The case is part of broader scrutiny in the U.S. over so-called right-to-repair practices, with regulators and plaintiffs arguing that some manufacturers limit competition by controlling access to repair tools and software.

What does the settlement cover?

The settlement fund covers eligible plaintiffs who paid Deere’s authorized dealers for repairs to large agricultural equipment from January 2018, according to a document filed on Monday in the federal court in Chicago, Illinois.

In the settlement, Deere also agreed to make available to farmers for 10 years “the digital tools required for the maintenance, diagnosis, and repair” of large agricultural equipment, including tractors, combines, and sugarcane harvesters, the filing showed.

The proposed accord requires a judge’s approval.

“This settlement addresses the issues raised in the 2022 complaint and brings this case to an end with no finding of wrongdoing,” Deere said in a separate statement.

Deere faces FTC suit

Deere also faces a separate lawsuit brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. A U.S. judge ruled in 2025 that Deere must face that lawsuit, which accused the company of forcing farmers to use its authorized dealer network and driving up their costs for parts and repairs.

Deere is blocking farmers from acquiring the “tools and information necessary to repair their equipment in a timely and cost-effective manner,” the FTC had said in a court filing in April. Deere has denied the wrongdoing.

— Reporting by Carlos Méndez, Mrinmay Dey in Mexico City and Mike Scarcella in Washington

The post Deere settles U.S. right-to-repair lawsuit with $99 million fund, repair commitments appeared first on Country Guide.

“I want John Deere and Case and all of – they’re great companies, Caterpillar… I want these companies to give it to you in the form of lower tractor and equipment costs,” Trump told hundreds of farmers and ranchers gathered under drizzle at an event on the South Lawn of the White House.

Deere & Co shares dropped two per cent after the statement. Case IH manufacturer CNH Industrial fell one per cent while Caterpillar Inc was down nearly 1.2 per cent in late-session trading.

The three companies could not immediately be reached for comment.

Trump seeks support from struggling farmers

Trump called for lower prices in an aside during a speech that otherwise focused on shoring up support among the Republican president’s loyal constituency of rural voters, who have backed Trump in all three of the last presidential races.

For the fourth straight year, U.S. crop producers are facing tight margins, high production costs and low commodity prices – and are struggling financially – despite near-record government payments.

The Trump administration is distributing $12 billion (C$16.7 billion) in aid to U.S. farmers — a move that farm trade groups and agricultural economists have said is helpful in the short-term but will not fully compensate farmers for financial losses that have topped $30 billion in recent years.

On Friday, Trump said he would seek even more such aid for farmers from Congress. More than 50 farm-interest groups, such as the American Farm Bureau Federation, are urging Congress to approve additional aid in a military funding package.

Trump pledges new loan guarantees

The event happened as the administration finalized new biofuel blending mandates for U.S. oil refiners, requiring them to mix more of the fuels made from corn and other agricultural products into the nation’s gasoline and diesel than initially proposed, in an apparent win for farmers.

Trump also said the U.S. Small Business Administration would open up new loan guarantees for farmers and food suppliers.

Farmers are entering the critical spring planting season under a cloud of uncertainty as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran disrupts global trade, causing fertilizer and diesel costs to spike.

The long-term U.S. trade relationship with China also remains unclear amid the ongoing trade war launched by Trump’s administration with the country, the world’s top soy importer.

Rural voters constitute a fifth of the U.S. electorate, and they favored Trump by a two-to-one margin over Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

— Additional reporting by Bhargav Acharya

The post Trump tells farmers that tractor companies should lower prices appeared first on Country Guide.

RB Global Inc. announced last Wednesday (March 4) it will buy Nebraska-based BigIron for an undisclosed sum, expecting to close the deal in the second half of this year.

BigIron, whose roots in the auction business date back to 1984, is now billed as “a scaled, agriculture-focused online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of agricultural equipment, land, livestock, and other farm and ranch assets.”

According to RB Global, BigIron processed about $885 million in gross transaction value in the 12 months ending last Sept. 30, including about $520 million worth of farm assets and vehicles and about $365 million in farmland and real estate transactions (all figures US$).

