Two Fall 2026 Playbooks for Ag Equipment Dealers and Lenders

Farm income looks steady on paper. Used equipment values are firming. On the surface, it's easy to read that as a market turning the corner.

But underneath those headlines, the picture is more complicated, and the decisions dealers and lenders make over the next few months could look very different depending on how you read it. That's why we turned our latest market webinar with Wesley Davis, Partner & Chief Ag Economist at Meridian Ag Advisors, into two free playbooks: One for equipment dealers and one for ag lenders.

One market picture, two ways to act on it

Dealers and lenders are looking at the same farm economy from different sides of the table. So both playbooks start with the same foundation: 10 signals shaping the farm economy heading into 2027, drawn from the conversation between Wes and Andy Campbell, Director of Insights at Tractor Zoom, and backed by Tractor Zoom data and Meridian's research.

From there, each playbook turns to its audience:

• The Dealer Playbook focuses on what these signals could mean for your sales, used inventory, and service business, along with practical steps you can take now.
• The Lender Playbook focuses on what they could mean for borrower cash flow, collateral, and portfolio risk.

Both include "if this, then that" scenarios to help you plan for more than one outcome, plus a look at what our live audience of dealers and lenders told us in real time.

A few signals worth your attention

Here's a preview of what's inside.

Government payments are doing the heavy lifting. Direct government payments are projected to rise 70% in 2026, while market-driven operating income is expected to fall 13%. Steady income isn't necessarily a sign of recovery, and the playbooks explain why that distinction matters.

Fewer farmers are financing equipment. The share of new tractors and combines bought with financing has dropped from 81% to 66%. That shift is changing how fast sales close, and how borrowers are structuring the debt they do take on.

Used values are moving, but not all in the same direction. According to Tractor Zoom data, most large-ag categories are up year over year. A couple of notable categories are not, and the playbooks show which ones.

The biggest unknown may be the debt nobody can see. Wes shared why official farm debt numbers may tell only part of the story, and where stress could show up first if the downturn runs longer.

The playbooks also cover the four signals that have historically ended ag downturns, how the next Congress could shape the Farm Bill and farm aid, and the open questions that will set the direction for 2027.

Get the Equipment Dealer Playbook

Built for dealership owners, general managers, and sales and used equipment leaders. Inside, you'll find:

• The 10 signals shaping the farm economy, with charts from the webinar.
• What the financing shift, firming used values, and longer ownership could mean for your dealership.
• Four practical steps you can take now, and how to plan for different election and market scenarios.

Get the Ag Lender Playbook

Built for ag lenders, credit officers, and portfolio managers. Inside, you'll find:

• The same 10 signals, with charts from the webinar.
• What longer loan terms, shifting collateral values, and hidden debt could mean for your portfolio.
• Scenarios to help you plan around election outcomes and a longer downturn.

Want the full conversation?

The playbooks distill the highlights. For Wes's reasoning behind every scenario, plus the live audience polls, watch the full webinar on demand.