ALL ABOUT TRACTORS By PAUL WALLEM Dennis Rehn’s Ag Museum is a few miles south of Belvidere, Ill. It’s an amazing collection of farm memories. A yard full of early Allis-Chalmers tractors are accompanied by several buildings full of virtually every item from early Midwest farms. One- and two-row planters, wood drags, cream separators, hundreds of seed corn signs, hay tools, and much more are in this collection. The museum is open Saturday mornings. It’s a place where you can relive your memories of farm tools that go farther back than you are. Dennis’s father Kenneth was one of Illinois’ first advocates of no-till farming. National farm equipment sales National retail sales data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers shows U.S. tractor sales totaled 15,985 units in July, down 10.9 percent from July 2025, while year-to-date sales were down 13.1 percent. The contraction was most pronounced among four-wheel-drive tractors, with sales falling 38.7 percent in July and 27 percent year to date. Year-to-date sales of two-wheel-drive tractors with at least 100 hp were down 15.5 percent compared with the same period in 2025. Self-propelled combine sales declined 5.3 percent in July and 10.2 percent year to date compared with the same respective corresponding period in 2025. A development to increase yields Spectrum Technologies specializes in plant measurement technology for agricultural, horticultural and turf markets. They serve 14,000 customers in 80 countries. They are a leading provider of plant measurement devices. They have announced a field scout SC950 soil compaction meter, an advanced Bluetooth-enabled penetrometer designed to identify soil compaction throughout the root zone. Soil compaction is a common challenge, resulting from repeated equipment traffic and field operations under wet conditions. Excessive compaction can limit root development, nutrient uptake, with a negative impact on crop yield and profit. Using an ultrasonic sensor, the SC950 determines measurement depth from 0 to 18 inches in 1 inch increments, with compaction index values displayed in pounds per square inch (PSI). Spectrum Technologies was created in 1987 by Mike Thurow, a former IH executive. More about drones Small payload drones, typically defined as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of carrying up to 2 kilograms of payloads, are gaining strong traction in the agriculture drone market. Their compact size, affordability and ease of use make them particularly suited for smallholder farms, and fragmented agricultural landscapes. These drones have emerged as valuable tools for performing high frequency field assessments, including crop health, monitoring, plant stress detection and soil conditioning analysis. Despite their lightweight build, small payload drones can be equipped with advanced technologies, such as multispectral cameras, GPS navigation and real-time data transmission systems. Their ability to fly at lower altitudes and capture high resolution images enables precise and targeted interventions, improving input efficiency and reducing environmental impact. Steiger tractor for 2027 A wide range of Steiger operator-focused enhancements were featured at the Farm Progress Show. Updates included new integrated storage areas built into the floor, and optional refrigerator on Premium Luxury cab models. Steiger was purchased by Case IH in 1886. The name was retired until 1995 when it reappeared on Case IH tractors built in Fargo. Paul Wallem was raised on an Illinois dairy farm. He spent 13 years with corporate IH on domestic and foreign assignments. He resigned to own and operate two IH dealerships. He is the author of THE BREAKUP of IH and SUCCESSES & INDUSTRY FIRSTS of IH. Send comments to pwallem9@gmail.com. |
