U.S. government economic aggression and unpredictability resulted in significant trade disputes that severely affected overall global trade and corporate profits across the ag equipment sector.

The imposition of countervailing tariffs on U.S. soybean sales caused a major income loss for U.S. farmers.

Chinese tariffs on Canadian canola in response to our country’s agreement to follow the United States and apply tariffs on electric vehicles pressured some farm incomes here.

Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada, which represents Canadian ag equipment manufacturers, estimates the sector saw a 30 per cent sales decline over 2025 as a result.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, which tracks tractor and combine sales, shows sales were down in both the U.S. and Canada.

In two-wheel drive tractors above 100 horsepower, the U.S saw an overall decline of 22.6 per cent for the year. Four-wheel drive tractor sales declined 41.6 per cent and combine sales fell 35.6 per cent.

The picture in Canada was a little brighter, but there were still declines in tractor sales — 100-plus horsepower tractor purchases fell 12.1 per cent and four-wheel drives 23 per cent. However, combines grew about three per cent.

All of this happened as the ag equipment industry was already near the bottom of a demand cycle with slow sales going into 2025.

With Chinese tariffs on canola returning to more normal levels, Canadian farm income is likely to improve in 2026, assuming weather events aren’t a factor.

In the U.S., the government has promised a second bailout to mitigate reduced incomes from trade disruptions caused by the Trump administration. As a result, there is some optimism for improving sales conditions in 2026.

However, as the U.S. administration remains aggressive in its posture toward imposing sanctions and tariffs on an apparent whim, as well as threatening military actions toward former allies, it’s anyone’s guess how the gross domestic product of western nations will be affected, as well as farm incomes.

It is clear, however, that ag machinery brands will continue to face reduced margins in 2026. John Deere, for example, estimated in mid-year 2025 that tariff costs to its manufacturing that fiscal year would amount to about US$600 million. It expects the problem to continue into 2026.

All brands in the machinery and automotive sectors are facing similar cost increases.

A statement from AEM said tariffs on steel and aluminum alone would impact manufacturing costs for brands by about seven per cent. That almost certainly means farmers will face higher sticker prices on future machinery purchases.

Highlights by brand

Case IH

In August 2025, another, bigger Steiger, the Steiger 785 Quadtrac, debuted, with 853 peak engine horsepower, making it the most powerful model Case IH has yet offered.

The only other tractor introductions from the brand in 2025 were updates to the Farmall utility class, including models below 150 h.p. such as the Farmall 120C.

MTZ

MTZ’s Kirovets K-744 continues to be available as a low-cost, alternative to more familiar high-horsepower tractors, despite the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Parts and tractor availability remains good, according to the Canadian distributor, even though MTZ tractors are built in Belarus and the Kirovets in Russia.

The brand also expects to soon begin production of three larger M8 models offering up to 620 h.p. There are no specification updates to the K-744 for 2025.

JCB

With 284 and 335 peak horsepower FPT diesel engines mated to ZF 3.1 four-range, step-less transmissions, two new 6000 Series JCB models (Fastrac 6300 and 6260) fit in between the brand’s exiting 4000 and 8000 Series lines, bringing the total number of JCB Fastracs to seven.

Claas

Claas’s Axion 900 Series tractor line was first introduced to Canada in 2019, joining the two-model Xerion line of unique four-wheel drive tractors the brand had been offering.

In 2022, the Axion 960TT Terra Trac half-track tractor joined the Canadian lineup. The latest offering from the brand is the 12 Series, Xerion 12.650, which were first introduced in 2023. The basic tractor specifications for high-horsepower models carry forward for 2026.

New Holland

New Holland showcased new models in 2023. Most notably, it pushed the horsepower limits of the T9 Series, boosting the flagship model T9.700 to 645 rated engine h.p.

The T9 SmarTrax versions were announced in early 2024 for the 2025 model year. T8 Series tractors got a five to 15 h.p. boost for 2025. The model specifications carry over to 2026.

John Deere

John Deere made headlines in 2024 with the introduction of the largest production tractors on the market, the articulated 9RX 710, 9RX 770 and 9RX 830, pushing rated engine h.p. to 830 in the flagship model. Last year was the first full production year for them.

Versatile

Versatile continues to offer the same high-horsepower model lineup for 2026 with some specification upgrades for the current model year, including the DeltaTrack 620DT and 620 4WD.

Fendt

Agco’s Fendt brand continues to grow market share across North America and represents the company’s premium equipment line. It offers both wheeled and two-track high-horsepower models.

PTx Trimble’s Outrun autonomous grain cart system is now compatible with the 1000 VARIO Series wheeled tractors such as the 1052 VARIO and 1167 VARIO MT.

Massey Ferguson

Over the past five years Agco has been updating the Massey Ferguson tractor line with the S Series models.

At Agritechnica 2023, it introduced the 9S Series, which pushed at the top end of the horsepower range previously offered in the Massey Ferguson brand.

In late 2024 the 9S Series debuted (including the 9S.425) in North America and replaced the 8700S models. They began arriving on dealers’ lots in 2025.

McCormick

The McCormick brand, now owned by Argo of Italy, has one model available in Canada that tops the 300 h.p. mark, the X8.680. This MFWD model sports some high-end options and is fully compatible with Isobus-controlled implements.

The company hasn’t announced any changes to the basic specifications for this model as we move into 2026.

Deutz-Fahr

Germany-based Deutz-Fahr continues to offer its 300 h.p. 9340TTV Agrotron tractor in Canada.

The low-revving Deutz diesel engine and a ZF-built CVT transmission remain the main driveline components for it for 2026. Basic specifications also carry over for current models.

In detail

Case IH

In early 2020, Case IH introduced the updated AFS Connect Steiger tractor line, which was given a refresh in 2023.

The 715 Quadtrac was added in 2023. It was the brand’s flagship model until 2025 when its larger brother, the 785, debuted. Both tractors are built on the same chassis, but the 785 was given some upgrades to handle the additional ponies under the hood.

Both get power from an FPT 16-litre two-stage turbo diesel, but on the 785, some internal components have been enhanced, such as fuel injectors, pistons, rings and some of the oil flow that feeds the cylinder walls.

The FPT diesel uses SCR emissions technology, requiring the use of DEF.

Channeling all that power to the track modules is the Steiger PS6 16F-2R power shift transmission, which is standard equipment across the Steiger high-horsepower line.

