Additional and sometimes confusing information began to slowly filter out from the U.S administration later in the day.

A ‘monkey with a machine gun’

“It’s like a monkey with a machine gun, they’re going in all different directions,” said Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association president Flavio Volpe during a televised interview on CBC the next day. “The fact they don’t understand this or don’t care is going to crash the U.S. auto sector.”

The belief this tariff would seriously harm the auto industry in all three countries was reiterated by University of Toronto professor Dimitry Anastakis, who spoke on an Energy Media podcast on Thursday.

“This is going to go down as one of the greatest own goals in economic and policy history. This is crazy.

“The auto industry is one of the most competitive and difficult industries in the world in the best of times. When you add in that we’re trying to make this transition from an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) to EV (Electric Vehicle) future and face competition like China, which is already so far along, to turn around and disrupt and insert so much chaos into the North American sector when legacy manufacturers like Ford and Stellantis are just trying to catch up is asinine.”

According to Cox Automotive’s senior economist Jonathan Smoke, who spoke on an industry insights and sales forecast call, the tariffs will cause a significant reduction in industry output, raising new and used vehicle prices and force the elimination of some vehicle models.

“If there are no carveouts for autos, the tariffs would add $3,000 to U.S. made cars, and $6,000 or more on a vehicle assembled in Canada or Mexico. If tariffs go through this time, by mid April we expect disruption to all North American vehicle production, amounting to 20,000 fewer vehicles produced per day, which is about a 30 per cent hit to production.”

Disrupted production

The uncertainty caused by the on-again-off-again tariff threat has already disrupted production of some vehicles and slowed or stopped capital investments.

“A few weeks ago Ford announced it was going to delay the next generation F-150 because of all the chaos around tariffs that Trump has created,” said Anastakis. “So it’s not just hurting EV rollout, it’s hurting the very manufacturers Trump was supposed to protect and support.”

The goal of the tariffs, according to the U.S. president, is to bring automotive manufacturing back to the U.S. But currently there are about 700 different manufacturers in Ontario alone that supply components to the auto sector. Then there are many more in Mexico. It’s improbable to think they can all relocate to the U.S. in the short term to avoid tariffs.

Experts generally doubt the U.S. could ever return to the kind of manufacturing economy it had in the 1950s, especially when it comes to automotive production. Not all of those needed support sectors could operate economically in the U.S.

“There are some specializations in Canada,” said Anastakis. “Whether it’s tool and die, mold manufacturers, aluminum production — you cannot replicate that in the States. So these border tariffs are going to have a tremendous impact.”

Transition to electric vehicles

A critical goal for future viability of North American auto companies is to catch up to China in the transition to electric vehicles. China has all the resources it needs to form a complete supply chain in that production cycle, from raw materials through to manufacturing facilities. That gives it a key advantage in the EV market.

However, Canada was set to play a key role in bringing similar advantages to North American companies. It has critical minerals as well as new production facilities.

“When I saw this announcement that they were going to go through with this on automotive, I said to myself, ‘they’re popping champagne in Beijing,’” added Anastakis. “The United States hobbled its own industry without the Chinese having to lift a finger.

“There’s a very good chance in 10 years we’re all going to be driving Chinese EVs, whether they’re made in China or elsewhere in the world, because this is a pivot moment, it’s a paradigm shifting moment. I don’t know how the industry is able to recover from this, when they’re already facing such incredible burdens to begin with.”

“We’re at an interesting crossroads today in 2025,” agreed Smoke. “The problem is a substantial change in trade policy due to tariffs will be highly disruptive to North American vehicle production.”

Said Volpe: “Maybe he (Trump) has to send the U.S. over the edge, have hundreds of thousands of auto workers at home before he understands the depth of the problem he’s caused.”

The post ANALYSIS: U.S. auto sector tariffs an “own goal” appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

A portion of those exports were straw choppers and weed seed control units, manufactured by Redekop at its plant near Saskatoon.

Redekop has farmer customers in Montana, North Dakota, Kansas and other states who want a better chopper on their combine. The Redekop straw chopper cuts straw into fine pieces and evenly distributes the residue across the field, which is desirable for growers.

