U.S. Farmers Delay Equipment Buys as 2026 Income Falls and Machinery Costs Stay High
Updated
Updated · Salina Post · Jul 25
U.S. Farmers Delay Equipment Buys as 2026 Income Falls and Machinery Costs Stay High
2 articles · Updated · Salina Post · Jul 25
Summary
U.S. farmers are postponing tractor, combine and parts purchases as weaker crop prices and tighter margins erode their ability to make big capital investments.
Machinery prices remain well above pre-pandemic levels despite lower tariffs on some imported equipment, with manufacturers and dealers citing higher production, labor and lingering supply-chain costs.
USDA forecasts 2026 farm income will decline from recent peaks, while higher borrowing costs are pushing many producers to keep older machines running longer instead of upgrading.
Major manufacturers already report slower sales of large farm equipment, especially to grain growers hit by lower corn and soybean prices.
Trade-policy uncertainty is still clouding pricing and investment decisions, and analysts expect pressure on dealer sales and farm spending to persist through the rest of 2026.