An expanding range of retrofit products offers producers the opportunity to upgrade older equipment and get some of the latest digital features without paying the cost of a new machine.

Summer Series: Old machines,new technology

[Change Management] Can retrofit kits mean it’s cheaper and smarter to say no to trading in?

Reading Time: 7 minutes One of my first jobs was working as a mechanic’s helper at a farm equipment dealership in the late 1970s. Among my duties was using an F-250 Ford pickup and gooseneck deck trailer to pick up and deliver equipment. I even recall delivering a combine on that unit. Granted, it was a smaller, older machine […] Read more




‘Mobile skills lab’ to promote careers in ag

‘Mobile skills lab’ to promote careers in ag

Saskatchewan equipment manufacturers receive government funding aimed at finding more workers

Reading Time: 3 minutes A new high-tech “Careers in Ag Mobile Skills Lab” will begin a summer tour of Saskatchewan at Ag in Motion July 16 to 18 to help develop a “talent pipeline” for ag and ag equipment manufacturing.


Whether you’re looking to do business with CNH or John Deere, you’ll find that neither firm thinks of tech startups as a replacement for their internal R&D.

Joining forces for new innovations

[Make It Count: Machinery] When the big equipment brands need an R&D jolt, they go hunting for ideas like — maybe — that project in your shop

Reading Time: 7 minutes Alberta ranchers Austin and his father Larry Ruud came up with an idea for a new product, the way any farmer faced with making things work day in and day out might, and the product that resulted is compostable baler net wrap which solves the problem of plastic twine and net wrap lasting for years […] Read more

(Versatile-ag.com)

Başak Traktör of Turkey looks to move Versatile brand forward

Buhler Industries announced the Turkish firm had bought its majority stake

Reading Time: 4 minutes “One of the keys for us was making sure we found a partner that was committed to preserving the Versatile and Farm King brands,” said Adam Reid, VP of sales and marketing at Versatile. “We wanted to make sure the viability of the plant here in Winnipeg and our staff was secure. And taking care of all of our stakeholders, the suppliers, shareholders.”


(Video screengrab from Macdon.com)

Bourgault becomes third shortliner acquired by Linamar since 2017

Leadership say they want to double the business of the maker of Highline equipment and Freeform Plastics

Reading Time: 3 minutes In 2017 Linamar, a company best known as an auto parts manufacturer, purchased Winnipeg-based header and swather manufacturer MacDon. It followed that up by bringing implement brand Salford into its fold in 2022. In late December the company announced it is now adding Saskatchewan-based air drill manufacturer Bourgault into its family of shortline ag equipment brands.

(AgDealerTV video screengrab)

At Ag in Motion: Seeding equipment gets its closeup

Multiple manufacturers seize opportunity to compare offerings

Reading Time: < 1 minute Ag in Motion’s 2023 edition continued to make equipment demonstrations a central part of its presentation to farmers. Not only can farmers kick the tires on a machine of interest — they can actually see how it performs compared to competitors. That definitely helps inspire confidence when making a buying decision. This year the show […] Read more


The big ag equipment makers are all focused on growing their profit margins. Want to guess who will pay?

More features = more of your money

How you pay for your next new machine and get to use all the advanced features built into it is set to change dramatically

Reading Time: 6 minutes An unusual thing happened in the automotive industry during the last couple of years. Or, rather, two things happened. Overall, sales of cars and light trucks fell pretty significantly. Yet corporate profits went up anyway. In fact, they soared. How? Well, to find out, just walk through any dealership lot and look at what all […] Read more

Journalists moved between different “stations” in the field at Maricopa, Arizona, to hear from product specialists on new machines.

CNH shows off its new farm tech

Technology day event gives a glimpse of what’s to come from its brands

Reading Time: 6 minutes We are in a difficult world,” said Scott Wine, CEO of CNH Industrial, as he took the stage to welcome a group of journalists to the company’s Technology Day near Phoenix, Arizona, last fall. “It’s brutal out there.” He was referring to a number of pressures manufacturers are feeling from global concerns affecting all brands […] Read more