Equipment Trends for July 2026

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Andy Campbell digs into four equipment stories for July — combines, utility tractors,planters, and direct dealer feedback — with a recurring theme: the mood is running ahead of what the category-level data actually shows.

Combines: Class 8s holding, 9s and 10s are the real risk

66% of dealers named combines their top concern in Tractor Zoom's June 24th webinar poll. But the class 8 data tells a more nuanced story:

• Class 8 supply down ~16% YoY, down 37% from the August 2024 peak
• Recent sold values on 780s and CNH 8250s have beaten both 2024 and 2025 spring levels
• Class 9s and 10s are where risk concentrates — supply hasn't drawn down nearly as much, and the second-owner market remains an open question
• July and August are the pivotal window to move combines before the next opportunity in November/December

Utility tractors: Bright spot with an aging cliff ahead

Supply is down 30% YoY and auction values are running 5–10% stronger than last year. But the last five months have been flat, and a large volume of inventory sitting at 90–270 days on lot will start crossing the 360-day "aged" threshold starting in August.

• If summer sales don't materialize, aged utility tractor inventory will jump significantly before year-end
• Cattle market headwinds are emerging — non-cow-calf producers are stretched between equipment and high calf prices
• Act now: assess your inventory, pending inventory, and aged position and plan through end of summer

Planters: Early signs of resurgence

Supply down ~37% YoY, 50% off 2024 highs. The standout signal: 22% of June inventory was 0–30 days old — a clear trade-in restocking bump tied to the Deere early order period.

• Dealers are reporting better-than-expected early order periods — the best in nearly three years
• Planters were the first category into this correction and may be the first showing a real demand recovery
• Combines could follow a similar pattern as buyers replenish aging fleets this summer

What dealers are telling us

Direct conversations and webinar feedback are surfacing several patterns:

• $100K–$150K weakness: A spending range that's showing softness that wasn't there a year ago — more research underway
• Vertical tillage: Some dealers calling it "dead and saturated." Strip-till/no-till adoption plus high fuel costs are reducing pass frequency
• 8R buildup: Increasing inventory accumulation, particularly in eastern markets
• Pre-DEF tractors under 5,000 hours: Still unicorns in the sub-$150K range
• Folding row crop headers (especially 12-row): Sitting longer; platform headers down 20–30% in supply with strong brand premiums (MacDon FD70 vs. Case IH 2162 case study coming)

Sources

• Purdue/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer — May 2026 (Farm Capital Investment Index at 41, lowest since September 2024)