“We tend to focus on small grains and the higher volume of residue, where you have lots of straw,” Trevor Thiessen, chief executive officer of Redekop Manufacturing, said while sitting at a booth at the Commodity Classic, a trade show held in Denver March 2-4.

U.S. sales growth

Redekop sales to the U.S. have increased in the last five years as word spread about the straw choppers and Redekop’s weed seed destructor.

However, sales were soft in 2024 due to the downturn in the ag equipment market.

“Farmers were hesitant to spend a lot of money … 2024 was a hard year for a lot of equipment guys,” Thiessen said.

Last year was challenging, but 2025 could be more difficult for Redekop and other Canadian manufacturers.

U.S. president Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all goods from Canada March 4, although the tariff rate and implementation date may have changed by the Western Producer’s March 10 press time.

A spokesperson for another manufacturer of ag equipment on the Prairies, who also attended the Commodity Classic, said his company acted before March 4 to avoid the tariffs. The Manitoba business moved machinery across the border this winter and should have sufficient stock in the U.S. for many months of sales.

Shipping ahead of tariffs

Redekop took similar action in February.

“We shipped pretty much 98 per cent of our (U.S.) distributor’s order already,” Thiessen said.

Exporting farm equipment to the U.S. has become a larger part of Saskatchewan’s economy.

Sales climbed by $500 million from 2019-23, reaching $834 million in 2023.

“There certainly is growth in the agricultural machinery and equipment exports from Saskatchewan specifically to the U.S.,” said Peter Siarkos, director of manufacturing and technology with the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership, which helps provincial businesses sell their products to the world.

Exports of ag equipment have created strong relationships between Saskatchewan firms and American buyers, but explaining the impact of tariffs and who will cover the cost can get awkward.

“When I talk to U.S. farmers and customers, I’m not sure everyone fully understands that the importer, i.e. the U.S. farmer, is the one who is going to have to pay the premium,” Thiessen said.

Who absorbs the tariffs?

To maintain American sales, Redekop and other Canadian makers of ag equipment may absorb a portion of the 25 per cent tariff. The customer will take on the rest.

“I think we’ll be fine.… Maybe we take a margin hit (on U.S. sales) for a period of time, but it’s not going to cripple our business.”

As of March 2025, it’s impossible to predict Canada’s trade relationship with the U.S for the next four years. It could be OK, bad or horrific.

If tariffs do stick around for years, Thiessen is considering a branch plant or a partnership to do some manufacturing in the U.S.

“We’ll make these core components, you assemble,” he said, describing one scenario.

“Set up a (U.S.) assembly plant, which would (maybe) get us past the tariff.”

Such decisions are a few years down the road, depending on what happens with trade and tariffs.

In the shorter term, Redekop Manufacturing wants to diversify sales to other parts the world. It has set up a company in South America to sell straw choppers and weed seed destructors to farmers in Argentina and Brazil, Thiessen said.

“(We’re in the) second year of testing in Brazil and the first full season of selling in Argentina.”

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Kip Eideberg, vice-president of government and industry relations with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), said it’s very challenging right now to talk to Republicans about the benefits of trade.

“It is a frustration … that there seems to be precious few Republicans on Capitol Hill who are for free and fair trade,” said Eideberg while standing beside the AEM booth at the Commodity Classic trade show in Denver March 3.

“This used to be a Republican core issue (free trade). Where have all those Republicans gone?”

‘Tariffs are taxes’

Despite the frustrations, the AEM and other groups continue to lobby politicians and members of Trump’s cabinet about the danger of tariffs.

The AEM, which represents manufacturers of farm and construction machinery is still trying to talk with politicians and deliver a clear message.

“Our position is very simple. Tariffs are taxes. They’re taxes on American manufacturers. They’re taxes on American farmers…. This is no way to bolster U.S. manufacturing,” said Eideberg, who has been listed as one of the top lobbyists in Washington for the last six years.

Eideberg and others are still able to get access to policy-makers and powerful people in the American government.

At the Commodity Classic in Denver, he walked the trade show floor with U.S. agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins.

His message to her was that tariffs on Canada and other countries are damaging for American farmers.

“These tariffs are going to make all of this great (farm) equipment, on display here, more expensive. That will lead to fewer American jobs.”

