which is way off from last year and from 2023,” Machinery Pete says on the latest episode of the Moving Iron podcast. “We’ll see what happens for the rest of 2025, but total volume is down and we see the same thing with late-model tractors — there just hasn’t been as many sold at auction. But the older machines are holding their value a little better (than late-model machines), that’s the bottom line.”

Pete’s fellow podcast host, Casey Seymour, thinks one of the biggest issues holding used farm equipment sales down today are high interest rates. Dealers with high inventories are stuck with big interest payments for the machines stuck on the lot, which gives them pause when it comes time to bring in new machines or pursue more trade-ins.

“I think a lot of dealers were hoping we’d start to see the buying activity pick up. We’re seeing some activity, but it’s just not fast enough. That flywheel’s not turning fast enough,” he says. “It’s just starting to turn a little bit, but the speed and velocity dealers look for isn’t there yet.”

Pete and Seymour both sense a strong fall harvest could be just the thing to pull more buyers back into the market. Pete thinks the current buying activity hiatus will be shorter and sharper than the one that took hold during COVID.

“We’ve basically hit a stabilization point. If we see another big push to auction at the end of the year, I’m not 100% convinced we’ll see a huge uptick or downtick in pricing,” Seymour adds.

Know Your Locals
Regionalism is everywhere in farming, and it certainly extends to the world of farm equipment. Farmers in the open-acre, pivot-ringed fields of the Nebraska panhandle — where Seymour lives — have different machinery needs than farmers in the gently rolling Kansas foothills.

If you’re a used equipment dealer, Seymour says you must understand the needs of the local farmer and have a good feel for how many regionally configured machines you can move in your area. It also helps to have connections in the heavy equipment transport world so machines you sell via online auction can get to a farmer a few states over without a giant transportation fee.

“The chances of that 25' variable tillage rig selling around Cheyenne or Wells County are pretty slim, unless it’s a smaller outfit,” says Aaron Fintel, used equipment specialist with 21^st Century Equipment. “I always try to be dialed in enough that I know exactly where that thing is going to sell. Maybe it came out of Illinois, and I sold that same guy a really nice 40' rig. Now I would bet some guy near Columbus will call about the 25-footer.”

Rounding out the rest of this week’s episode of the Moving Iron Podcast is a segment on the latest commodity market happenings with Shawn Hackett, president and CEO of Hackett Financial Advisors, and an update from John Deere’s Ryan Stien on how growers are using Operation’s Center to organize, view and share all of their machine data within one digital platform.

Want more Moving Iron? Head over to YouTube to watch the full episode and make sure you hit the “subscribe” button to get every new episode.

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U.S. Tractor and Combine Sales Still Struggling, But Better Days Could Be Just Ahead

Fri, 16 May 2025 20:06:19 GMT

The latest Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) U.S. Tractor and Combine Sales Report paints a troubling picture for the farm equipment manufacturing industry. While Canadian tractor sales increased 3.4% in April 2025, year-over-year numbers for American sales were not so kind.

(AEM.org)

U.S. sales across all categories (4WD and 2WD tractors, self-propelled combines) tracked by AEM were down for the month, with total farm tractor sales falling 13.3% and combines down 48.3% year to date.

AEM Senior Vice President Curt Blades said the ongoing sales slump indicates that farmers are still holding onto working capital and waiting for brighter days ahead before they upgrade to new machines.

“The other thing I would point out with both of those two categories is that this is a year-on-year comparison. At this time last year, we had actually sold quite a few combines,” Blades explained. “So, we’re comparing against kind of a sales boom in combines, and now we’re seeing that slow down. There is some cyclical nature to this, specifically with combines, and the same thing sort of holds true with four-wheel-drive tractors as well.”

Blades said its important to take a holistic view of the entire farm equipment market when considering these monthly sales statistics. He thinks used equipment sales are currently trending up, which is a good sign overall for the farm economy.

“The other thing that comes into play here is USDA is projecting total farm income to be up for 2025, and I think that’s probably going to be related to government disaster relief payments that can tend to shake loose some tractor and combine sales,” he added. “But I think if you ask any farmer in North America, they would much rather have high (commodity) prices than government support. So, it does become a little bit of a mixed bag, but I always remain optimistic that this market will bounce back.”

And while the monthly AEM sales reports track overall tractor and combine sales in the U.S., there’s a chance other machine classes, like planters, air seeders, sprayers, and tillage tools, are faring better at the moment.

“We actually find if a farmer is not updating the large row crop tractor, they may instead be investing in some new seeding equipment or even upgrading the existing equipment that they already have,” Blades said. “We’re seeing that happening very strongly in the sprayer market, too, where retrofit and aftermarket technology can be tacked onto machines to get a little bit more life out of them.”

Asked what guidance his association is doling out to its farm machine building members, Blades said the “numbers are what they are” at this point, but most manufacturers projected this downturn and have responded proactively by slowing production and, unfortunately, right-sizing their labor pools.