The 785 uses the same PS6 power shift transmission as all 595 models and larger do. However, there were some enhancements specifically for the 785, such as shot-peened gears for additional strength. All PS6 transmissions will get those upgrades starting in 2026.

The longer 264-inch track modules available in 30- or 36-inch widths on the 785 are the same as those that debuted on the 715.

A bigger drive sprocket spreads the turning force out over an extra tooth to extend the life of the track.

The larger drive sprocket also allows for a boost in maximum road speed from 25 m.p.h. (40 km-h) to 26.5 m.p.h. (42.5 km-h).

The 785’s hydraulic system is an upgrade from the Smart Torque version with which the Steigers have been equipped.

In February 2024, Case IH introduced the new Quadtrac Heavy-Duty Suspension (HDS) for Steigers.

The current AFS Connect Magnums were first introduced in 2019.

In February 2024, Case IH also unveiled its 2025 model year Magnum tractor line. And in keeping with the industry trend of horsepower creep up, those tractors also saw a horsepower boost.

The 380 and the 400 both were given five additional h.p., creating the 385 and 405. Everything else in the large frame, starting at 250 and larger, got 15 additional h.p.

The tractors get power from what the brand calls the Cursor 9-litre diesel, which, technically speaking, actually has an 8.7-litre displacement.

The 355 was given a new transmission, a 21F x 5R power shift, which was included in its base equipment list.

The new transmission offering will make the 355 compatible with future autonomous operating systems by simplifying what’s required to make that workable when Case IH eventually offers it.

Another significant change for the 2025 Magnums came in how the brand offers technology packages for them. Buyers can pick and chose their preferred individual features from two complete package options.

At the rear, the Magnums adopted the hydraulic coupler design used on their larger brothers in the Steiger line.

In 2021, the AFS Connect Optum line first debuted.

Two of the two AFS Connect Optum models are at or above the 300-horsepower mark, the model 300 and the 340, which was new for the 2024 model year. They use an FPT 6.7-litre diesel, which features a 50 km-h capable CVXDrive CVT transmission. It offers a little lower hydraulic flow rate, with a standard 43.5 g.p.m. (166 l/m), which can be upgraded to 58.9 g.p.m. (223 l/m).

The Optums pack more horsepower into a smaller package with a lighter footprint than an equivalent Magnum.

The 300 Optum weighs in on average with a standard front axle at 24,603 pounds (11,160 kilograms), compared to 28,800 lb. (13,082 kg) on the 310 Magnum.

MTZ

Arie Prilik, vice-president of MTZ Equipment, the North American distributor of MTZ and Kirovets tractors, said the tractors and replacement parts, which originate in Belarus and Russia, still enjoy good availability.

The brand’s current flagship model, the 435 h.p. Kirovets K-744 four-wheel drive tractor, gets its power from an OM 470 Mercedes diesel and routes it through the Power Quad 16 X 8 transmission.

The tractors use a Bosch hydraulic system capable of 74 g.p.m. (280 l/m) and provides four rear remotes. They also have a Category IV rear three-point hitch with a 9,000 kg lift capacity.

A dedicated hydraulic pump provides a 21 g.p.m. (79 l/m) flow to the tractor steering system, and they are auto-steer ready.

Unique to the North American tractor market is the old-school front leaf-spring axle suspension used by the K-744. The tractors also have a suspended cab for improved operator comfort.

The K-744s use an air brake system, getting pressure from a Bendix pump. It can also be used as external compressed air source. The tractors even include a 20-foot auxiliary air hose.

The brand will soon begin production of three new, larger articulated four-wheel drive M8 models offering 500, 550 and 620 h.p. Its introduction date isn’t yet established, but it’s expected to debut in 2025.

The brand emphasizes the tractors’ lower cost and simple design with the marketing tag line, “Simple, dependable, profitable.”

JCB

In late 2025, JCB introduced the two-model 6000 Series to its Fastrac line.

They offer 284 and 335 peak h.p. PFT diesel engines mated to ZF 3.1 four-range, step-less transmissions and fit in between the 4000 and 8000 lines, bringing the total number of Fastracs to seven.

Their 6.7-litre, six-cylinder FPT diesels deliver peak power at 1,850 r.p.m. The 6.7’s torque curve rises as the revs are drawn down, where it peaks at 940 foot-pounds at 1,400 r.p.m. on the 6260 and 1,023 foot-pounds on the 6300.

The two 6000 Series tractors have a top speed of 66 km-h, which also fits in between the 60 km-h and 70 km-h top speeds of the other two ranges.

The 6000 Series tractors use air brakes with externally mounted discs, which makes changing worn pads much simpler than on the inboard brakes used on many other tractors. The brakes use electronic ABS to avoid uncontrolled skidding on hard surface roads.

The tractors can be equipped with dual NovAtel GPS receivers that enable the high precision guidance to steer both axles.

All of that rides on a newly designed chassis, using a cast front section that houses the engine and front axle, as well as a fabricated steel structure for the rear half that carries the cab, transmission and rear axle.

The largest Fastrac, the 8330, offers 348 h.p. in a tractor that can hit 70 km-h (43 m.p.h.) on the road.

For safety, they use a dual-line hydrostatic steering system, and the Rapid Steer option reduces the number of steering wheel turns from lock to lock by 50 per cent to make field operations easier.

To bring the tractor safely to a stop, it uses external brakes on both axles and has an ABS system to help maintain steering control during hard braking.

The 8330 uses an 8.4-litre Agco Power diesel engine matched with an dual-range CVT transmission.

The 8330 auxiliary hydraulic flow rates hit 178 l/m (47 g.p.m.), with up to five rear and two forward remotes. Rear three-point hitch lift capacity is 10,000 kg, and the optional front linkage capacity is 3,500 kg.

The new 6000 Series tractors beat those hydraulic numbers with a standard 205 l/mn (54 g.p.m.) flow rate, or an optional 410 l/mn rate available in the larger 6300 model.

Claas

The Axion 900 iine includes three models above 300 h.p.: the 940, 950 and 960. There is also a variation on the 960, the 960 TT Terra Trac half-track tractor. Together, those models offer 334, 357 and 391 advertised power take-off h.p.

Under the hoods of all 900 Series models is an 8.7-litre, six-cylinder FPT diesel engine. Mated to that engine is a CMATIC four-range continuously variable transmission.

The brand has also been offering the unique rigid-frame four-wheel drive Xerions, which were originally only available in just two models: the 517 h.p. 5000 or 476 h.p. 4500. Both use a 12.8-litre Mercedes OM 471 LA diesel.

