The RoundUp Newsletter

1-27-2026 | Biweekly eNewsletter

Do you have a news story from your dealership that you want to share with your fellow dealer members? Email the details to us at marketing@ineda.com!

INEDA Past Chairman Jay Funke Testified Before
U.S. Senate Committee

Jay Funke, co-owner of Del-Clay Farm Equipment and Past Chairman of the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association, testified before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship on January 14.

Drawing on more than four decades in ag equipment, farming, and rural business leadership, Funke shared insight on declining farm income, reduced equipment sales, financing pressures, and the ripple effects across rural communities. He also highlighted the need for timely farm assistance, fair trade, and policies that support young farmers and rural America.

INEDA is proud to see a dealer voice represented at the national level and appreciates Jay’s continued leadership and advocacy on behalf of our members.

Jay at the hearing table

Jay Funke prepares to testify before the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, bringing real-world insight on ag business conditions and the rural economy.

Jay Funke with U.S. Senator Joni Ernst

INEDA Past Chairman Jay Funke with U.S. Senator Joni Ernst ahead of his testimony in Washington. We appreciate Senator Ernst’s leadership and engagement on issues impacting agriculture, equipment dealers, and rural communities.

Funke in the hearing room

With decades of experience as an ag equipment dealer and farmer, Jay Funke proudly represented Iowa-Nebraska equipment dealers and our rural communities on the national stage.

Deere Introduces Updated Sprayer Technology Delivering Advanced Precision, Mobility Improvements

John Deere (NYSE: DE) today announced a series of updates to its Model Year 2027 (MY27) application portfolio, delivering advancements in maneuverability, visibility, and precision agriculture. Highlights include Four-Wheel Steering for improved handling and enhanced precision ag tools and insights to streamline logistics and data analysis. Most notably, John Deere introduced the next generation of its See & Spray technology, building on a proven foundation to expand targeted application across more crops and more operating conditions, allowing for more passes throughout the season. The updated See & Spray Gen 2 solution is designed to support operations of all sizes, helping farmers manage rising input costs, tighter application windows, and increasing weed pressure with greater confidence and flexibility at any time of day throughout the season.

Precision Planting Introduces ArrowTube to Boost Corn Emergence Uniformity and Yield Potential

Precision Planting introduced a new seed delivery system at the PTx Winter Conference held this week in Tremont, Illinois. This retrofit product, called ArrowTube, builds on previously introduced planting technology that optimizes singulation and spacing to orient corn seed tip down, embryo out.

Tractor Sales Close 2025 With Nearly a 15% Decline in December

U.S. sales of total agricultural tractors declined 14.8% in December 2025, compared with December 2024, according to the most recent report from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). AEM also reported that combine sales fell 4.3% during this time. Despite a year-over-year decrease, December 2025 saw a slight improvement from November 2025 sales, which decreased by 19.6% from the year prior.

John Deere Rolls Out New High-Speed Disk Sizes and Autonomy-Ready Tillage

John Deere is making updates to its tillage lineup with new high-speed disk (HSD) models and expanded autonomy-ready options for model years 2026 and 2027. The new models aim to help farmers better manage their time and productivity.

Machinery Pete: Used Equipment Prices Defy Gravity as New Sales Slide

The farm machinery market is full of surprises heading into 2026, and according to Machinery Pete, some of the shifts are unprecedented. While auction volume is climbing and more farmers are making hard decisions, the story looks very different depending on whether producers are shopping for new equipment or turning to the used market.

Ceres AI Insights Now Available in John Deere Operations Center

Farmers can now view insights from Ceres AI in John Deere’s Operations Center. While the partnership between the two brands isn’t new, this enhanced integration and upgrades aim to give farmers a more seamless experience.

Closer Look: Deere Redesigns 17 & 26 P-Tier Mini Excavators

John Deere rolled out two redesigned mini excavators at the 2025 Utility Expo, boasting fast cycle times, improved digging power and expanded attachment compatibility for a variety of construction and landscaping tasks.

How the $15 Million Estate Tax Exemption Changes Your Farm Succession Strategy

With the federal estate tax exemption at historically high levels, most family farms are no longer at risk of paying federal estate tax. Shift your focus to income tax planning and preserving the step-up in basis at death.

The world of estate planning for farmers has changed dramatically after the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This permanently increased the lifetime gift and estate tax exemption to $15 million indexed starting Jan. 1. With the federal estate tax exemption at historically high levels, most family farms are no longer at risk of paying federal estate tax. However, this shift has brought a new focus to income tax planning and the importance of preserving the step-up in basis at death.

Deputy Sec'y Remarks On Antitrust And Competition In Agriculture

USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden outlined a list of priority topics for the agency in 2026 during a recent webinar hosted by the National Ag Law Center. Vaden leads the department's operations and implements policies that support America's food and farm systems.

Included in his remarks: Antitrust and Competition. Vaden says antitrust laws exist for a reason: when an industry gets too concentrated, certain actions undermine free enterprise.

Farm Bureau Reports Significant Farm Losses Persist, Despite Federal Assistance

The USDA-Economic Research Service (ERS) December update to Commodity Costs and Returns provides a comprehensive look at per-acre production costs for the nine principal row crops: corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, barley, oats, peanuts and sorghum. At a high level, ERS projects average total costs per acre to increase for every crop in 2026, underscoring the persistence of elevated production expenses across U.S. agriculture.

Purdue Issues New Paper "What 40 Years Of Agribusiness Management Teaches Us About Uncertainty"

You're not alone if economic uncertainty feels intense right now. That's not wrong. But it also isn't new for agribusiness.

Over the past four decades, the industry has navigated farm crises, globalization, financial shocks, trade conflicts and a global pandemic. Each challenge forced leaders to rethink how they manage risk, allocate capital and coordinate across an increasingly turbulent food system.

USDA Launches New Online Portal to Track Foreign Ownership of U.S. Farmland

USDA announced it is launching a new online portal to where transactions involving U.S. agriculture land by foreign persons can be reported. This can include businesses and governments, under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Discolosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA). The government said in a press release this portal is part of a broader effort to strengthen enforcement and protect American farmland as the department continues to implement their National Farm Security Action Plan.

This email was sent to: cindyf@ineda.com

Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association
8330 NW 54th Ave
Johnston, Iowa 50131

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