“BigIron brings a talented team with deep ag sector knowledge and an established sales footprint that will continue operating as a stand-alone brand while being complemented by the Ritchie Bros. industrial footprint,” RB Global CEO Jim Kessler said in a release. “This will create opportunities to serve even more customers through a combination of onsite, offsite, and digital channels and solutions.”

BigIron co-founder Ron Stock noted BigIron will remain a stand-alone operation within RB Global, with he and co-founder Mark Stock “involved in the business as usual.”

“Through this combination, we gain a larger platform and additional resources, which is expected to help us deliver even greater choice and liquidity to all the sellers we serve,” Mark Stock said in the same release.

RB Global dates back to the founding of Ritchie Bros. in Kelowna in 1958, from which it expanded its services into the U.S. and overseas and bought several Canadian and U.S. auction firms, becoming publicly traded in 1998. Its corporate headquarters has since moved to the Chicago area.

In its last fiscal year ending Dec. 31, RB Global booked $412.8 million in net income on total revenue of $4.28 billion, handling a gross transaction value of $15.9 billion.

The post Ritchie Bros. parent to buy online auction firm BigIron appeared first on Country Guide.

Its shares climbed 8.1 per cent in morning trading.

The world’s largest farm-equipment maker previously scaled back factory production to counter weak demand for new machinery as lower crop prices and higher input costs push farmers to postpone big-ticket purchases.

The company is also working closely with dealers across its network to reduce inventory.

Construction, small agriculture demand recovering

It expects net income for 2026 to range between $4.5 billion and $5 billion (C$6.16 billion and C$6.85 billion) compared with its prior forecast of $4 billion to $4.75 billion. Analysts on average expect Deere to post full-year net income of $4.45 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

“We’re encouraged by the ongoing recovery in demand within both the construction and small agriculture segments,” CEO John May said.

“These positive developments reinforce our belief that 2026 represents the bottom of the current cycle.”

Deere now expects 2026 net sales in two segments — Small Agriculture & Turf and Construction & Forestry — to rise about 15 per cent each compared with its earlier forecast for a roughly 10 per cent increase.

Oppenheimer analyst Kristen Owen said the company ended the quarter with relatively lean inventories, building historically less stock in the fourth and first quarters and leaving room for a potential upside as inventory normalizes through the year.

Deere posted net income of $656 million (C$898.7 million), or $2.42 per share, for the quarter, down from $869 million, or $3.19 per share, a year ago, but above analysts’ estimate of $2.05 apiece.

It’s first-quarter revenue rose 13 per cent to $9.61 billion (C$13.16 billion).

Tariffs drag, farm income remains weak

U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs have weighed on Deere’s operating profits. The Moline, Illinois-based firm has struggled with higher, tariff-driven production costs as it relies significantly on imported raw materials to manufacture its green and yellow tractors.

U.S. farmers are heading into another season of weak crop prices and elevated costs, forcing tough decisions about how, or if, to continue operating as ample grain supplies pressure markets.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this month forecast net farm income — a broad measure of profitability in the agricultural economy — to fall 0.7 per cent to $153.4 billion (C$210.14 billion) in 2026 from a year ago.

Deere expects a pre-tax tariff hit of around $1.2 billion in fiscal 2026.

The post Deere lifts full-year profit forecast as construction, sales rebound; shares soar appeared first on Country Guide.

Shares of the company were down more than four per cent in premarket trading.

The Basildon, U.K.-based company said it expects retail demand in 2026 to fall about five per cent from 2025 levels and plans to keep production subdued as it works with dealers to bring down excess inventory across its network.

Farm equipment makers have scaled back factory output amid persistently weak demand for new machinery, as softer crop prices and rising costs prompt farmers to delay large purchases. That slowdown has left dealers carrying elevated stock, resulting in a more cautious approach to restocking.