Behind the Mercedes diesel is a ZF-made CVT transmission, making them capable of travelling at 50 km-h, even in reverse.

In 2023, the Xerion line was expanded to include two new 12 Series models: the 12.650 and 12.590, which offer 650 and 590 h.p., respectively. They’re available in both wheeled and tracked versions.

Behind the 15.6-litre Mercedes diesels that produce peak torque at just 1,300 r.p.m. is a “purpose-built,” in-house design CMATIC Eccom 5.5 CVT transmission that offers the precise settings and easy speed adjustments typical of a CVT, and it can move the tractors down the road at 40 km-h on the Terra Trac versions and 50 km-h on the wheeled models.

The Terra Trac models use a unique track module, which was designed by Claas and Camso for the high-horsepower demands of the 12 Series.

The wheeled versions come with 42-inch, 800-70R42 duals, which Claas claims is the largest tire currently available in the industry for production high-horsepower ag tractors.

The newest Xerions can deliver a high hydraulic flow, which maxes out at a whopping 142 g.p.m. (537 l/m) with the optional three-pump system.

Four priority remotes can be used to keep essential systems such as air drill fans running at optimum speed. The base, single-pump hydraulic system delivers 58 g.p.m. (220 l/m).

The new Axion model 9.450, with several changes and a new model number designation format, debuted at Agritechnica last year year, but it is not yet available in North America. It won a Tractor of the Year award at that show. It is an entirely new design, according to the company.

New Holland

At the top of New Holland’s tractor line is the T9 with PLM Intelligence Series. The latest model of those four-wheel drive T9s introduced in August of 2023 pushed at the upper horsepower limits of the line.

The T9 SmarTrax versions were announced in early 2024 for the 2025 model year. The T9 Series now covers the 425 to 645 rated engine h.p. range.

Of the six models for 2024, the T9.470, T9.520 and T9.580’s 12.9 litre engines have been changed to an electronic variable geometry turbo (eVGT) to boost horsepower, improving fuel economy by two per cent. The three other models, which are wide-frame models (the T9.615, T9.655 and T9.700) also use the 12.9 diesel but sport two-stage turbocharging — fixed geometry, first stage and wastegate second stage.

Gross vehicle weight (GVW) has been increased across all six of the new T9 models: 56,000 lb. (25,401 kg) for the smallest three and up to 67,000 lb. (30,391 kg) for the T9.700.

Buyers get a choice of two transmissions for all but the top two models, which are only available with the Ultra Command 16 X 2 powershift. The others can be ordered with the optional Auto Command CVT as well.

Total T9 hydraulic flow rates can be boosted up to 113 g.p.m. (427 l/m). A large coupler is available for very high flow demands, and tractors can be equipped with up to eight remotes.

The remote valve controls on the Sidewinder Ultra armrest are customizable and can be arranged to control whichever remotes the operator prefers.

The Genesis T8 with PLM Intelligence series wheeled models (T8.320, T8.350, T8.380, T8.410, and T8.435) get five to 15 h.p. ratings boosts, with five models from 325 to 435. There are also the 410 and 435 horsepower T8.410 SmartTrax and T8.435 SmartTrax models.

Depending on the model, T8s offer a choice of an 18 X4, 19 X 4 or 21 X 5 Ultra Command full powershift transmission or the brand’s CVT. T8s have the 8.7-litre FPT Cursor 9 engine under their hoods.

Of course, just like the T9s, the T8s with PLM Intelligence offer the highest level of digital connectivity the brand has ever offered. PLM Intelligence allows for remote tractor diagnostics, remote viewing, data collection and sharing, among a host of other functions.

Two tractors in the T7 Series now break the 300 rated engine h.p. mark, the T7.315 and T7.340 Heavy Duty with PLM Intelligence models. Both use the 6.7-litre FPT engine mated to the brand’s 50 km-h-capable Auto Command CVT transmission.

John Deere

John Deere currently offers three tractor ranges with models rated above 300 engine h.p., three in the 7 Series offering 310 to 350 h.p. and 12 in the 8 Series, all of which use the brand’s 9-litre diesel.

The big news for Deere in 2024 was the introduction of the three very-high horsepower 9RX models that offer 710, 770 and 830 h.p., making them the largest production models currently available.

The articulated 9 Series tractors up to 640 h.p. get Deere’s 13.6-litre JD14X diesel under the hoods.

This engine produces 13.5 per cent more power than the 13.5-litre engine it replaced, takes up less real estate, runs significantly quieter and drinks seven per cent less fuel. That engine gets mated to the brand’s e18 (18F x 6R) 40 km-h-capable power shift transmission.

The three big new tractors get an all-new John Deere 18-litre engine mated to the e21 powerShift transmission.

Deere’s 8 Series tractors get the company’s nine-litre diesel for power. They use the brand’s Intelligent Power Management system to boost output by up to 35 h.p. during p.t.o. or transport work.

The 2023 model year introduced 410 h.p. 8R, 8RT and 8RX models with a step-less electric variable transmission (EVT). Deere says that design enables precise speed control and enhanced drivability. They’re also available with the e23 power shift.

The EVT uses electric motors instead of hydrostatic motors to improve transmission performance.

To the operator, it will feel much like an Infinitely Variable Transmission (IVT), only much quieter. Deere says it will provide better overall tractor control, along with easy serviceability and diagnostics

Other transmission options in the 8 Series include the brand’s 40- or 50-km-h capable IVT, as well as the e23 and 16-speed power shifts. The optional CommandPRO control is available on 8 Series tractors equipped with the EVT or IVT transmissions.

The three largest 7 Series models, the 7R 310, 330 and 350 also break the 300 h.p. mark. They use Deere’s 9.0-litre diesel as well, and the 330 and 350 are available with the choice of an e23 (23F x 11R) or IVT transmission.

Buyers of the 7R 350 will have to take the IVT because it’s the only option on that model.

In early 2025, Deere announced the next generation perception system, an autonomy precision upgrade kit for select tractor models that can bring autonomy to tillage work. This system is available as a precision upgrade for model year 2022 and newer 9R and 9RX tractors and model year 2020.5 and newer 8R and 8RX tractors.

Versatile

Winnipeg-based Versatile continues to offer six wheeled and three tracked DeltaTrack versions of its articulated four-wheel drive tractors: the 530DT, 580DT, and the 620DT.

