US tractor sales fall 16 percent in September as farmers hold back on big purchases

US farm tractor and combine sales fell again in September, another sign that farmers are wary of large capital purchases, according to figures from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) reported by All Ag News's Tony St. James.

Tractor sales fell 16.4 percent from a year earlier to 15,024 units, and combine sales 10.9 percent to 369 units. For the year to date, tractor sales are down 12.6 percent and combines 9.4 percent.

Every size class was weaker. Sales of tractors under 40 horsepower dropped 15.4 percent, 40 to 100 horsepower 18.7 percent, over 100 horsepower 15 percent and four-wheel-drive tractors 20.2 percent.

Canada saw the same pressure: tractor sales fell 15.1 percent from September 2025 and combine sales 37.6 percent. The association says the figures reflect continuing difficulty across the farm economy. Dealers and manufacturers will be watching whether better farm income, financing or commodity prices can slow the slide in the last quarter of the year.

Photo: Dwight Sipler / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Source: All Ag News