Listening to farmers?

Rollins, who spoke to the media at the Commodity Classic, said she’s listening to such messages. She has only been in the role of ag secretary for a couple of weeks but has met with hundreds of farmers.

Many of them are worried about tariffs and the consequences for America’s ag industry, she said.

“That is my role,” Rollins said.

“To ensure that those concerns are heard, effectively.”

That’s positive for groups like AEM, but Eideberg believes that Trump is hell bent on imposing duties on Canada, Mexico and other countries.

The U.S. government will proceed with tariffs on a wide range of goods and products, which will have economic consequences.

The American public and the economy will have to suffer before Trump changes his mind, Eideberg said.

“I think the one thing that’s going to perhaps ensure that the tariffs come off or are not fully implemented is a recession,” he said.

“Tariffs are inflationary and are going to drive up (inflation)…. It’s a shame we have to rely on something like a recession … unfortunately.”

Another possibility is a re-negotiation of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, provided President Trump can tell his supporters he got a “win” in the new deal.

—Updated – adds photo of Kip Eideberg

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“What’s unique is all our tires are D-speed rated (64 km/h). That’s a huge difference compared to many brands,” said the company’s Canadian sales manager Mike Massé at the London Farm Show earlier this year.

“We’ve also got a unique mud breaker. It’s part of our construction. (The lugs) send a small vibration to create a channel of air to break the mud and provide really good traction.”

The company claims their VDR 900 (VF) tires carry 40 per cent more at the same inflation pressure as conventional radial tires and can operate at 40 per cent less pressure while carrying the same weight.

This feature allows self-propelled sprayers, whose boom widths can exceed 164 feet, to carry heavier loads of 10,000 gallons at full pressure, reducing soil compaction, slippage and fuel consumption and increasing traction even at lower pressure.

The steel belt construction is designed to dissipate heat, provide greater puncture resistance and defend against stubble.

“We’ve got all the popular sizes: VF, sprayer, all kinds of applications—and every month we release between 30 to 50 SKUs (stock keeping units),” said Massé.

During COVID-19 supply chain issues,he approached Brent Harvey with Cooksville Tire Ltd., about distributing Ascenso’s line.

“Customers like them … They ride nice, get great traction, and are inexpensive compared to North American stuff; about 20 per cent cheaper,” Harvey said.

The tires mount easily, which keeps Harvey’s employees happy, and clients like the traction, road travel and easy-to-clean tires.

“(Road speed rating) is important in today’s farming because a lot of farmers have more than one farm. They’re driving down the roads a lot, and a lot of farm tires don’t give you good road travel. Safety is important.”

The biggest challenge is brand awareness against agriculture’s traditional tire brands, especially as Ascenso’s tires are made in India, said Massé.

Third-party trials against the leading premium and value tire brands indicate Ascenso tires provide a three and five per cent fuel savings against the competition’s indexing values and had lower wheel slippage on tractors.

“We’re pretty proud, as a new company, to see our tire perform like this,” Massé said.

Harvey said he has sent only one Ascenso tire back under warranty because a farmer ran over something. The resulting coverage was better than most, he said.

“My sales have tripled in two years, obviously starting from nothing,” said Harvey. “It’s availability and price; that’s what people care about … and then, of course, service.”

Ascenso is available through 24 independent dealers. The company signed on with Tire Country and Fountain Tire distributors in December 2023.

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That isn’t a lot, as the country has some 50,000 grain farms that buy about 2,000 new combines every year.

But adoption of the destructors, which pulverize weed seeds before they exit the combine, is slowly gaining momentum.

“The first mills that we’re aware of (in Canada) were adopted on farm in 2018. To go from none in 2017 to 30 in 2023, to me that shows (some) producers are seeing a benefit from it,” said Breanne Tidemann, an Agriculture Canada weed scientist in Alberta.

“A lot of the mills that I’m aware of came on board from 2022 and later.”

Weed seed destructors are popular with Australian farmers. In 2022 more than 1,100 new combines were sold in Australia, according to the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia. Of those new combines, 25 to 30 per cent were equipped with weed seed destructors.

Many Australian farmers were essentially forced to adopt the technology because of herbicide-resistant weeds.