The wheeled models (the 530, 580 and 620) span the 400 to 616 h.p. range, with the three smallest tractors getting power from an X12 Cummins, while the three largest tractors in the series, which includes the three DeltaTrack models, get an X15 Cummins.

Behind those Cummins diesels is a Caterpillar 16 X 4 powershift transmission. The X12 mates to the TA19 Caterpillar, and the X15 routes power through a larger TA22. All use the brand’s trademark outboard planetary final drives for ease of maintenance and durability.

Versatile four-wheel drives are equipped with a standard 59 g.p.m. (223 l/m) pump or an optional 112 g.p.m. (424 l/m) high flow hydraulic system. Six rear half-inch hydraulic remotes are standard with two additional, optional three-quarter inch types available. Flow rates can be varied through the in-cab monitor.

Two cab comfort packages are available, the Deluxe and Deluxe Pro, which includes upgrading the monitor from the standard 10-inch to a 12-inch. Three different lighting packages allow for upgrades from a 14 halogen package to 19 LED and two halogen with a total output of 47,500 lumens.

Farther down the horsepower line, three of the brand’s MFWD tractors top 300 h.p.: the 315, 335 and 365.

As Versatile’s long-standing exclusive engine supplier, there are Cummins engines under the hoods of these tractors, too — this time, a QSL9 mated to a 16 X 9 powershift for all five tractors in the series. All have a total hydraulic flow of 55 g.p.m. (208 l/m), or 72 g.p.m. (272 l/m) with the optional hi-flow hydraulic system.

Fendt

The current Fendt 900 Vario MT line of tracked tractors includes three models with 380 to 431 h.p.: the 938 Vario MT, 940 Vario MT and 943 Vario MT . They use a 9.8-litre, seven-cylinder diesel and offer up to 116 g.p.m. (439 L/mn) hydraulic flow.

The wheeled 900 Vario line includes five models topping out at 415 rated h.p. They get that power from a six-cylinder 9.0-litre diesel.

The 900 Vario models have an integrated tire pressure control system that is controlled through the touch screen. The intelligent VarioDrive system provides seamless speed control from creep all the way up to 33 m.p.h.

As well, there is no need to manually switch to all-wheel drive when it’s required. The system handles that automatically.

There are now four 1000 Vario Series models from 426 to 550 h.p.: the 1040 Vario, 1044 Vario, 1048 Vario and 1052 Vario. These tractors can now be unlocked from the factory to use with the PTx Trimble Outrun autonomous grain cart system.

The 1000 Series has a standard 58 g.p.m. (220 L/mn) hydraulic flow rate, but that can be upgraded to an optional 113.5 g.p.m. (430 L/mn).

A self-cleaning air filter system uses on-board compressed air to periodically blow out the filter, extending filter life by up to 15 times compared to standard intakes.

The wheeled 900 and 1000 Series tractors get power from six-cylinder MAN engines (a nine-litre in the 900 Series and a 12.4 in the 1000s).

Equipped with the Fendt iD low engine speed concept that works with the tractor management system (TMS) and Fendt’s signature VarioDrive continuously variable transmission, the tractors have a maximum engine operating speed of just 1,700 r.p.m. That, according to Fendt, means less fuel consumption and reduced wear on engine components.

The high-horsepower, two-track tractor designs originally introduced under the Challenger brand were made available to Canadian farmers wearing Fendt colours in 2020.

There are now four models, including the 1151, 1156, 1162, and 1167 in the 511- to 673-h.p. range in the 1100 Vario MT Series, powered by a 15.2 litre engine. As well, there are three others in the smaller 380 to 431 h.p. 900 Vario MT Series, which use the seven-cylinder 9.8 litre diesel engine.

In 2024, Agco introduced the ErgoSteer retrofittable joystick control option for 500 to 1000 Series tractors.

Easily installed in late model machines it allows the operator to steer the tractor with a joystick mounted on a left-hand armrest, rather than use the steering wheel. It’s available as a kit from Agco parts.

The system was recognized for an AE50 award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) for 2025.

Massey Ferguson

Agco has given its Massey Ferguson brand the “straightforward and dependable” marketing tagline, positioning Massey as the go-to option for those not looking for the same high level of technology its sister brand Fendt offers.

However, that isn’t to say Masseys are all bare bones and low tech.

Along with those models that can be ordered with more basic features, there is a lot of technology that can be packed into many of the brand’s traditional red and grey tractors as well. They offer buyers a wide range of technology levels.

In late August 2024, Agco debuted the new 9S models (photo up top) at the Farm Progress Show in the U.S., and they began arriving at North American dealers in 2025.

First introduced at Agritechnica in 2023, the 9S line will include six models in the 285 to 425 h.p. range (9S.285, 9S.310, 9S.340, 9S.370, 9S.400, 9S.425) pushing up at the top of the horsepower range offered by Massey.

The 9S models use a closed-centre hydraulic system with an optional flow rate of up to 400 L/mn.

An 8.4 litre engine, which delivers maximum power at 1,850 r.p.m., has its power routed through the brand’s Dyna-VT, 40 or 50 km-h-capable CVT transmission.

The 9S tractors are relatively light and can weigh up to 3.1 tonnes less than competitors’ tractors in that horsepower category.

The Datatronic 5, nine-inch touchscreen is fully Isobus compatible and allows the operator to control tractor functions on the nine-inch screen.

It offers MF AutoTurn, which can store three separate steering modes for headland turns. Images from up to four cameras can be displayed on the screen to help monitor implements.

McCormick

Topping out McCormick’s flagship X8 model line is the 310 h.p. X8.680. It gets that muscle from a 6.7-litre six-cylinder BetaPower engine that breathes through a variable geometry turbocharger so it can deliver up to 945 pound-feet of torque.

Behind that engine is the brand’s 50 km-h-capable VT-Drive continuously variable transmission, which has four programmable “virtual” operating ranges.

Built for McCormick by ZF, the VT-Drive has three operating modes: automatic, manual and p.t.o. It can even be set to maintain speed and engine settings by automatically adapting to changing load conditions.

The closed-centre hydraulic pump provides 56 g.p.m. (212 l/m). An additional 30 g.p.m. ( 115 l/mn) pump supplies dedicated flow to the steering system.

Tractors can be equipped with up to six electronically controlled rear remotes, as well as two more at the front. The transmission and hydraulic fluids are kept in separate sumps to prevent cross contamination and help ensure driveline oil levels remain at the proper levels.

The rear three-point hitch has a lift capacity of 26,450 lb. (12,000 kg), and a front hitch is also available. It gets a lift rating of 11,000 lb. (5,000 kg). A front p.t.o. is also an option.