“Our advice to everyone — farmers, manufacturers — is to plan ahead and to make sure that you’re thinking about what your needs are, and not just next year but for the next three years, and have a solid plan in place so that you are able to acquire new machines when you need them.”

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New Kid On The Block: TractorTuesday.com Emerges To Disrupt The Auction World And Save Farmers Money

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:15:36 GMT

With farmers feeling the squeeze from low commodity prices and inflation, and now there’s a trade war that is looking like it is going to drive new equipment prices up even higher for the foreseeable future, many farmers are turning to the used equipment auction world this year instead of financing a brand new machine off the dealer lot when they need a tractor, combine, or sprayer.

Hastings, Nebraska, sixth generation farmer Zach Bosle saw those shifting market dynamics coming into play and decided he wanted to do something about it. So this fall he hit the launch button on his latest venture, the online auction marketplace TractorTuesday.com.

Bosle says so far the platform has held two virtual auctions and signed up over 8,000 registered users in just under six months.

Now might be a good time to check out the new site and get registered, because TractorTuesday.com has another sale coming up on March 18. We met up with Bosle at Commodity Classic in Denver this week to learn more about this “Machinery Pete Approved” new entrant to the used equipment auction space.

Farm Journal (FJ): Tell us about the upcoming sale on March 18, Zach.

Zach Bosle (ZB): Sure. It will be a strictly online auction, and we’ll be featuring equipment in seven different states across the Corn Belt and into the Plains States.

FJ: I understand there is a pretty special machine that you’re planning to auction off in that sale?

(TractorTuesday.com)

ZB: Yes, and we recently had Machinery Pete with us on site as well (video below) to look at this unit. It’s a 1995 Case IH 7240 Magnum Mark 50 Edition tractor with only 3,412 operating hours on it. What makes this tractor so special, besides the very low hours, is they only made 100 of these. We’re hoping to see it set the all-time record for that model.

FJ: You just launched the website back in October, and you are already doing some interesting marketing campaigns to get your name out into the world. Tell us about the Name Image Likeness (NIL) program you’ve put in place.

ZB: We have signed 20 college student athletes this year , and I believe 18 of them are Division 1 athletes. We’ve got some phenomenal farm kids that are playing ball, including Bailey Maupin out of Texas Tech , who is currently one of the best women’s basketball players in the country. We also have a great pitcher at the University of Nebraska by the name of Ty Horn , and we’ve got Caden Matson at Iowa State from the Cyclone football program. We’ve got kids from Long Beach State all the way out to the University of Virginia and everywhere in between. So, we have a widespread NIL program in place and it’s just amazing to me where some of these farm kids come from and where they end up athletically.

FJ: A lot of farmers right now are kind of struggling with the economics of this new and used equipment marketplace right now. What would you say to those farmers if they asked for your advice?

ZB: I would just say to hang in there. And if you do have to sell, you know, really that $80,000 to $140,000 price range is holding quite strong right now. Now, if it’s a machine that is nearly new or just off lease, I’d be a little hesitant and I probably wouldn’t sell it just yet unless I really had to or if the banker told me I had to. But, you know, either way we think the best option for any farmer is going to be with TractorTuesday.com, because we’re offering zero commission on sales and there’s only a 2% buyer’s premium. When some of these auction sites are charging anywhere from 5% to 10% on commissions and buyer’s fees, listing with us can put more dollars back in those farmers pockets.

Check out TractorTuesday.com if you’re interested.

John Deere Details Model Year 2026 Updates, New Machine Capabilities and Technology Features

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 16:47:58 GMT

John Deere announces a suite of equipment and technology upgrades and new features across its portfolio of machines. Some of the updates are exclusive to model year 2026 machines, and some are available as retrofit options or upgrades for new and/or older John Deere machines.

Next Generation Perception System For Autonomous Tillage
John Deere is releasing its autonomy Precision Upgrades kit for select tractor models that brings autonomy to tillage work. The system is available as a Precision Upgrades kit for model year 2022 and newer 9R and 9RX tractors and model year 2020.5 and newer 8R and 8RX tractors. Select model year 2025 John Deere tractors are autonomy ready from the factory.

RELATED: John Deere Introducing Next Generation Perception Autonomy Kits

To add autonomy to the tillage tool, retrofit kits are available for 2017 and newer John Deere tillage implements with additional lighting and the StarFire receiver mast and harnessing. The autonomy ready solutions are factory installed in base models for select MY25 tillage tools.

Combine Improvements
For model year 2026, the additions include a new three-piece CAM hinge draper reel with dense pack fingers and a new CF 18 30 corn head, which John Deere says is the industry’s first folding corn head with 18" rows and 30" spacing.

John Deere is also announcing several enhancements to its model year 2026 combines:

The Harvest Settings Automation feature will now include an out-of-crop settings adjustment that engages when the combine is passing through previously harvested areas of the field. Now the feature supports wheat, barely, canola, soybean, corn and rice crops.

