Low commodity prices have cratered farm equipment sales in Canada with double-digit declines in units sold. Sales of two-wheel drive tractors to Oct. 31 declined 18 per cent to 18,414 units, according to the Association of Farm Equipment Manufacturers. October sales fell 16.4 per cent to 3,174 units. Within the two-wheel drive sector under 40 horsepower sales are down 18 per cent to 11,417; 40 to 100 HP sales are down 22.3 per cent to 4,054 units; and 100 plus HP sales fell only 11.1 per cent to 2,954. Sales of four-wheel drive tractor units are up by 12.9 per cent to 957. Tractor sales in the U.S. are down 13.6 per cent this year with only four-wheel drives positive at 1.3 per cent for 3,855 units. Canadian combine sales reflect the same trend. Self-propelled combine sales fell 11.3 per cent to 1,633 units. October combine sales were down 26.9 per cent to 294 units. U.S. combine sales in October declined by 34.6 per cent to 526 units with year-to-date sales off 23.1 per cent t
SeedMaster, the developer and manufacturer of no-till seeding technology driven by precision, has announced Allan Wiens as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective December 2024. “Allan Wiens has lived and breathed agricultural manufacturing throughout his professional career, making him the right person for the job as our new CEO,” said Larry Hilworth, Board Chair at SeedMaster. “We are looking forward to ushering in the next era of SeedMaster with him at the helm.” Wiens is an 18-year veteran of the agricultural equipment industry in Canada and the United States. His career has spanned roles in product strategy and development, sales, marketing and aftermarket support at Deere & Company and Brandt Group of Companies. He graduated with a degree in Agribusiness from the University of Manitoba and holds an Executive MBA from the University of Iowa Henry B. Tippie College of Business. Wiens last held the position of Vice President of Product Strategy & Sales Support at Bran
Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan, announced a federal investment of over $10 million for eight projects in agriculture, ag manufacturing, value-added ag, and agri-food sectors in Saskatchewan. This includes non-repayable investments supporting agricultural manufacturing, and repayable investments to help expand farming operations, the output of value-added agricultural products, and manufacturing capacity for agricultural equipment. Examples include: Simpson Seeds Inc. is receiving over $1.9 million to procure and commission equipment for a new lentil flour processing facility in Moose Jaw, SK. Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada is receiving over $1.1 million to provide business services and assistance to the agricultural manufacturing sector and agriculture sector through the Careers in Ag initiative. Drake Meat Processors Inc. is receiving $3.5 million to procure, install, and commission equipment for a new meat processing facility in Saskatoon to expand the market in Western
Farm equipment sales are projected to decline next year according to a Farm Credit Canada report released today. “Farmers are looking for cost saving measures including delaying purchases and planning to further reduce equipment costs,” said FCC senior economist Leigh Anderson in a news release accompanying the report. “As demand slows and prices adjust, there may be opportunities for producers who are looking to invest in new farm equipment.” The year began with a surge in demand for machinery, particularly combines and four-wheel-drive (4WD) tractors, Anderson wrote. Slowing sales in the U.S. allowed manufacturers to send pre-orders to Canada earlier. However, sales are forecast to decline for the remainder of the year and into the next. New equipment sales are expected to be soft as farmers face low commodity prices, high equipment prices and lower profits, though the decline in 2025 is expected to be less severe than in 2024. Sales of 4WD tractors are projected to stay above th
AGCO celebrated the grand opening of the AGCO Technician Training Center at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. The new 22,000 square-foot facility is the home of the school's AGCO Agriculture Service Technician Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree program, which provides instruction specific to the company's popular machinery and precision ag technologies. Made possible by a $5 million donation from AGCO Corporation, this advanced training center is set to revolutionize diesel technology education and address the critical shortage of skilled technicians in the agricultural industry. The AGCO AAS program at Parkland College is registered as an official apprenticeship through the U.S. Department of Labor, providing students with a unique combination of classroom learning, paid on-the-job training and nationally recognized credentials. The new facility offers state-of-the-art immersive classroom technology, 18,000 square-feet of shop space stocked with special tooling and t
Permalink Reply by Tom Cox on
