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| Holly Spangler |
| Farm Progress editors and staff writers gather for a photo before hitting the streets of the showgrounds on their hunt for new products. Check out their favorites here. |
by Andy Castillo, Editor of Farm Equipment and Machinery, Farm Progress
Decatur, IL — According to my iPhone’s fitness tracker, I have walked some 50,000 steps since Sunday. Over the last week or so, those steps across the 2025 Farm Progress Show’s square-acre plot in Decatur, Ill., transported me to dozens of ag equipment vendor booths to see the latest tech that’s rumbling across farm fields today.
From Case IH’s new Steiger 785 Quadtrac to Fendt’s latest 1000 Vario Gen4 Tractor to Claas’ new Jaguar 1,000-hp forage harvester to Max Armstrong’s old International Super M, I saw some pretty cool machines. (As the ag tech editor here at Farm Progress, covering new machinery is a perk I don’t take for granted.)
Driven by emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, ag tech has recently exploded into an exciting development phase. Innovation is everywhere. There’s so much happening that it’s hard to keep up — although our editors here at Farm Progress try their best to do so.
My fitness app’s footstep count is proof.
If you, reader, wandered the Farm Progress Show ground’s this year like I did, the following product descriptions might be familiar. But for those who didn’t, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn about interesting new ag tech products that caught our new-products team’s attention:
Andy Castillo, Farm Progress.
Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to target weeds in real time and zap them with lasers. Having incubated the tech in Western specialty crop fields, Carbon Robotics is making an intentional push into Midwestern row crops. This is the first time they were at the Farm Progress Show. More than a machine, the LaserWeeder’s technology represents the cutting edge of ag technology — and it comes at a price. The largest unit available is around $1.5 million.
Todd Fitchette, Western Farm Press.
InnerPlant’s CropVoice can detect disease early. Engineered soybean seeds that give off fluorescent proteins when infected are deployed among sentinel plants, acting as biological sensors. The signals can be detected by satellites, drones and other sensors.
Raney Rapp, Delta Farm Press.
Unverferth’s latest Brent Avalanche 3298 is a behemoth. Its 3,150-bushel capacity can pull three semiloads of grain, making it the largest cart available today.
Ava Splear, Prairie Farmer.
SymphonyVision is Precision Planting’s new vision-based chemical spraying technology. It uses cameras mounted on a sprayer boom to detect weeds and adjust application rates accordingly — in real time. The system can be retrofitted across most brands including John Deere, Case IH, Hagie, Fendt, Massey Ferguson and others.
Chris Torres, American Agriculturist.
Pyka and Kelly Hills’ Pelican 2 autonomous ag spray is striking in its appearance. It looks nothing like other drones on the market. Sold as a kit for around $550,000 (which includes a trailer and loading equipment), the advanced drone has an 80-gallon tank capacity and uses lidar technology for field mapping and obstacle detection.
Jennifer Kiel, American Agriculturist.
Can-Am’s new Outlander Electric ATV is the only one like it. Powered by an 8.9-kilowatt battery system, it can drive around 50 miles on a full charge across optimal conditions. Off-road, its range is closer to 30 miles. The machine charges in 50 minutes or so on a Level 2 charger from 20% to 80%. It takes closer to 1.5 hours for a full charge. On a 110-amp charger, it takes about double that time. Best of all? It’s completely silent.
Whitney Heckel, Delta Farm Press.
LaunchPro’s latest ag spray drone trailer is thoughtfully designed to minimize sun exposure. An air-conditioned compartment keeps the operator cool, and rolling carts protect the batteries while they charge. Its 17-foot dual-deck design on the second platform provides easy access to the drones as they come and go from the field, and there’s a 50-killowatt generator on the lower deck.
Gil Gullickson, Wallaces Farmer.
Polaris’s new 2026 Ranger 500 is a midsized side-by-side that starts at $9,999. Powered by 28 horses, it’s capable of hauling up to 300 pounds and has a 1,500-pound towing capacity. Its simple design makes for minimal upkeep, and its compact 58.5-foot width gives it maneuverability. Other features include a chassis-integrated plow mount plate, LED headlights and simplified controls.
Tom J. Bechman, Farm Progress.
Hurricane Ditcher’s latest Side-Arm Ditcher has a front-mounted PTO design that lets it discharge off the side. Starting at $45,000, the new ditcher creates a round ditch bottom that makes it ideal for conservation work. Its innovative design combines practical functionality with operator comfort.
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