Predictive Ground Speed Automation is being updated with a new feature that helps operators manage unique field terrains such as waterways, ditches or terraces. Weed detection sensing is also being added. There will be new functionality incorporated into John Deere Operations Center that will use crop-type data from planting and satellite imagery to ensure all eligible combines have the essential harvest automation files necessary to increase productivity. Predictive Ground Speed Automation supports wheat, barley, canola, soybean, corn, peas, edible beans and lentils.

AutoTrac Turn Automation is being updated to automate the raising and lowering of the combine head for hands-free turning, and a new auto-unload camera with supporting hardware and software is available to help consistently fill grain carts and possibly reduce in-field spills.

(Dan Videtich/John Deere)

John Deere also announced a handful of harvest settings updates available in Operations Center, including grain harvest weight sharing and Grain Sensing with HarvestLab 3000 available now for all model year 2025 and newer X9, S7 and T6 combines.

And physical updates to model year 2026 machines include a new instructor seat in all models and a dual USB-C fast charging module in the cab. And the JD Link Boost satellite connectivity module is available for install on eligible combine models to maintain connectivity during harvest.

Sprayer Updates
John Deere says these updates were developed to give farmers cleaner fields that have less weed competition, leading to more yield potential.

See & Spray has new variable rate capabilities that can unlock precise applications and significant product savings in later-season fungicide and desiccant applications, preharvest passes and more, according to John Deere. Farmers can also now see the percentage of biomass each perception camera detects throughout the field. See & Spray Variable Rate capabilities will require a G5 or G5Plus CommandCenter display.

See & Spray Select is now available from the factory on model year 2026 John Deere 400 and 600 series sprayers with 90', 100' or 120' steel booms. See & Spray Select also will be available as a Precision Upgrades kit for model year 2018 and newer John Deere sprayers with ExactApply and a 120' steel boom.

See & Spray Premium is adding new boom sizes and is now available on Hagie STS20 sprayers. See & Spray Premium is compatible with 90', 100' or 120' booms.

(Mel Koltai/John Deere)

Beyond the See & Spray updates, John Deere also has two new AutoTrac options for sprayers:

AutoTrac Turn Automation (ATTA) is now compatible with John Deere 400 and 600 series self-propelled sprayers, 800R floaters, and Hagie STS12, STS16 and STS20 sprayers, model year 2022 and newer. The new feature is also included with Automation 4.0 on Gen4 displays and the G5 Advanced license for machines that have a G5 display.

AutoTrac Vision 2.0 is a new technology that ensures sprayer wheels remain centered within each crop row, and it boasts a maximum speed of 22 mph, slope performance of up to 6 degrees, and the ability to navigate curves with a radius of just 50 meters. AutoTrac Vision 2.0 is available on model year 2026 John Deere sprayers as a factory option.

John Deere is also introducing ExactApply Variable Rate capabilities – including multi-rate across the boom with AutoSelect Pulsing (and A+B pulse width modulation nozzle switching). Sprayer operators can now vary multiple application rates across the entire boom, up to 11 unique sections, leading to more precise product placement. Operators also can use increased rate ranges for variable rate prescriptions and curve compensation. This technology is available as a software update for model year 2023 to 2025 sprayers, and model year 2026 will come factory installed with updated software features and functionalities.

Planter Updates
John Deere announced four new planter updates:

A new rate controller, the John Deere Rate Controller 3, with the option to control and apply two liquid and/or anhydrous ammonia (NH3) products simultaneously across up to 16 sections. This can help farmers decrease the number of trips through the field while getting the same application work completed. John Deere says the new rate controller is suitable for a variety of row crops, ranches, high-value crops and even on golf courses.

Rate Controller 3 also features a new rate controller app that is available within the John Deere display menu. The rate controller app is fully compatible with Gen 4 v2 and G5 displays.

(Michael J Newell/John Deere)

John Deere says the new app will give farmers a similar experience as operating a self-propelled sprayer with a controller with a built-in base from the factory. This means farmers can now monitor their planter and rate controller functions on one screen on the display and execute easy adjustments, according to John Deere.

The new rate controller module also has a new harness and 48-pin connector, which expands the compatibility with third-party equipment.

Seed-Level Sensing provides farmers with a more accurate look at the level of seed remaining in the tank. It places a sensor in the tank that can measure the volume of seed left in the tank, which is then provided to the operator in the cab and the John Deere Operations Center. This feature is available on model year 2026 planters or as a Precision Upgrades kit for certain models back to model year 2022.

Fertilizer-Level Sensing is also new and it is similar to seed-level sensing, providing the operator with better information on the fertilizer level remaining in the tank. It is an external manifold that includes two pressure sensors, which are used to calculate both the liquid density as well as the volume remaining in the tank. This update is available on model year 2026 planters and is also a Precision Upgrades kit that can be added to machines that are model year 2022 and newer.

Active Vacuum Automation is available on model year 2026 planters with electric drives and the SeedStar 5 Monitoring System. This feature looks in real time at singulation and automatically adjusts the vacuum, helping to prevent skips and doubles.

