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
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
A new farm show hits the Prairies
Ag in Motion will focus on practical demonstrations and field plots in Western Canada this summer
Reading Time: 5 minutes As a machinery editor, one of the places where I’ve come to feel most at home is in the aisles of a farm equipment show. I’ve logged many miles walking those aisles in the last few years. But I’ve also come to learn that those aisles aren’t all the same. Clearly, not all farm shows […] Read more
Secret deals for agricultural equipment regulations
Free trade with the EU is supposed to offer a chance to standardize ag equipment regulations, but the talks are behind closed doors, and the industry is getting worried
Reading Time: 5 minutes During Agritechnica 2013 in Hannover, Germany, I was invited to an informal dinner with some representatives of DLG, the German Agricultural Society, which organizes the show. I ended up sitting next to DLG’s agricultural economist, so it was a perfect opportunity to discuss a variety of topics affecting farmers on both sides of the Atlantic. […] Read more
Shifting borders in the farm machinery business
Get ready to buy a whole lot more from your equipment dealer than just equipment
Reading Time: 5 minutes Have you ever seen an International Harvester refrigerator, or a Massey-Ferguson cream separator? They were farmyard fixtures at one time. Farmers bought them from their local farm machinery dealership while buying a wide variety of other essentials too. Over time, those equipment dealers evolved from that “everything-you-need-we’ve-got” business model to become machinery specialists, strictly purveyors […] Read more
Manufacturing talent
Executives at the major equipment manufacturers know their brands can’t succeed without the right people on the payroll
Reading Time: 5 minutes Among the Big Four farm equipment brands, John Deere owns the largest slice of the North American market, and the bosses at its world headquarters in Moline, Illinois, have no intention of letting that change any time soon. In December they revealed their updated, long-term corporate strategy to investors, outlining how they intend to keep […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