Using a combine equipped with a destructor can reduce the number of viable weed seeds in the chaff, thus lowering the number that can germinate in the following year.

The adoption rate is much lower in Canada, but worries about herbicide-resistant weeds and the cost of controlling them has convinced a few farmers.

“Most of our (Canadian) sales are coming from the Alberta-Saskatchewan border area, where the kochia problem is really bad and getting worse,” said Trevor Thiessen, president of Redekop Manufacturing.

Redekop, located in Saskatoon, is one of several companies that manufacture weed seed destructors. The units can be retro-fitted onto used combines or installed on new machines, but they cost about $100,000, which has slowed adoption.

Another factor is evidence. More research is needed to demonstrate the agronomic benefits of the technology.

“The longest term studies that we’ve done are three years, which are a little on the short side,” Tidemann said.

To gather more information on potential benefits, she surveyed about 10 Canadian farmers who collectively use 18 mills. Some producers see a decline in weed populations and herbicide costs.

“I had three (farmers) that felt they had seen reductions in their weed densities since adopting the mill. On average, about a 60 per cent reduction in weed densities was their estimate,” Tidemann said. “Two have been able to reduce herbicide applications by 25 and 30 per cent.”

Those farmers have used the mills for several years; one since 2018 and the other two since 2020.

Most of the farmers in Tidemann’s survey started using destructors in 2022. It’s difficult to notice the benefits of a new practice after only a year or two.

In the U.S., a small number of farmers are experimenting with weed seed destructors. Adoption rates are low, even though herbicide resistance is a widespread problem.

“They’re also sitting at 25-30 mills primarily in Washington (State),” Tidemann said. “They’re really not far ahead of us.”

However, American research shows encouraging results. Scientists from Virginia Tech have tested the Redekop Seed Control Unit on soybeans and wheat. They found weed seed kill rates ranging from 93 to 99 percent in wheat chaff and over 98.5 per cent in soybean chaff.

The researchers determined that of all the weed seeds entering the combine, less than five percent returns to the field.

– Robert Arnason is a reporter with The Western Producer.

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The completion of the transaction was subject to certain regulatory approvals which have all been met, Linamar said in a news release.

Linamar, best known as an auto parts manufacturer, announced it would acquire the Saskatchewan-based firm in late December.

“Linamar’s long term vision is to focus on six markets where we see significant market and technology evolution over the coming decades as a result of key global trends that are under way,” said Linda Hasenfratz, Linamar’s executive chair and CEO, during an online press conference in December. “Food and agriculture is a key market in this long-term vision, and we are rapidly enhancing our footprint in that market.

“We’re calling this our third down project,” added Jim Jarrell, Linamar president and COO. “This is the third short-line acquisition we’ve done to build our powerhouse company, to hit the strategy of feeding the world. If you go back to the day when we bought MacDon, this (Bourgault) was a clear target and discussion point we thought was complimentary. Also as part of the transaction we’re acquiring the business of Freeform plastics and the Highline manufacturing line”

Both Freeform Plastics, which builds plastic tanks for ag applications, and Highline, an implement brand, are divisions of Bourgault.

Hasenfratz said the focus at Linamar is on acquiring shortline equipment manufacturers that produce specialized products which the major manufacturers don’t hold a dominant market share in.

The deal saw Linamar buy 100 per cent equity in Bourgault for CAD $640 million. Current president Gerry Bourgault will step away from the company, although the remainder of the management team will remain in place.

Linamar said it doubled MacDon’s business if five years and hopes to do the same with Bourgault.

The post Linamar makes Bourgault buyout official appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

New 4WD unit sales in Canada grew 84.8 per cent year over year in November and 41.5 percent year to date, according to the Association of Equipment Managers.

In October, it reported Canadian sales of tractors above 100 horsepower were up 37.4 per cent compared to the same month in 2022. Sales of 4WD tractors were up 141 per cent in October, also compared to the same month in 2022.

However, the figures are a little deceptive, said John Schmeiser, CEO of the North American Equipment Dealers Association. That’s because farmers are finally receiving equipment ordered when the industry was still working through pandemic and strike-driven supply chain woes.