To determine which new features and updates are available for existing machines or only on model year 2026 new machines, contact your local John Deere dealer.

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FTC vs. John Deere: Two Experts Answer Key Questions

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 21:30:00 GMT

On Jan. 15, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court accusing John Deere of creating and presiding over a monopolistic and anti-competitive repair and dealer service system that puts farmers and independent repair professionals at an unfair disadvantage.

The news of this legal action has sent shock-waves through the ag equipment world. Deere has since offered an official statement condemning the action as “meritless…baseless…brazen partisanship.”

Incoming FTC chair, commissioner Andrew Ferguson, who has been appointed to head up the agency under President Trump, issued a statement that simultaneously recognizes the importance of allowing farmers to diagnose and fix their machines while indicating he disagrees with the decision to file the lawsuit. Fergusons’ statement was cosigned by fellow FTC commissioner Melissa Holyoak.

What happens next?
According to a post at FTC.gov, once the agency files a lawsuit the respondent – in this case, John Deere – has the right to contest the charges. FTC may then issue a final order, which can be appealed to the courts. The agency may also seek civil (i.e. financial) damages or request an injunction against Deere.

Plaintiff’s counsel have requested an injunction against John Deere. The lawsuit expressly asks for “a permanent injunction and other equitable relief against Deere to prevent its unlawful conduct in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the FTC Act” along with several state statutes in Illinois and Minnesota.

The Interviews
Now that we’ve set the stage, here is what two experts who have paid close attention to the case have to say about it:

James Kovacs is an antitrust attorney with Shinder Cantor Lerner (SLC), a national litigation firm that specializes in antitrust law.

Q: Is what FTC is accusing Deere of difficult to prove in a court of law?

A: “This is actually a very interesting topic that has been going on now for a number of decades, called right to repair. And right to repair within the antitrust space, which is where I practice, has to do with whether or not restrictions placed by the original equipment manufacturer, in this case John Deere, and what we call an aftermarket, which are the areas in which people compete for repair or service, whether those, you know, aftermarkets are being harmed. And so looking at whether people cannot either independently repair their own equipment or whether independent retailers or repair centers are also restricted as well. With these cases, really any monopolization case is challenging, but here I will say that the practices of John Deere, I think, are quite open and notorious.

“For a long time, people have been aware that farmers have been restricted from repairing their farm equipment. There are a variety of means, most of which are sort of technical issues in which the data and information necessary to perform the repair or the tool, which I believe is called the Service Advisor, has been restricted. And so, when the farmer or the independent repair center goes to fix the John Deere equipment, they are not able to access the necessary technical information to complete the job. And now the farmer can only do those types of repairs through a John Deere retailer, an authorized retailer.

“And so, this type of conduct within the right to repair market dates back to cases in the 1990s, in particular, with Kodak printers. And it can be found to be anti-competitive, wherein there’s an entity with basically complete control over the repair market who applies these types of restrictions. So, this is not something that is uncommon. And it’s something that’s seen quite an uptick in interest since the Biden Administration made it a priority. And when the FTC issued their initial report, called Nixing The Fix, that sort of got the ball rolling on the FTC’s interest in these types of cases.”

Q: In your opinion, does FTC have a strong case here?

A: “In my experience, the FTC does not bring complaints unless they feel like there are strong grounds to do so. Again, I also think there are a couple key factors at play here. One, I think the public is becoming quite aware of John Deere’s practices. I know that there are several reports and public sources out there who have spoken about these issues and their impact on farmers and their farming equipment.

“The second aspect to keep in mind is there is also a private litigation against John Deere alleging the same practices. That case has proceeded past a motion to dismiss. And so, what that means is the allegations have been proven to be sufficient to allow the parties to proceed into discovery. And I think that gives credence to the fact these claims are not necessarily merit-less at all. But in fact, people who have been looking at these issues believe there are merits to these claims. And I think the FTC does not typically act unless they believe strongly that an issue could be problematic.”

Q: FTC, through their legal team, has requested an injunction against Deere along with their co-plaintiffs, the state attorney generals in Illinois and Minnesota. Let’s say I’m a farmer in Illinois or Minnesota, and I’m using Deere equipment. I may be looking to have some repairs made before spring planting by a John Deere dealer. Could there be implications at play for those users?

A: “I think it’s important to note that the FTC’s jurisdiction is nationwide. And so, what the FTC is seeking through its injunctive relief, as I understand it, is access to what they call the ‘full function Service Advisor (program).’ As of right now, there is sort of an incomplete Service Advisor that the independent repair pros and the farmers have access to, but that doesn’t give them the full suite of options to repair all the needs of their farming equipment. And the allegation is that John Deere has withheld some of this technical information out of a desire to sort of capture the repair market under the injunctive relief.