CNH expects full-year adjusted profit to be between $0.35 and $0.45 per share (C$0.48 to C$0.61) , below analysts’ estimates of $0.54 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Farmers in the U.S. are facing another season of low prices, high costs and difficult decisions about how, or whether, to keep operating, as abundant grain supplies weigh on markets.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this month forecast net farm income, a broad measure of profitability in the agricultural economy, to fall 0.7 per cent to $153.4 billion (C$209.5 billion) in 2026 from a year ago.

“Agricultural equipment industry demand is expected to resume growth in 2027,” CNH said.

The company, which makes Case IH and New Holland tractors, reported fourth-quarter revenue of $5.16 billion (C$7.05 billion), beating analysts’ estimates of $4.61 billion.

On an adjusted basis, it reported a profit of 19 cents per share for the quarter ended December 31, compared with estimates of 10 cents per share.

— Reporting by Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru

The post CNH Industrial flags weak 2026 profit on sluggish farm machinery demand appeared first on Country Guide.

The first 15 are already out. From tariff tensions to invasive wild pigs to weather, here’s a taste of what farmers wanted to read most over the last year:

No. 25 — Port of Churchill searches for year-round trade: In November, KAP hosted Arctic Gateway Group’s CEO to talk future plans for Manitoba’s northern port. Part of the big expansion planned is a goal to keeping the ice open, and trade flowing, all year long.

No. 24 — Weather school: It’s all about the clouds: Do you know your cumulus from your nimbostratus? This piece from way back in 2020 re-emerged on our most-read list for 2025.

No.23 — Fishing the deep water of Manitoba: Want fishing success farther from shore? Our outdoors columnist Tim Sopuck ran readers down some tips and tricks for catching deep water fish in Manitoba.

No. 22 — Manitoba’s wild pigs not headed for population boom, expert says: The co-ordinator for Manitoba’s Squeal on Pigs program says our cold climate situation isn’t comparable to U.S.

No. 21 — We’ve seen trade wars before, but this time is different: Throwing back all the way to January for this one. This early 2025 editorial looked down the barrel of changing U.S. trade policy and what it could mean for Canadian agriculture.

Nov. 20 — Riverside Hutterite Colony gets top honours: It was a western Manitoba sweep at this year’s Royal Manitoba Winter Fair Pork Quality Competition back in spring.

Other highlights so far include beekeepers battling for survival, more trade and tariff stories and Manitoba’s first bovine tuberculosis case in years.

Want to see the full list? Check out our top stories landing page in the top-left corner of our website. Keep checking back until Jan. 31 as we unveil our top 10.

The post Manitoba Co-operator top 25 of 2025 appeared first on Country Guide.

CEO John May said ongoing margin pressures from tariffs would continue to weigh on its large farm equipment unit, although he expects to benefit from cost cuts and demand from two of its other units that serve forestry and small agriculture markets.

“We believe 2026 will mark the bottom of the large ag cycle,” May added.

Lower crop prices and rising production costs have prompted farmers to defer big-ticket purchases and opt for rentals or preowned units for large agricultural equipment including tractors and combine harvester.

Deere had also been considering production shifts, higher pricing and widening its portfolio of used equipment as it looked to offset the demand hit.

Tariff impacts

U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs have impacted companies across sectors, especially manufacturing and industrial firms that rely significantly on imported raw materials. In August, Deere said it expected a pre-tax tariff impact of nearly $600 million (C$843.9 million) in 2025.

Deere expects its annual net income for fiscal 2026 to be between $4 billion and $4.75 billion (C$5.6 billion to $6.8 billion) , below analysts’ estimates of $5.33 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The farm-equipment maker posted a quarterly net income of $1.06 billion, or $3.93 per share, for the quarter, down from $1.24 billion, or $4.55 per share, in the year-ago period.

Analysts on average had expected a quarterly profit of $3.85 per share.

Its fourth-quarter revenue rose 11 per cent to about $12.4 billion from a year ago, topping estimates of $9.85 billion.

The post Deere forecasts weak annual profit on tariff hit appeared first on Country Guide.

Why it matters: Canadian manufacturing needs to diversify from so much reliance on the United States, and agriculture manufacturers are taking steps to do that.

Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada had its first display at the biannual Agritechnica show in Hanover, Germany, said chief executive officer Donna Boyd. Global marketing has always been part of the organization’s mandate, but a new export development strategy has added extra impetus.

Read: More Agritechnica 2025 coverage with the Western Producer

That meant a new AMC display at the world’s largest machinery show.

“The pressures on ag and on manufacturing are immense,” said Boyd during an interview after the official opening of the Canada Pavilion.

“We have gone through fits and spirts for our members, but this one is a particularly challenging one.”

Prices have declined across major North American commodity crops, and tariffs and threats from the United States have made it more difficult to get products into that major market for Canadian equipment makers.

With a challenging trade environment can also come opportunities, said Chris Lane, president and CEO of the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership, which had the display with the largest grouping of Canadian companies at the show.

“Canadian products are being embraced by other markets like they never have been before,” he said.

Companies are having conversations with individuals and finding new distribution routes, said Lane.

There were three areas at Agritechnica featuring Canadian companies: the STEP display, the AMC display and another smaller one featuring Manitoba companies. There are also companies that have their own displays independent of the three Canadian-branded areas.

Networking opportunities

The potential to make connections at Agritechnica brought numerous Canadian companies to the show for the first time.

One is Horst Welding, which owns a diverse number of farm manufacturing brands, including loader attachments, snow moving equipment, seeding equipment and hay handling equipment from its base in Ontario.

Horst Welding’s Gary Bouwers said the company is looking at new markets it hasn’t pursued before for exports, including Europe. It has historically sent most of its exports to the U.S. or Australia.

It’s not just access to the European market that brings people to Agritechnica, says Paul Latham with Horst Welding, it’s the international attendees at the show.

“Canadian manufacturers have a good reputation worldwide.”

At the STEP pavilion, which included 21 companies, Steve Rogoshewsky was hoping for new connections for his Adaptive Agriculture Solutions company, based in Saskatchewan.

Rogoshewsky’s company provides in-bin heating and a scalable bin monitoring solution.

“We’re excited to be here and expand our markets to Europe. Our product is perfected now in the harsh conditions of Canadian winter and it’s ready for expansion across the world.”

The ability for STEP to bring together companies from multiple provinces and making it easy for them to get to Agritechnica — handling bookings and shipping and logistics — has helped increase the numbers at the show, said Lane.

The organization has been bringing western Canadian agriculture technology companies to the show for 20 years.

“At Agritechnica, it’s hard to be small, so the bigger footprint you have, the more attention you can get collectively for our companies here,” he said.

“The Canada brand means a lot in Europe, so I think that helps, too.”

Thunderstruck Ag, a Saskatchewan manufacturer known for its concaves and other products for harvest and combine efficiency, is at its second Agritechnica.

President Jeremy Matuszewski said in one day at Agritechnica he talked to farmers from Croatia, Hungary and Denmark, along with some from Canada.

Canadians need to be exposed to the rest of the world, he said.

The country thinks it’s the best, he added, but the past year has shown that “there are a lot of places around the world, Brazil, Europe, where they’re using technology that we’re not looking at.”

The front half of the AMC Canada Pavilion was dominated by the distinctive orange and red of Versatile tractors making their way back to Agritechnica — and the European market.

Canada’s only tractor manufacturer was hit by COVID-19 supply chain issues and knocked out of the market, said Grant Adolph, chair of the Buhler Group of Companies, which include Versatile and Farm King.

The company was also owned by Russian Rostelmash, which became a liability during the global backlash against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

Versatile was sold to the Basak Tractor division of OSKO Holding, a Turkish company, and that’s given it the opportunity to increase its global reach again.

Adolph said Versatile is looking to expand its dealer network in Europe and to bring its Genesis tractor to the continent. It will take about a year to meet regulations, but until then the company will have its large Delta Track and small four-wheel-drive tractors, which were already European Union approved, to sell in the market.

He also expected to see the Versatile line expand in North America with smaller tractors in the Basak Tractor lineup.

“Today, with uncertainty of our friends to the south, it’s probably the perfect time to be diversified.”

He called on Canadian governments to understand the importance of agriculture equipment to the country’s manufacturing exports and to support it.

