tractors

A farm in Sonoma County, California had 27 tractor driver positions open and posted the positions on various job boards.  The farm didn’t get a single applicant for weeks.  A few weeks later, the owners onboarded an autonomous tractor system for the farm and updated the job listing to say they were looking for an agtech operator position.  In the preferred qualif...

Company to further invest in electric, driver-optional tractors

A group of state attorneys general recently asked Congress to pass expansive Right-to-Repair legislation targeted at cars, farm equipment, and digital electronics.  In a letter to the House and Senate Commerce Committee, the group says, "The Right-to-Repair is a bipartisan issue that impacts every consumer, household, and farm in a time of increasing inflation.”   ...

Consumer advocates claim that John Deere may be violating the Clean Air Act by limiting repairs on the emission control systems of its machines.  Such repairs are only authorized to certified John Deere dealers. The Clean Air Act requires companies to provide the necessary information, including software, to repair emission control systems in vehicles.  Compani...

A major conference on electric transportation wrapped up Thursday in Portland.  Organizer Jeff Allen said they had a number of vehicles on display, including a tractor, showcasing how EV’s can help save farmers money. “A lot of the diesel that farms burn, they burn idling. Of course, with...

Ag tractor and combine sales posted their first decline in March since July 2021. According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, total U.S. farm tractor sales fell 21.1% for the month of March compared to 2021. U.S. combine sales for the month dropped 10 ...

John Deere announced this week it will enhance the capabilities of existing diagnostic tools and expand their availability. In 2023, the company will roll out an enhanced customer solution that includes a mobile device interface, and the ability to download secure software updates directly to embedded controllers on select John Deere equipment with 4G connections ...

Groups like the National Farmers Union and other right-to-repair advocates filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission against John Deere last week. The complaint is over the owner’s right to repair their own equipment. The complaint alleges that the tractor manufacturer makes its product difficult or impossible to repair unless taken to a Deere dealer, which the groups claim is a monopo

The National Farmers Union praised the Federal Trade Commission’s 5-0 vote to adopt a policy statement to ramp up law enforcement against repair restrictions on equipment. Those restrictions prevent small businesses, workers, consumers, and government entities from fixing their products. ...

While it may not come under USDA's purview, it will could have a big impact on farmers nationwide. Part of President Biden's recent Executive Order, focused on competition, gives Ag producers the ability to conduct do-it-yourself repairs or use repair shops independent from equipment manufacturers ...