“As I understand it, if the FTC were to be successful in any litigation and a jury ultimately found in their favor, then ultimately the farmers would be able to get access to this full Service Advisor tool and therefore be able to complete more repairs. Whether or not John Deere comes up with additional ways of restricting repairs is going to be open to interpretation, but at least this is a very specific injunctive relief. And there’s also sort of broader language to sort of prevent them from continuing this unlawful conduct. And so, I think it could be substantial relief.”

Willie Cade is a Washington, D.C., lobbyist and Right to Repair advocate. His grandfather was on the board at John Deere and worked for the company as a chief engineer. He can be reached by email at willie@graceful.solutions .

Q: What have you learned about this legal action that sticks out to you?

A: “A couple of things really stick out in my mind. No. 1, deep into the filing, around paragraph 111, they talk about how this monopolization of repair actually affects all repairs.

“Yes, it’s not monopolization of every repair, but it affects the price of every repair, which is remarkable. And they really call it a monopoly. They’re flat out about it. I love the way they took the time – we initially filed the complaint with the FTC and I worked on that with the attorneys that filed it three years ago. So they did their homework and they’ve done a really good job. And I really recommend to the farmers who really care about this issue, that they read the complaint because it reads really well. It reads like they know the industry, like they know what they’re talking about and that kind of thing.

“The other thing that was kind of interesting is, is they have lots (of evidence). They have a number of John Deere executives on record saying that, yeah, we knew we were doing this. So, I mean, they’ve really nailed it from that point of view. And when you look at the dissenting opinion from the two Republican commissioners, it’s a non-dissent dissent. There really was no objection to the substance of the suit, just the timing.”

Q: Are you aware of any other major farm machinery companies that might be engaged in similar conduct?

A: “They’re all doing it. They all use the same similar kind of technology — the CAN bus. Caterpillar is a little different because it’s not a CAN bus, it’s a hub. But those are just technical details. They’re still wanting to, I assert, illegally control the consumer after they sell the product. That’s a legal concept called tying. And tying has been illegal for almost a century now. And the electronics allow you to do it today where you weren’t able to do it before, other than physically. So we’re going to nail this. It’s going to take a year or two and then we’re going to move on. We’re going to move on to some even more important issues in agriculture. But I won’t tell you what that is yet.”

Q: Could you see this becoming sort of a win-win situation, where the farmers win out on this and even Deere comes out of this looking somewhat okay and maybe better for the long term?

A: “Well, here’s the interesting thing. Due to the lack of rights to repair their own farm equipment, farmers stand to lose $4.2 billion a year. About 20% of that is realized in higher prices for repair and services. The rest is in lost yield. So, could you imagine if farmers could get that rough number, that $3.8 billion back or even $3.7 billion back? And it’s all profit, by the way. By the time you get the yield, it’s all profit. If they could get that as profit, of course John Deere is going to do better with sales.”

Watch this video for additional coverage from the Jan. 18, 2025, episode of U.S. Farm Report.

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BREAKING: FTC Files Right to Repair Lawsuit, John Deere Issues Statement

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:07:03 GMT

It is bone-chillingly cold throughout the Midwest, yet the Right to Repair issue is heating up once again.

Farm Journal Washington correspondent Jim Wiesemeyer learned early Wednesday morning that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is filing a lawsuit against Deere & Co. for allegedly violating U.S. competition laws.

The lawsuit was filed on Jan. 15, 2025, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Western Division. You can review the redacted filing by clicking here.

Update (6:31 pm CST): John Deere has released a statement vowing to fight the lawsuit, characterizing the FTC’s claims as “baseless” and “meritless.” It can be viewed here.

Wiesemeyer shared the following summary of key points from Deere’s response:

Commitment to repair access: John Deere emphasized its long-standing dedication to customer self-repair, noting its history of publishing manuals, selling parts directly, and providing digital tools like Customer Service ADVISOR.
Defense of innovation: The company stated that the lawsuit “punishes innovation and pro-competitive product design.”
Settlement efforts: John Deere disclosed ongoing settlement negotiations with the FTC prior to the lawsuit and criticized the agency for relying on “inaccurate information and assumptions.”
Recent initiatives: Highlights included the launch of Equipment Mobile in 2023, upcoming upgrades to the John Deere Operations Center, and a pilot program to enhance farmer’s repair options.

RELATED: What Does Right to Repair Really Mean?

What happens next?
According to a post at FTC.gov, once the agency files a lawsuit the respondent – in this case, John Deere – has the right to contest the charges. FTC may then issue a final order, which can be appealed to the courts. The agency may also seek civil (i.e. financial) damages or request an injunction against Deere.

According to the Jan. 15 filing, Plaintiff’s counsel has asked for an injunction against John Deere. The lawsuit requests “a permanent injunction and other equitable relief against Deere to prevent its unlawful conduct in or affecting commerce in violation of Section 5(a) of the FTC Act” along with several state statutes in Illinois and Minnesota.

Farm Journal has reached out to its contacts in the ag law realm to find out what the implications are if an injunction is granted against Deere in Illinois and Minnesota, and what that would mean for Deere customers in those states. We’ll update with more information as soon as we have it.