The arrival of many new Canadian companies to Agritechnica should help make that case.

The post More Canadian companies at Agritechnica 2025 appeared first on Country Guide.

“Equipment manufacturers are committed to working closely with Canadian policymakers to advance policies that will drive economic growth, turn the tide on persistent labor shortages, and foster a climate of innovation that supports long-term economic growth and resilience,” said Kip Eideberg, the association’s vice president of government and industry relations in a news release on Thursday.

Trade challenges

The association said equipment manufacturers are looking to lawmakers to help them adapt in the midst of significant trade challenges and other issues like chronic labour shortages and an infrastructure deficit.

Tariffs and the uncertainty surrounding them have led to higher costs for manufacturers.

Aaron Wetzel, John Deere’s vice-president of production systems, said in July that the majority of their whole goods and components were exempted from tariffs under the CUSMA trade agreement.

However, materials needed to make equipment may face tariffs — for instance, Canada’s 25 per cent tariffs on U.S. steel, copper and aluminum.

The U.S. has imposed 50 per cent levies on steel and aluminum imports and some “derivative” products, including some heavy equipment.

Priorities

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers priorities for the upcoming session of Parliament are:

• Support for nation-building projects like modernization of infrastructure and new housing
• Investment in export-based infrastructure
• Policies that support Canadian trade and investment with allies, break down interprovincial trade barriers and ensure goods and services are available and affordable
• Policies that allow farmers to adopt precision agriculture technology
• Addressing of persistent labour shortages, including through expanded access to vocational programs and education
• Policies that maintain farmers’ and operators’ right to repair equipment without undermining intellectual property
• Policies that promote cybersecurity and data privacy and don’t stifle innovation; and
• Consistent policies for PFAS (sometimes called ‘forever chemicals’) mitigation and science-based pesticide regulation that don’t put a burden on manufacturers.

The post Precision ag, right to repair policies priority for Association of Equipment Manufacturers appeared first on Country Guide.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have impacted companies across sectors, especially the manufacturing and industrial firms.

Farmers increasingly cautious

This has added to the woes of farm-equipment makers who were already grappling with slow demand due to a slump in crop prices for wheat, corn and soybeans in North America and farmers opting to rent machinery instead of buying.

“Tariff uncertainty and deflated commodity prices have made farmers increasingly cautious in spending decisions and more hesitant to accept higher machinery prices,” said CFRA Research analyst Jonathan Sakraida.

Despite the gloomy demand environment, Deere CEO John May said the company was able to manage its inventory levels to help production match retail demand.

The company’s cost-saving measures also helped it top analyst estimates for third-quarter profit and revenue.

Peer CNH Industrial also topped second-quarter earnings estimates earlier this month, but warned that its annual sales could drop below last year’s levels.

Lower margins

Third-quarter operating profit from two of Deere’s largest units, which produce tractors, combines and construction equipment, roughly halved from a year earlier.

The company cut the higher end of its annual profit forecast to $5.25 billion (C$7.24 billion) from $5.50 billion, but kept the lower end intact at $4.75 billion.

In May, Deere said it expected tariffs to cost over $500 million (C$689.7 million) in 2025 before taxes, and that it was prepared to invest $20 billion in the U.S. over the next decade.

Global companies that reported between July 16 and August 8 projected a combined financial hit of $13.6 billion to $15.2 billion for the full year, a Reuters’ tariff tracker shows.

Trump has said the tariffs are a response to persistent U.S. trade imbalances and declining manufacturing power, and that the moves will bring jobs and investment to the nation.

Deere’s net income in the third quarter came in at $1.29 billion (C$1.78 billion), or $4.75 per share, compared with $1.73 billion, or $6.29 per share, a year earlier.

Analysts on average had expected the company to report a quarterly profit of $4.63 per share, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The company’s net sales fell about nine per cent to $10.36 billion (C$14.29 billion) from a year ago, more than analysts’ estimates of $10.31 billion.

— Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru

The post Deere’s quarterly profit falls as U.S. tariffs bite farm equipment margins appeared first on Country Guide.