ALL ABOUT TRACTORS

BY PAUL WALLEM

 Popular tractors 100 years ago (1926) included the following:

Advance Rumely type M 20-35 Oil Pull & Type S 30-60

Allis Chalmers 12-20. 27.2 BHP, 15.1 DBHP

J.I. Case Model 18-32 and 25-45

Caterpillar Models 30, 60, 2-ton, 5-ton, 10-ton

Deere Waterloo Boy Model N 25 BHP, 12 DBHP

Emerson-Brantingham Model 16-32

Fordson 18 BHP

Hart-Parr Model E

IH Model 10-20 and Farmall Regular

US Biofuel boom

Data shows soybean crush and renewable diesel output are hitting all-time highs, driven by strong domestic fuel policy, while new U.S. tariffs on Brazilian tallow add fresh demand on the biofuel domestic market.

U.S. biofuel producers are operating at full throttle and the latest government data shows just how far the industry has come. EPA’s June Renewable Identification Number (RIN) data, released earlier this month, confirmed record soybean crush demand as the U.S. biofuel complex runs at high capacity.

As more plants come online, that should open the door for even higher soybean crush.

For soybean producers, the growth in biofuel demand is already translating into price support, and it is happening alongside other bullish factors converging on the market at the same time.

Support also comes from the Russian decision to put export restrictions in place. That provides additional support for soybean oil.

(Courtesy Farm Advisor)

Agricultural drone market

According to MarketsandMarkets.com, the agricultural drone market is estimated at USD $3.45 billion in 2026 and USD $14.4 billion by 2031.

Unlike conventional methods, drones provide real-time aerial data for crop monitoring, soil analysis, and precision spraying, which reduces waste and increases yield. This has increased reliance on drone-based solutions across large-scale and smallholder farms.

First half results – AGCO and CNH Industrial

First Half AGCO net sales up 6 percent; net income down 60 percent: $132 million.

First Half CNH Industrial revenue up 1 percent: net income down 57 percent: $151 million.

County/state fair season

One of the most consistent events during fair season are tractor pulls: from antique to high-power, they draw huge crowds.

More than 1,700 county & state fairs take place each year. Pennsylvania bills itself as America’s first fair, dating back to 1765.

Ohio started the fair tradition of sculpting life-size cows out of butter in 1903. 

Wisconsin started it in 1911. Their first fair in 1857 featured a plowing contest with oxen and horses.

All six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) work together each year for the Big E, an exposition that started in 1916. Throughout the U.S., fairs are a major fall event. If you attend once, you’ll probably attend again and again.

Ethanol exports

The USDA reports that ethanol exports have grown into a major U.S. agricultural commodity since the early 2000s. The U.S. exported a record 2.13 billion gallons of fuel ethanol during the 2024/2025 corn marketing year. This was a 400-million-gallon increase over the prior period.

The export market has shifted. The largest U.S. customer in prior years was Brazil, but is no longer as their domestic ethanol production has increased.

That loss has been replaced by growing markets from other parts of the world. Exports to Canada increased from 322 million gallons in 2019/2020 to 758 million gallons in 2024/2025.

Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with corporate IH in domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to own and operate 2 IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP of IH and SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS of IH. Send comments to pwallem9@gmail.com.