Why is FTC filing against Deere?
Reuters and other news sources confirm the agency has been actively investigating John Deere since 2021 .

Weisemeyer has been following the situation closely. He has learned the agency claims Deere’s equipment design often necessitates proprietary software available only to authorized dealers, which in turn limits farmers and independent repair shop’s ability to perform repairs.

Deere had previously agreed in January 2023, through an accord with the American Farm Bureau Federation, to expand access to its repair tools, but according to Weisemeyer and reporting from Bloomberg, concerns over compliance with that agreement persist.

According to reporting from online publication Agriculture Dive, a court last year ruled against the heavy equipment giant’s bid to dismiss a similar lawsuit from a group of farmers.

In yet another twist in this ongoing saga, FTC Commissioner Andrew N. Ferguson has issued a dissenting opinion, which is cosigned by FTC Commissioner Melissa Holyoak. President Trump announced on Dec. 10 that Ferguson will serve as the new Chair of the FTC under his administration.

You can review that dissenting opinion here.

Deere’s news release on expanding self-repair solutions
On Jan., 14, 2025, John Deere issued a news release outlining its commitment to expanding access to various digital tools and resources to help independent repair technicians and farmers diagnose equipment and make repairs.

The full statement is posted to Deere’s online newsroom.

The statement details what Deere calls its “Commitment to Repairability” and includes a list of tools that are available today to “support customers throughout their machine ownership and repair journey.”

Deere also writes that a “latest addition to Deere’s suite of digital solutions will further empower customers and independent repair technicians by, among other things, enabling them to reprogram Deere-manufactured electronic controllers.” The new capabilities are being integrated into the John Deere Operation’s Center, Deere adds, and will “offer more comprehensive solutions for diagnosing and repairing equipment while ensuring machine reliability, safety, and compliance.”

The manufacturer also says it will have additional announcements regarding a “customer and independent repair technician pilot” which is due to launch in the U.S. and Canada by the second half of 2025.

The news release directs interested parties to visit Deere.com/repair for more information.

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John Deere-Starlink Satellite Service Available Now, New High-Speed Disk Series Debuts

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 14:28:40 GMT

John Deere announced the release of JDLink Boost, a satellite connectivity solution designed to work in fields with little to no cellular coverage, and a new high speed disk tillage solution.

The new JDLink Boost kit supports the partnership between John Deere and Starlink by SpaceX network.

Deere reps say JDLink Boost will benefit farmers operating in fields where cellular coverage is limited or unreliable by providing a secure and faster connection along with real-time access to machine and agronomic data. This improved connectivity enables more timely decision-making regarding irrigation, fertilization, pest control and harvesting.

You can read more about JDLink Boost here. The news release does not detail how the new service will be priced. Reach out to you local John Deere dealer for more information.

New High-Speed Disk Series

John Deere announced a new lineup of high-speed disks, a dual-season tool that it says provides excellent field finish and residue management. It also comes autonomy ready from the factory, Deere says.

(Steve Dolan )

Deere’s new high-speed disk line replaces the largest models from the 2680H series, according to a company press release. Available in widths ranging from 25’ to 45’, Deere says there is a disk size that fits nearly any tractor and farm.

The new high-speed disk line offers improved residue flow, helping reduce plugging in tough tillage conditions such as high field moisture or high residue situations. In the new model, an additional 4” was added between the disk and the finishing basket, which helps provide better overall residue flow.

The high-speed disks come autonomy ready in-base from the factory, and are equipped from the factory with a receiver mast, harnessing, lighting package and TruSet.

Visit your local John Deere dealer or deere.com for information on the full line of tillage equipment.

5 Tech Companies Embracing Electrification, Autonomy

Fri, 10 Jan 2025 20:25:36 GMT

Tractors and robots powered by electrification and autonomously tasked using Artificial Intelligence were without a doubt the main points of emphasis among the handful of farm tech companies exhibiting at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Here’s a brief rundown of what some ag tech and ag tech adjacent companies showed off:

John Deere – After wowing attendees last year with a remotely operated tractor exhibit where users stopped and started a large 8RX tractor doing tillage work thousands of miles away at Deere’s Austin, Texas, test farm, the manufacturer extended its autonomous capabilities across a wider breadth of its machine portfolio to include lower horsepower tractors and autonomous spraying technologies for tree, fruit, and nut growers , as well as an autonomous lawn mower for commercial landscapers and a massive articulated yellow-and-black dump truck for construction firms. Deere also debuted a 130 hp, fully electric battery powered, autonomous-ready concept tractor at the show.