A suspended front axle is standard equipment on the X8s, and the tractors are compatible with the brand’s L88 front-end loader.

The McCormicks have fully compatible Isobus connectivity to make digital communications with implements seamless. Operator interface is through a 12-inch touchscreen colour monitor.

Deutz-Fahr

The 9 Series TTV Agrotron models in Deutz-Fahr’s lineup break the 300 h.p. mark. However, only the largest model, the 9340, gets imported into Canada. It has a rating of 336 maximum h.p.

Behind the 7.8-litre Deutz TTCD diesel engine is a ZF-built CVT transmission, which offers 40, 50 or 60 km-h capable versions, along with precise speed selection from 0.2 to 60 km-h at reduced engine speed.

The Deutz engine delivers 90 per cent of its available torque at just 1,000 r.p.m., and maximum torque remains relatively constant from 1,200 to 1,600 r.p.m.

Hydraulic flow rate is 160 l/m, but that can be increased to 210 l/m as an option. Flow rates and activation time of the flow to remotes can be adjusted from the operator’s seat independently for each circuit. Up to six rear and two front remotes are available.

Hydraulic oil uses a separate sump from the transmission fluid to avoid contamination.

The 9 Series tractors offer what the brand describes as “unique operating comfort.” The MaxiVision cab 2 gets a lighting package using LED work lights.

Inside the cab is a colour 12.8-inch iMonitor 2.0 and upholstered leather seating. And for a smoother ride, pneumatic cab suspension is standard on these tractors.

The 9 Series come equipped with a suspended front axle, too. It offers a tight 50 degree turn angle with power disc brakes for improved stopping capability.

Rear three-point hitch lift capacity comes in at 12,000 kg. Front hitch lift capacity is 5,000 kg.

The 9340 includes a built-in guidance package and is fully Isobus compatible, which means it’s TIM (Tractor Implement Management) ready. A fold-out cooling package and easy access to filters make maintenance chores a little easier.

The tractors’ appearance is the result of styling developed in collaboration with the design studio Italdesign Giugiaro.

As well, for those who want to look under that stylish hood, no heavy straining is necessary. A button in the cab lifts it with ease.

RELATED GUIDES:

• 2025 High-Horsepower Tractor Guide
• 2024 High-Horsepower Tractor Guide
• 2023 High-Horsepower Tractor Guide
• 2022 High-Horsepower Tractor Guide
• 2020 High-Horsepower Tractor Guide

The post 2026 High-Horsepower Tractor Guide – What’s new for 300-plus-horsepower tractors appeared first on Grainews.

However, the Sowa family at Wadena, Sask., about 200 km east of Saskatoon, say they have no plans to change their multi-brand, single-store business model.

Bill Sowa, 93, a founding member of Wheatbelt Sales, still comes in every day to the business his family members and partners now operate. The dealership can trace its origin back 60 years to 1965.

WHY IT MATTERS: With many farm equipment dealerships now merged into chains to achieve economies of scale, farmers might wonder if any other retail business model is still making a go of it.

“I was in Toronto and got interested in bringing back used vehicles,” recalls Sowa.

“We got really large into bringing back cab and chassis trucks. It was a real niche market. We would bring them back and put boxes and hoists on them.

“We were bringing as many as 70 trucks a year, so we decided to go into business. We decided if we’re going to do that, to take on a dealership.”

In the inventory

Incorporating Massey Ferguson and GMC franchises into the business was the start of what Wheatbelt Sales has become today.

“We dropped GM after a couple of years because we found out we could make more money with used vehicles,” says Sowa.

“It kind of interfered with bringing back used vehicles. People could afford them more, too. That had a lot to do with it.”

Eventually, Wheatbelt Sales also undertook another unorthodox sales initiative: selling used equipment to overseas customers. It also sought to sell equipment widely across the Prairies rather than just into its local area.

MORE READING: Can your cash flow handle new machinery payments?

Part of the business philosophy has been to have a large number of machines on the lot ready for delivery to customers.

“Bill’s always been a big believer in inventory,” says co-owner Jim Sowa.

“If you don’t have it, you can’t sell it.”

Originally the business was located at Invermay, Sask., but eventually the owners saw a need to relocate to a larger community, so they chose Wadena, about 50 km west.

Construction started on a large new building there in 1978 and the move was made in 1980. However, there was already a MF dealer there, so Wheatbelt had to drop that franchise.

With the need to take on a new equipment line, Versatile became the choice. It and Kubota are now the core brands at Wheatbelt, along with a number of short-lines such as Bourgault.

Standing solo

Over the years, Bill says he developed a good relationship with manufacturers, which he believes helped the dealership by getting customer feedback directly to them and ensuring new machinery arriving on Wheatbelt’s lot was designed to meet customers’ needs.

“When I was in Toronto, I got involved with Massey engineers,” he says.

He also became friends with Peter Pakosh, one of the founders of Versatile.

Sowa credits the dealership’s continued single-store viability to having a succession of good partners. The family members now invested in the business have also brought a lot of experience and expertise in their respective fields, which has benefited the company.

Over the years the service department has become a major part of the dealership, and the family recognizes that parts support is key to maintaining customers. With nine service technicians on staff, Juston Sowa, also a co-owner, says the company could still use another four.

“I would say service has become a big part of our business,” adds Jim.

Being supportive of the dealership’s staff has also helped retain existing employees for the long term, he says.

“We had a (60th anniversary) event, and it was very touching to have some employees come up and say they felt like family with us. Treat people the way you want to be treated, and that gets you the furthest.”

The company was reorganized in 2003 under the current ownership group, allowing a couple of the original partners to retire. However, the original intention to focus solely on a single-outlet business remains in place.

“We have no intention of opening any other outlets,” says Bill.

“If we do any expanding, it will be right here in Wadena.”

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Versatile has introduced four new widths — a 15-foot, 18-foot, 21-foot and 24-foot — to its high-speed disc lineup for model year 2026.

One of the new units, the HS150, was on display at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show 2025 in Woodstock, Ontario.

“What sets us apart is the tilt angle on the Fury HS,” said Leo Reznik, product manager with Versatile. “It has 20 degrees tilt angle, and in combination with the disk angle, creates more disturbance on the soil.”

Reznik added that the new design allows the Fury HS series to chop crop residue better and bury it more into the soil than its competitors.