“The 4WD sales are definitely due to the delayed inventory of ordered equipment finally arriving, whereas the previous year’s sales were impacted by the pandemic and fewer unit numbers than what the market wanted were able to be delivered,” wrote Schmeiser in an email.

“So it looks good that there was an increase in sales, but in reality, the industry was getting caught up in delivering the units.”

Jim Wood, chief sales and operations officer with Calgary-based Rocky Mountain Equipment, agrees with Schmeiser that long-awaited deliveries make up the bulk of recent purchases.

“When you see big spikes like that, especially in this day and age and with production the way it was, it’s really just deliveries. They’re finally delivering stuff.”

However, producers still appear to have the confidence to buy, he added.

“We’ve sold all our four-wheel-drive production up until Q4 of next year, so I think that the farmers are confident. The pandemic brought on $24 canola, which brings on taxable income for farmers and cash receipts. So there is more demand because of commodity prices and things like that during COVID.”

Most farm equipment, new and used, is selling well at Rocky Mountain Equipment, said Wood.

“Combines are pretty consistent now and most other (equipment is) fairly consistent. Demand is still high. We sell as much used as we do new.”

Trading used for new has become a trend among customers thanks to the high value placed on pre-owned machinery, said Wood. Played right, it could mean paying a relatively small cash difference.

“As the new (equipment) goes up, your used value goes up. It’s the person that maybe had a 2022 combine and trades it on a new 2023 combine that are just paying that cash difference,” he said.

“Somebody buying a 2023 combine and trading in a 2014 combine, that’s where they’re going to see the huge price gap, because they’re 2014. They really didn’t see the same appreciation that a 2022 did.”

Kevin Kehler, vice-president of sales with Manitoba-based Greenvalley Equipment, said his business has had strong sales across all its product lines, including 4WD tractors.

While he concedes a lot of these sales stem from the lag between customers ordering equipment and receiving it, he said producers continue to place orders on 4WD tractors and other equipment.

“The long lead times to receive a new tractor are decreasing. It’s a good time to be in business and a good time to be in business as a farm producer as well.”

Overall, Kehler rates producers’ confidence as high when it comes to buying new equipment.

“We still have a number of new four-wheel-drive tractors on order that do not have delivery dates, so there’s still some new orders to fill.”

He attributes strong sales to strong cash receipts built on high commodity prices. However, commodity prices have weakened a bit over the past year.

“We see a spillover of income from some good crops and strong pricing over the last number of years. Do we anticipate that we could see a slight drop in demand? Yes. The reality is, we won’t be surprised if that happens,” he said.

“But at this moment, we have not seen demand drop for equipment. It’s extremely strong.”

Kehler would like to see more farmers trade in their used equipment and buy new at a cash difference. This would rebuild Greenvalley’s inventory of pre-owned equipment at a time when machines in that category are at a premium.

Strong sales aren’t due to lower equipment prices. Those have gone in the opposite direction, Scott Garvey reported in Grainews in early December.

According to the Manitoba government’s most recent cost of production guide, medium (160 to 224 horsepower) tractor prices have increased 35 per cent; large four-wheel drives (550+ hp) are up 28 per cent; Class 9 combines are up 27 per cent; high-clearance sprayers are up 31 per cent; and air drills are up 62 per cent, Garvey wrote.

Closer to home, calculations based on Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation’s latest report on farm input prices in the province reveal the average price of a new combine (Class 7, self-propelled, 323-374 hp) rose almost 20 per cent between November 2022 and November 2023. A 4WD tractor (325-375 hp) rose just over 20 per cent in the same time period.

Full equipment sales reports can be found in the Market Data section of the AEM website under Ag Tractor and Combine Reports.

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For one thing, operator visibility is restricted on the sides and especially to the rear, which can make avoiding obstacles difficult. Their low ground clearance can lead to problems in soft ground like in muddy corrals. And their slow travel speed makes it necessary to trailer them to locations that aren’t close to the farmyard.

Bobcat recently introduced a machine that has comparable lift capabilities to a top-end skid steer but overcomes those drawbacks. It’s the L95 compact wheel loader.

Jamison Wood, product development specialist at Bobcat, thinks it may be a better choice for many producers.