RELATED: John Deere Introducing Next Generation Perception Autonomy Kits

Behold, the hustle and bustle of John Deere’s CES booth:
Kubota – the Japanese firm captured a CES Innovation Award for its KATR robot (video clip below), a four-wheeled all terrain, multi-functional field robot that maintains a level deck across rugged terrain and operates autonomously and in “follow me” mode to help specialty crop producers get more done in a day. However the stars of the show at the Kubota booth, in this author’s humble opinion, were Flash, a plant health imagery solution that uses AI for analysis, and the Smart Plant Imager that bolts onto the top of the KATR robot and enables acquisition of hyperspectral plant health data in real-time. Both products spit back management recommendations to help high value crop growers know where to focus management and labor efforts to make the biggest impacts on yield and quality. Also new this year: the Agri Concept 2.0 autonomous tractor that debuted last year at CES has been outfitted with an operator cab, giving farmers the choice between direct oversight or autonomous tasking.

Spoiler Alert: Those peach baskets don’t fall off or spill. Good job, KATR:
Kioti – the South Korean midsize equipment innovator displayed a multi-functional, modular field robot it is calling the AI Agri Robot RT 100 (pictured top of page). Electrically driven and featuring three driving modes – manual, follow me, and fully autonomous, the helper robot can be outfitted with an orchard spray kit to apply pesticides into the plant canopy as it travels between permanent crop rows. Kioti also showed off a fully electric RX 7340 smart tractor (video clip below) that features integrated soil sensing technology that measures soil moisture, organic matter, and other soil health metrics and sends that data up through the AWS cloud for processing and then back to the grower’s preferred FMIS solution, helping provide the farmer with greater insight into soil conditions in real-time.

That’s an eye-catching small utility tractor, I must say. And it’s “Smart” - beauty and brains:
Caterpillar – The heavy equipment manufacturer kicked off its 100-year anniversary at CES. Like its ag industry brethren, Cat debuted solutions around electrification and autonomy, starting with the center piece of its booth: a gigantic, electrified 55,000-pound Cat 972 Wheel Loader (pictured top of page). Cat also featured its Cat Command autonomous live remote operation capability (video clip below) by having CES attendees sit in a pilot seat and take the controls of an excavator located on a job site in Tijuana Hills, Arizona.

Space-age technology coming soon to a rock quarry near you. Freddy Flintstone and Barney Rubble approved:
The future is here: you can finally put your lazy, do-nothing barn roof to work generating free power from the sun for your electrified machines! Very cool.
(Matthew J. Grassi )

Jackery – With all of the focus on electrification from the ag side at CES, it makes sense to look at what solutions are out there for portable, sustainable power generation and storage. Jackery made a big splash with its lightweight, portable solar generators and collapsible solar panels, and an even bigger hit its solar roof shingle technology (pictured inset). One can imagine a future where growers with electric machines decide to replace their barn roof with solar roof shingles to capture all of that energy from the sun and use it to power power electrified equipment around the farm. Something tells me that Jackery is going to be relevant in the ag world should the shift to electrification continue on at the farm gate.

Stay tuned to AgWeb.com for more ongoing coverage of what we saw and heard at CES 2025 in the days and weeks ahead!

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John Deere Introducing Next Generation Perception Autonomy Kits

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 18:30:00 GMT

John Deere is taking a step forward in autonomy and the technology retrofit market.

Chief Technology Officer Jahmy Hindman describes the effort as “real purpose, real autonomy”. He says the manufacturer is responding to the ongoing labor crunch that is causing headaches across the agriculture industry both domestically and abroad.

To help its users continue to farm with less reliance on human labor, John Deere has announced a suite of new retrofit autonomy kits for tractors and tillage implements, orchard sprayers, and even for the commercial landscape and construction equipment segments.

The kits feature redesigned camera arrays and rugged NVIDIA processing units paired with Blue River Technology’s machine learning algorithms, enabling John Deere machines to autonomously mimic how a human operator would react in the driver’s seat, without anyone actually sitting in the driver’s seat.

Let’s dive in and learn more about what John Deere is launching this week at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

What’s New for Tractors?
John Deere and its integrated Blue River Technologies team have re-architected what it is calling its Next Generation Perception System autonomy retrofit kits. The kits are made for model year 2022 and newer 9R and 9RX tractors, and model year 20.5 and newer 8R and 8RX tractors. Also coming from John Deere is autonomy on its 5ML Series tractors.

To go along with its autonomous tractor kits, there are retrofit kits that outfit select 2017 and newer John Deere tillage implements with additional lighting, a GPS receiver mast, and harnessing for fully autonomous tiling. These autonomy ready features are factory installed as a base package for select model year 2025 tillage tools. Today, the system is only compatible with John Deere tillage implements with the autonomy kits installed, but in the future Deere is working towards compatibility with third-party tillage tools.

The new autonomy kits are made for model year 2022 and newer 9R and 9RX tractors , and model year 20.5 and newer 8R and 8RX tractors, as well as select John Deere tillage tools.

(Photos courtesy of John Deere)

Both autonomy kits will be sold within John Deere’s Precision Upgrades product segment, which the company re-branded in 2023. So far, the kits have been field tested across thousands of acres of cropland. John Deere representatives anticipate the kits will one day be compatible with planting, harvesting, and broad acre application machines. But today, autonomous field tillage is the first domino to fall.