The disc sizes are 22 and 24-inch on the new HS series of high-speed discs. Reznik said that the combination of disc size and disc orientation creates a very smooth seedbed.

Alongside the HS series, Versatile has also released the Fury R which has a 10-degree tilt angle and is comparable to other high-speed discs.

Reznik said that the Fury is one of the heaviest implements in its class, delivering a down-force of about 1,000 pounds per foot.

“This creates a situation that we don’t need to use a hydraulic pressure on the wings,” said Reznik. “The weight of the implement is enough to keep it engaged with the soil.”

Reznik added that the transport width is about three metres.

Versatile is accepting customer orders for the new Fury models now and will begin manufacturing the units in October 2025.

The Fury is designed and made at Versatile’s manufacturing facility in Winnipeg, Man.

See more Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show coverage on Farmtario’s landing page.

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The publicly-traded Winnipeg firm, founded by the late John Buhler, will be absorbed entirely by the Turkish firm ASKO under a proposed deal.

Buhler Industries was established in 1969 when John Buhler purchased the Standard Gas Engine Works. The company produced the Farm King line of grain augers, snowblowers, mowers and other small implements. In 1982 Buhler purchased the Allied line of front-end loaders. In 2000 it purchased the Versatile tractor line from New Holland Ag, as part of the Case-New Holland merger and subsequent divestiture required by competition regulators. It operates eight manufacturing plants throughout North America.

The purchaser, ASKO Holding, is wholly-owned by the Konukoğlu family. ASKO Holding owns the firm Basak Traktor, which purchased 96.7 per cent of Buhler Industries from Russian combine manufacturer Rostselmash.

Following the completion of the amalgamation, the shares will be de-listed from the Toronto Stock Exchange and the company will apply to cease to be a reporting issuer under applicable Canadian securities laws.

ASKO owns firms worldwide that manufacture construction equipment, energy and technology equipment, and agricultural equipment including tractors. As well as building and marketing its own equipment, it also distributes equipment regionally for the German firm CLAAS.

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LMS has been a Versatile dealer for many years and when the chance to get this vintage machine as a trade-in came up, Abe Penner, co-owner and general manager, thought it might be a very unique opportunity.

“Our salesman came to me and said, do you want a 145 Versatile?” Penner explained. “I said I wasn’t sure, but I started thinking about it and thought it would be a cool piece to have.

“Our business goes back in our family back to 1987, but Little Morden Service started back in the ’50s. And we have a lot of history with Versatile. I thought if we could have an old 145 in our showroom with the legacy it brought to our business, that would be pretty cool.”

But when it arrived, the 56-year-old tractor, despite being well cared for over the years, was showing its age. So the dealership asked one of its customers, Dennis Friesen, a local farmer who also operates a restoration business, to take on the project of bringing the 145 back to its original glory.

“We spent about 190 hours on it in total,” said Friesen. “That’s with four of us, my son and I and two of my workers.

“When we got it, it was in rough shape. It was rusty, but we sandblasted it, took the tires off the rims and tore the interior apart. We ended up finding a lot of rusted-out spots in the cab. The cab was probably the worst. We welded in a lot of sheet metal.”

Remarkably, the original drivetrain has never seen any major repair work and is still in good working order.

“It was a fun project,” Friesen added. “We never did anything to engine, transmission or anything like that. That’s all original.”

Open-station model

“During the winter when we weren’t using it, it was always stored inside,” said Bill Ransom, the original owner of the tractor. “Our farm company bought it, Ransom Farms Ltd.”

When the tractor left the factory it was an open-station model, but the Ransoms added the after-market cab a couple of years later.

“We were a little short of money to buy one with a cab,” he said. “So we used it for a couple of years before we got the cab. And, boy, did that make a difference to the comfort.”

The 145 was the third Versatile the Ransom farm purchased. It also owned one of the very first models to come out of the Winnipeg factory, a model G100, which used a Chrysler V8 engine. The engine required major repairs in the first year, and that led to the tractor being replaced with a newer, larger model.

“We had two others (Versatiles) as well. The first one was a model G100. It had a gas engine and wasn’t a terribly satisfactory tractor. We traded it on a D118. We used it and then we bought this one in 1968.

“It was one of the bigger tractors at that time. We pulled a 32-foot cultivator with it. It had lots of power and a good range of working speeds with the transmission.”

The tractor stayed on the Ransom farm until about five years ago, when it was sold to another farmer in the Morden area, whose original intention was to restore it, but he ended up trading it to LMS.

‘Touch of class’

With the restored, shiny 145 now sitting inside the dealership showroom, Penner said it has attracted a lot of attention.

“We’ve had so many people walk in and share their stories,” he said. “Just to be able to visit with people about where we’ve come from (in farming) is so much fun. With social media it’s a small world, so we get to hear people commenting on it from all over.”

The tractor is in original condition, except for the cab interior, which is now a little more upscale than it was when it left the factory, with added upholstery.

“This fabric we bought, we got it overseas,” Friesen says. “When my wife showed it to me with the red stitching, it just called out to me. It gave it a touch of class. I know originally that’s not the way it was. I just wanted to do something a little bit different to spruce it up a bit.”

For now, the tractor will stay in its new home in the dealership showroom, but it may make a few trips out.

“We hope to use it in parades,” said Penner. “It’s great to have even at trade shows and farm shows to compare the old with the new and see how far we’ve actually come.”

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“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.”

In July, management at Buhler Industries, parent company of the Versatile and Farm King brands, revealed it had begun a search for a “long-term investment partner”. In late December it announced that Turkish tractor manufacturer Başak Traktör, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ASKO Holding, was buying 96.7 per cent of its outstanding shares for a reported CAD $60.5 million.

Başak Traktör presented what was described as the most “well rounded” proposal, which met their concerns.

“Başak Traktör, has several manufacturing facilities in Turkey,” said Reid. “They’re big in ag and construction equipment. They’re very passionate about that sector.”

“Sami Konukoglu, (chairman of ASKO Holding) is extremely passionate about manufacturing, particularly agricultural manufacturing,” Reid added. “He started on the factory floor and worked his way up. He has a vision for global expansion and sees Versatile as a key to that. He understands the power of the Versatile and Farm King brands… he’s focused on the growth and expansion of the company.”

Talks with Başak Traktör had been underway since early fall, according to Reid, who expects the deal will be finalized by the first week of January. All of the roughly 24 million ownership shares to be acquired by Başak Traktör belonged to Russian ag equipment manufacturer Rostselmash, which had been the majority owner until now.

