Reading Time: 3 minutes It was September 27, 2012, in Marktoberdorf, Germany when executives at AGCO’s Fendt brand gave the world its first official look at their all-new tractor series, the 500 Vario, which offered bigger-than-expected horsepower crammed into a small chassis. During the official launch ceremony a band played as the door at the end of the factory […] Read more
Fendt 500 Vario tractors finally arrive in Canada
These long-awaited compact models are meant to appeal to mixed farming operations
John Deere lays down some new tracks
Machinery Guide: The four-track John Deere 9RX tractor makes its official debut
Reading Time: 3 minutes At a dealer convention way back in August of 2014, John Deere gave farm media a glimpse of what was then its pre-production prototype 9RX tractor, a 9R Series articulated model that rode on four tracks instead of tires. It made me ask, why break with standard practice? Why reveal a machine not yet ready […] Read more
Digital pursuits in the world of agricultural technology
The list of tools to collect, manage and transfer farm data is growing. Here’s a look at some of the recent additions
Reading Time: 4 minutes Lehmann If your focus is on gathering more data rather than managing it, drone technology may be for you, and a new contender has recently stepped up with a high-tech offering. France’s Lehmann Aviation made a move to break into the North American data-gathering market this spring with the launch of what it calls “an […] Read more
Watching for rain in Australia
Warren Hobson’s reservoir is built to hold 18 feet of water. There’s one foot left
Reading Time: 5 minutes The farmers were smiling. They were attending one of this country’s premier machinery expos in Gunnedah, New South Wales, and the weather forecast was calling for widespread rains across the region. In Australia, that is a reason enough to smile. Rain in this country is a precious and sometimes scarce commodity. Even a few millimetres […] Read more
AGCO and New Holland combines see updated designs
Machinery Guide: New Holland CX8 and AGCO's Gleaner combines
Reading Time: 4 minutes Editor’s Note: With this instalment, Country Guide machinery editor Scott Garvey begins a new chapter for MachineryGuide with his industry-leading reporting on machinery innovations that can make a difference for you, both in the field and on the balance sheet. This month, Scott goes deep into combine design with this exploration of the 2015 launches […] Read more
Finding the ‘wow’ factor in farm equipment
CNH managers speak candidly about the challenges of engineering an all-new machine from the ground up
Reading Time: 5 minutes Designing a new piece of farm equipment and getting it market ready today is easier, thanks to technology. But it’s also more complicated, thanks to… well… technology. The complexity built into modern machines is stunning and it continues to grow. In fact, from a machinery company’s perspective, it has to grow. Unless new designs offer […] Read more
Used farm equipment sales perk up
As sales of new equipment cool, good used machines are holding their value, and in some cases gaining ground
Reading Time: 5 minutes To put it mildly, sales of new farm equipment were terrible — even worrisome — in January and February, based on numbers tallied by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Purchases of four-wheel-drive tractors were down an astonishing 55 per cent compared to 2014. Worse yet, new combine sales had virtually collapsed, slipping 60.6 per […] Read more
Back to work building better diesels
Now that we’ve met the Tier 4 Final emissions standards, can we finally get back to designing better diesel engines?
Reading Time: 5 minutes At last, we’ve crossed the finish line. January 1, 2014 marked the implementation date for the very last level of phased-in emission reductions for off-road diesel engines above 175 horsepower, as called for in joint standards issued by the U.S. and the European Union. The last set of regulations — called Tier 4 Final in […] Read more
Morris’s new concept air cart tender
This prototype tender is designed to dramatically cut spring air cart refill times
Reading Time: 5 minutes At Morris’ display on the grounds of Canada’s Farm Progress Show in Regina, the company’s chief operating officer, Don Henry, points out the two new air carts the brand is introducing for 2016, a tow-between version of its 800-bushel model and its biggest model yet, a 1,000-bushel, tow-behind cart. But while Henry says the company […] Read more
New farm equipment sales a far cry from 2014
Two areas showing promise are loader tractors and livestock equipment
Reading Time: 2 minutes After the first two months of 2015, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ monthly reports showed sales of ag equipment in Canada had fallen off dramatically from 2014 levels. Four-wheel drive tractor sales were down an astonishing 55 per cent. And new combine sales slipped 60.6 per cent. However, by the end of April the numbers had shown some […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