“This expands our autonomous capabilities dramatically,” says Willy Pell, CEO, Blue River Technologies. “Farmers should not have to buy a new tractor to experience autonomy.

Pell adds the kits were designed with ease of installation in mind, especially for tractors and implements that come autonomy ready from the factory.

Let’s dive deeper into some of the components that enable autonomous capabilities within the Next Generation Perception Kits.

Let’s start with the kit’s redesigned camera arrays, which are installed onto the top of a compatible tractor model’s cab and wired into the control module. Within that new camera array are 16 stereo cameras that shoot continuously at triple overlap, giving the system a 360-degree field of vision around the tractor with plenty of redundancy for sensing crops, obstacles, potential humans and other hazards in the field.

What those cameras “see” is processed on ruggedized NVIDIA Jetson GPUs that can withstand temperatures down to -40 degrees F. With the cameras operating as the eyes of the system, the Jetson units serve as the brains and connective tissue, using edge processing to read, react, and fire off commands to the machine just as a human operator would.

Farmers that experienced John Deere’s tractor autonomy kits in the past – this version represents the second evolution of the technology since John Deere introduced it in 2022 – told the company they wanted the driver-less machines to cover more acres in a day, or night. John Deere made that happen, increasing speeds 40% to 12 mph with this iteration, and lighting kits have been added on to allow around-the-clock field work.

“We want to meet customers where they’re at today; our customers across the Midwest want to customize their tillage setups with various tools of different sizes and configurations, and we want to make as many of those tools autonomy capable with one system as possible, and that’s what we’ve done with the Generation 2 Perception System,” says Aaron Wells, Engineering and AI Systems, Blue River Technologies. “This is real autonomy that I can set, forget, and run in the field or monitor using John Deere Operations Center Mobile.”

Local John Deere dealers will have a limited number of kits available for 2025 with a full launch tabbed for 2026.

Orchard tractors and sprayers
The Next Generation Perception System kit has been slightly tweaked for permanent orchard crop growers. Those growers generally use lower horsepower machines with narrower footprints to complete tasks between trellised rows of grapes, tree nuts, and other orchard crops like apples.

In California’s massive specialty crop industry, John Deere says that over 50% of machine operator jobs posted by farming operations are going unfilled. John Deere believes its autonomy kits can lessen that reliance on seasonal labor and help farmers hit tight production windows in order to maximize yields.

The Next Generation Perception kit for orchard tractors and sprayers features fewer camera arrays than the row crop kit but adds an integrated LiDAR sensor to 3D image tree canopies and orchard trellising in real-time.

(Photos courtesy of John Deere)

Whether we’re talking about the large tractor autonomy kits or the orchard tractor-sprayer kit, the systems share many common components. Rather than needing 16 stereo cameras, the autonomous orchard tractor kit deploys seven cameras alongside three LiDAR sensors. The LiDAR sensors provide a real-time 3D image of vine and orchard crops as the tractor moves around the orchard, giving the machine the ability to tell the pull-behind sprayer implement where to apply and where not to apply.

The 5ML Specialty Tractor, along with the key Precision Essentials technology that will enable autonomy, JDLink Modem, StarFire Receiver, G5 Display, and John Deere Operations Center are all available today, with the autonomy kit being available in limited quantities in 2026.

“We’ve developed this incredible second-generation technology that allows us to scale across different crops and new industries,” says Igino Cafiero, CEO and founder, Bear Flag Robotics. John Deere acquired Bear Flag in 2021 for $250 million.

Something for your side hustle?
I have no data to back this up, but I would guess there might be some row crop farmers out there that might own commercial landscaping, construction, or excavation businesses in addition to farming full time.

For the commercial landscape segment, John Deere has extended its next Generation Perception kit to automate a new green and yellow autonomous battery electric zero-turn mower.

This autonomous battery powered commercial lawn mower remains in the concept stage today but John Deere anticipates it being available for landscape professionals in the future.

(Photos courtesy of John Deere)

While still in the concept stage of development, the commercial mower can be programmed to autonomously cut common professional landscaping patterns while its operator monitors the machine from nearby with what looks and feels like a beefed-up Xbox controller. There is also a rear standing deck that can be flipped down, with dedicated operator controls on the machine, in case the operator feels like hopping onboard and steering the mower.

And for the construction world, John Deere has applied the next Generation perception kit to create a driverless commercial dump truck. The truck can autonomously move material from Point A to Point B and even know exactly where it needs to dump its load. Site workers can use the John Deere Operations Center to define ideal routes and start, stop, and unload the giant diesel-powered machines from outside of the cab.

Again, like their row crop and specialty crop farming brethren, commercial landscape and construction firms are also feeling the squeeze of the labor shortage.

“There’s no better story, I think, than using technology for the benefit of humanity. It is our purpose and what pulls all of this together,” Hindman says. “Our number one mission in developing these kits is to help reduce the dependency on unskilled labor. We think autonomy is a significant answer to solving that dilemma for our customers.”

To learn more about the Next Generation Perception System head to Deere.com/autonomy

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