Brands will continue, expand

Some of the brand’s dealers have expressed apprehension at the thought of a change of ownership and what that might mean for the brand. Senior management, including COO Grant Adolph along with Reid, will remain in their current roles under the new ownership structure to help maintain consistency during the transition and moving forward.

Reid says dealers and customers needn’t worry about the brand disappearing. Instead, he expects it to grow and expand under the new ownership.

Due to the supply chain disruptions in the last two years, Versatile has struggled to fill orders for new tractors, due to persistent component shortages. The new ownership will give the brand increased purchasing power and should help it ramp up the number of tractors rolling off the assembly line to better meet customer demand.

It could conceivably also result in an expanded product line for Versatile, whose tractor offerings only go up from 175 horsepower. Başak’s models conveniently run from 50 to 120, and it could make a good fit for brand expansion. Versatile has so far avoided the temptation to design smaller models to play in the lucrative and very large utility tractor segment, because of the large number of players already there. But with a ready line of models from Başak, that could change. All that, though, remains speculation at the moment.

Başak’s 5120 model, which was released in 2019, won an iF Design award. So the Turkish brand now produces models with features that could potentially appeal to North American buyers.

“There could be some synergy in the long run,” acknowledges Reid. “But at this point the focus is on Versatile and on the manufacturing here, and pushing for growth here.”

As for the assembly of Kubota M8 tractors at the Winnipeg plant, Reid says that will continue.

“This (ownership) change does not affect our current relationships,” he said. “I think what we’re excited about is the passion that Başak Traktör and ASKO Holding brings to the manufacturing side of our business. They’re very forward-looking and we’re excited about where we can go together.”

“I think this opens up a lot of opportunities for us going forward. Internally, the team is very exciting about what this means for securing the future of the Versatile brand.”

Russians out

While the deal brings a new partner on board with a global vision willing to advance the Versatile brand, it solves one other problem for Buhler: it ends the involvement of a Russian company in its ownership. That had been causing some trouble for Versatile due to the invasion of Ukraine.

“The nature of who our major shareholder was did create some concern in some of our suppliers,” said Reid. “Even though Buhler Industries as an entity operated independently and autonomously, there were concerns about the ties back to Russian ownership. So we’re very excited about what this change in ownership can do for us when it comes to our global partnerships with our suppliers.”

Since Russia attacked Ukraine, management at Buhler has had to take steps to publicly distance itself from its primary shareholder. In March of 2022, the board of directors announced it had removed Konstantin Babkin, who had been on Buhler’s board since Rostselmash acquired majority ownership of Buhler in 2007. He had been a vocal supporter of Vladimir Putin and Russia’s aggressive action in Ukraine. The Buhler board quickly and publicly denounced Babkin’s outspoken views, noting they didn’t reflect the values of the board overall or those of Buhler Industries.

However, the company remained under majority ownership by Rostselmash. And some Russian representatives remained on the board. With the Başak acquisition, all board members will have to resign and be replaced with those selected by the new owner.

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This year, Mojow was again showing an autonomous tractor driving itself around a demonstration area, but this time the autonomous tractor was a high-horsepower Versatile DeltaTrack, and it followed a major announcement from Versatile that it had formally partnered with Mojow to create an autonomous, production-ready tractor.

• AgDealerTV: Versatile, Mojow collaborate on autonomy

“They’ve been working with us for several months now, and this is the first time we’ve publicly announced we’re working with them,” Adam Reid, vice-president of sales and marketing at Versatile, told Grainews. “We have an autonomous tractor option. It’s not commercially available yet, but it will be at some point.”

“We are working directly with a resourceful team of engineers from Versatile who are experts on the inner workings of their tractor lineup,” says Mojow president, Owen Kinch. “This relationship will streamline integration for quick turnaround to market viability.”

That ability to accelerate development of an autonomous tractor and turn it into a market-ready product is exactly how Versatile sees the partnership advantage as well. Reid expects it will help Versatile come to market with an autonomous tractor in a much shorter time frame than if the brand tried to develop the technology on its own.

“If we were to try and create our own autonomy department, it would take millions and millions of dollars and a decade or so,” he says. “We went out into the market and looked at who was doing autonomy and what they were doing. We really wanted to find someone that matched our philosophy, which is, of course, with tractors, simple, reliable and easy to service and maintain. That has been our hallmark for years. We wanted to find a partner who understood that.”

Reid believes they found that with Mojow.

Kinch told Grainews that Mojow’s approach to working with Versatile has been simplified from the initial broad range of goals it had before entering into the partnership. For example, having a tractor able to perform a number of complex functions, including set up implements in the field on its own. Focusing, instead, on basic autonomous operation should simplify the approach for both teams of engineers and help get a commercial system market ready sooner.

While an autonomous Versatile tractor is likely still a few years away from being commercially available, both Versatile and Mojow wanted to show the project to farmers, so it brought the autonomous concept DeltaTrack to AIM.

“We really wanted to be able to introduce at least the concept,” says Reid. “Largely to prove we are still viable, we are staying up on technology and we’re finding partners to help us get there. At Versatile, we aren’t known for cutting-edge technology, but we are known for partnering with people who have the best.

“When we partnered with Mojow, we liked their philosophy. Because they’re small, they’re a lot more nimble, and we’re kind of the same way.”

Mojow advantage

One advantage Mojow brought to the table that other tech firms didn’t was it was working on integrating autonomous operation into production tractors that used mechanical transmissions, rather than the easier integration with a CVT.

“A lot of the autonomy companies we talked to are very much interested and doing a CVT,” Reid adds. “We have the Nemesis line that has a CVT, but really to get to the powershift model for us was a really big deal. We have the Cummins engine and Cat (powershift) transmission. I really don’t see us going away from that combination anytime soon. To have Mojow develop autonomy on a tractor with a powershift transmission, for us that’s huge. To the best of my knowledge, they’re really the first ones to do it.

“Basically, the whole philosophy is we’re trying to keep it as simple as possible from an installation and operations standpoint.”

The Mojow autonomous integration is just one of two cutting-edge technology projects Versatile has partnered on. In 2022, it and Cummins announced those two brands would begin working together to develop a purpose-built, hydrogen-powered, high-horsepower tractor.

The tractor will use a modified 15-litre Cummins diesel built into a tractor that is able to accommodate the unconventional fuel.

“That partnership we announced last summer,” says Reid. “We’re the off-highway partner for Cummins on the hydrogen side of things.

