John Deere tractor

John Deere 5M Series tractors get updates

John Deere utility tractors step up to meet new Tier 4 Final emissions requirements and get other updates

John Deere’s 5M Series tractors, 75 to 115 horsepower, offer the best of available features in the brand’s utility segment. And this year Deere upgraded their engines to make them Tier 4 Final emissions compliant. Like other manufacturers, Deere has used a couple of different engines emissions solutions in its tractors, based on engine size […] Read more

crop planter

Kinze adds meter electric-drive to its 3660 planters

12- and 16-row model 3660 planters coming soon with electric meter drives

Getting accurate seed spacing is particularly important for corn crops, according to agronomists. But several components in a planter’s mechanical drive system, such as worn or rusty drive chains, can potentially cause problems with spacing accuracy. The trend today among many manufacturers is to offer electric drive systems as an option to eliminate that problem. […] Read more


agricultural equipment dealership

Rocky Mountain Equipment strikes partnership

The mega dealer strikes up a working relationship with a precision ag firm to 
make VRT easier for its customers

In early November the largest Canadian ag equipment dealership chain, CNH retailer Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME), announced it had struck up a partnership the Alberta-based precision agriculture firm Decisive Farming (DF). The purpose of that agreement is to make RME a one-stop retailer for farmers who want to pursue precision ag practices like variable rate […] Read more

John Deere tractor

New 6 Series tractors from John Deere

New and updated models in the brand’s utility and mid-range tractor categories

At its dealer convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, last August, John Deere unveiled three new models in its 6R Series tractor line. It beefed up the previous 6170R, 6190R and 6210R models and re-released them as the 6175R, 6195R and 6215R, each with five more rated horsepower. But they actually get 10 more maximum horsepower through […] Read more


JCB Fastrac tractor

JCB Fastrac updates meant to appeal to North American farmers

Grainews test drove the 4000 Series Fastrac tractor at JCB’s Georgia facility

It’s been about 24 years since U.K-based JCB introduced the ag industry’s first high-speed tractor, the Fastrac. That was back in 1991. This past January, the company debuted a reengineered version of that tractor, the new 4000 Series, at an event in Quebec. The new tractor also made an appearance at the National Farm Machinery […] Read more



tractor wheel with FenderXTender

Fender XTender keeps mud down

This bolt-on addition for fenders keeps mud off wide sprayer tires

Mud can be a huge problem on farm equipment. In spraying season, mud can be especially problematic: it damages sprayer nozzles, contributes to corrosion and rust and requires a lot of downtime for washing equipment. Mud can also be dangerous to your crop — pathogens like clubroot can spread from field to field in a […] Read more

John Deere crop sprayer

John Deere’s “nimble” sprayer

A new, smaller model joins the green brand’s 4 Series sprayer family

Producers have become pretty used to seeing ag equipment brands introduce consistently larger machines over the past few years. In February, however, John Deere announced a new, smaller and “nimble” self-propelled sprayer. The new R4023 fits in at the low end of the brand’s redesigned 4 Series models, and it replaces the older 4623. This […] Read more


hydroelectric power pole

Look up and stay safe

Overhead power lines are some of the most common 
causes of farm accidents. Be prepared on your farm

Do you have overhead power lines and guy wires around your farm? Do you know how high they really are from the ground? Are you confident that your equipment is low enough to avoid contact when transporting? How about in the fields or along the roads you travel? Some of the most common accidents in […] Read more

Spinning out with farm equipment

Winter is a time when trucks are often stuck on ice or packed snow. This is much different than being stuck in the mud and requires a bit of a change of perspective when it comes to getting them unstuck. Fast is slow — move slow, don’t lose more traction than you already have and […] Read more