“We’ve been working with institutions in Winnipeg, such as the city of Winnipeg, that have hydrogen infrastructure they’re working on already. So, we’re learning what the industry is doing alongside that.

“It’s not just learning what infrastructure is required to build the tractor, it’s learning what infrastructure our dealers and farmers are going to need if this becomes available.”

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Winnipeg-based Buhler Industries on Aug. 14 reported net income of $16.1 million on $67.6 million in revenue for its second quarter ending June 30, up from $1.1 million on $57.8 million in the year-earlier Q2.

Buhler said it “achieved higher sales as it begins to see improvements in the supply chain issues experienced over the last two years.”

The company said it also expects increased sales during the rest of 2023, on a “large backlog of sales (and) strong demand for agricultural machinery and equipment.”

Buhler in its second quarter also booked its revenue from the sale of its tillage equipment manufacturing plant at Vegreville, Alta., which it shuttered in 2021. The company closed on the sale of the former Ezee-On plant in April.

The Q2 ledger also includes proceeds from the sale of Buhler’s property at Woodstock, Ont. — on which it has exercised an option to lease back for up to five years.

Buhler said in April that the combined net proceeds from those plus the sale of its property at Fargo, N.D., which it booked separately in its first quarter, came in at $24.3 million. In its Q2 report, it logged the combined Vegreville and Woodstock sales as a gain on disposal of assets valued at $12.4 million.

The company said in July that the sale of those “underutilized assets” has helped it to secure “sufficient capital for current operational needs” — but it also announced at the time it has hired a Toronto firm, Origin Merchant Partners, to identify a new “long-term investment partner” for Buhler.

Buhler said in July it “seeks to bolster its position in the agricultural industry and continue its commitment to serving farmers and dealers with high quality farm equipment.”

The company didn’t say what its future plans would be if a new investment partner is brought on board. It said its “search for the right investment partner is driven by a commitment to preserving the legacy of the iconic Versatile and Farm King brands.”

Buhler also said it wants a partner “who understands and respects the historical significance of these brands, as well as their immense potential for future growth and innovation.”

Shares in Buhler today are about 97 per cent owned by Russian farm equipment firm Rostselmash, while the remaining three per cent are publicly traded and held by employees and other investors. A Buhler representative wasn’t available for comment this week. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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The previous seven-model line of wheeled, four-wheel drives, which used to span the 380- to 610-horsepower range, will now drop to six models from 405 to 616. (The addition of the 365 MFWD model has apparently made the smallest four-wheel drive a bit redundant.) The company will continue to offer three DeltaTrack models, but their horsepower ratings will now match the three largest wheeled tractors, jumping from the previous 520 through 610 to 530 to 616.

On the biggest model of both the wheeled and DeltaTrack lines, peak horsepower ratings jump from 650 on the previous top-of-the-line 610 model to 665 on the new 620, although the power bulge rating changes from 49 per cent at 1,400 r.p.m. on the 610 to 34 per cent at 1,500 r.p.m. on the 620. Across the full range of new models, crankshaft torque ratings go from 1,600 pound-feet in the 405 to 2,066 in the 620.

To make servicing those engines easier, engineers moved the engine oil filter location to a new spot to improve access.

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Cummins engines

Versatile has had a long relationship with Cummins engines, and don’t expect that to change with the updated models. All three DeltaTracks will still come with a Cummins X15 diesel under the hood, while their companion wheeled versions with the same horsepower ratings will use the X15, too. The wheeled 405 to 460 models will rely on a smaller Cummins X12. The three big tractors in both ranges will get larger cooling systems and an increase in airflow.

Several years ago, Versatile worked with Caterpillar engineers to tweak Cat’s powershift transmissions so they would seamlessly mate with the Cummins power plants. In the new models, Versatile will stick with the same Cat TA19 or TA22 powershift transmissions, depending on the tractor size, but the company says the TA22 has had some recent upgrades. It now has less restrictive torque protection in lower gears, a more consistent inching pedal and increased torque ratings. The clutch capacity has also increased, which results in three per cent more torque in third gear, five per cent more in fourth gear and 10 per cent more in fifth gear.

To make the tractors more capable when it comes to powering implements, all models will get an advanced hydraulic configuration with centre-located connections, six hydraulic couplers, one three-quarter coupler and a case drain.

Optional features include two additional three-quarter couplers, dual case drains, and the brand will continue to offer both the 401-litre high-flow hydraulic system option or the 201-litre standard version. The 401-litre output will certainly enhance the tractors’ performance when powering large air drills.

To make life more comfortable for the operator, the brand is making some changes to its cab design as well. Although the cab size, which has 175.5 cubic feet (4.9 cubic metres) of interior space and 85.9 square feet (eight square metres) of glass, won’t change with the new models — they now get a more comfortable seat, audio system enhancements and an available 12-inch monitor.

Additionally, the options list now includes dual rotary beacons, cellphone holder and front toolbox. New LED lighting packages provide almost three times more lumens on the deluxe package (than the standard) and more than four times the lumens on the deluxe plus package, which includes 21 lights producing more than 45,000 lumens in total. These upgraded lighting systems obviously improve nighttime visibility substantially.

The new high-horsepower tractors get an updated paint scheme, too. The biggest change is the frame colour, which goes from red to black. And on their flanks are new, splashier decals, which the brand says gives the tractors “a modern and aggressive appearance.”

The new models are available for order now.

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Winnipeg-based, publicly-traded Buhler Industries announced Wednesday that Combine Factory Rostselmash has bought another 16.3 per cent of Buhler shares for $3 per share, or about $12.25 million.

Buhler, whose own product lines include Versatile tractors, combines, seeding and tillage equipment and Farm King implements, also makes the M8 tractor line for Kubota at its Winnipeg plant.

Rostselmash, which bought its 80 per cent stake in 2007, has picked up the additional shares in a private deal with Highland Park Financial, controlled by Buhler board member and former chair John Buhler, the company said.

The deal raises Rostselmash’s stake from 80.4 per cent up to 96.7 per cent of Buhler Industries, which said Wednesday the Russian firm’s latest purchase was made for “investment purposes.”

Buhler’s TSX-traded stock closed Wednesday at $2.95 per share, its lowest value since February.

Starting as a state-owned factory in 1929, Rostselmash started producing combine harvesters in 1931, went publicly traded in 1992 and was taken private in 2000.

The company, based at Rostov-on-Don on the Sea of Azov, today makes combines, forage harvesters and tractors. — Glacier FarmMedia Network

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