“Really, the first thing that stands out over a skid steer or compact track loader is the travel speed,” he said. The L95’s top speed of 38 km-h “is almost twice as fast as any skid steer we offer and a little bit more than twice as fast as what our track loaders can do.

“It avoids maybe having to trailer if you’re going to go retrieve bales. It can get across a yard more efficiently if you’re moving feed from one side to the other. In a farm or ranch application, the ground clearance is quite a bit better compared to a skid or track loader.”

The new L95 is the largest in Bobcat’s three-model compact wheel loader line, and it offers 75 horsepower and a 1.2 cubic yard bucket that can hoist a 1,805 kilogram load up to 3.2 metres.

“The improvements to the hydraulic capacity really help the machine perform with powered attachments under extreme loads,” he added.

Hydraulic flow rate is 27 gallons per minute.

The L95 is available with or without an enclosed cab, which can be equipped with a heated air-ride seat to smoothen out machine vibrations. The L95’s automatic ride control helps stabilize the bucket during travel over rough terrain to minimize spillage.

He said operators will find the visibility from the L95’s cab far better than what they could see in a skid steer.

“The other thing is where the operator sits in relation to the machine,” said Wood. “With a skid or track loader, you’re right on top of the bucket limiting your visibility when dumping into something like a feed wagon. With a wheel loader, the operator sits elevated with better visibility. You have a full glass cab all the way around you.”

A five-inch display screen inside the cab makes it possible to include an optional rear-view camera for more rear visibility. The L95 can connect with standard Bobcat attachments.

“We do have our power Bob-Tach design system on this,” said Wood.

“So from the operator seat you can open and close the Bob-Tach lever. If you’re using non-hydraulic powered attachments, you don’t even have to get out of the cab.”

Bobcat’s in-house turbo diesel engine mates to a two-range hydrostatic transmission for smooth speed changes, but drivers must come to a complete stop before changing to high or low. A telematic package is available.

“We have multiple packages depending on what a customer is looking to get out of their telematics,” Wood said.

He said the company is open for orders and the base L95 starts at around US$100,00 with an up charge of about $13,000 for the deluxe cab.

– Scott Garvey is a machinery editor for Glacier FarmMedia.

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“Linamar’s long term vision is to focus on six markets where we see significant market and technology evolution over the coming decades as a result of key global trends that are under way,” said Linda Hasenfratz, Linamar’s executive chair and CEO, during an online press conference. “Food and agriculture is a key market in this long-term vision, and we are rapidly enhancing our footprint in that market.

“I feel like our team has really hit it out of the park this year, finalizing three acquisitions. All three business bringing excellent technology to the table and strategic value.”

“We’re calling this our third down project,” added Jim Jarrell, Linamar president and COO. “This is the third short-line acquisition we’ve done to build our powerhouse company, to hit the strategy of feeding the world. If you go back to the day when we bought MacDon, this (Bourgault) was a clear target and discussion point we thought was complimentary. Also as part of the transaction we’re acquiring the business of Freeform plastics and the Highline manufacturing line”

Both Freeform Plastics, which builds plastic tanks for ag applications, and Highline, an implement brand, are divisions of Bourgault.

Hasenfratz said the focus at Linamar is on acquiring shortline equipment manufacturers that produce specialized products which the major manufacturers don’t hold a dominant market share in.

In the press release announcing the takeover, current Bourgault president Gerry Bourgault commented, “We are excited to have our team of over nine hundred people in Saskatchewan, and over one thousand worldwide, join the Linamar family. Linamar has a proven track record for not only successfully integrating acquired companies, but also for their manufacturing expertise and business execution overall.”

The deal will see Linamar take 100 per cent equity in Bourgault for CAD $640 million as current president Gerry Bourgault steps away from the company, although the remainder of the management team will remain in place.

“Bourgault is a company we’ve long had our eye on,” said Hasenfratz. “We like the technology. We like how the business is run and how it complimented our existing lineup of products. So we’ve been talking to them on and off. The timing was right. The family was ready to make an exit. It comes at a time when all of our business can complement and create growth.”

When it acquired MacDon, that company had sales of roughly $500 million, about the same as Bourgault does now. Linamar has managed to push MacDon’s current sales into the range of $1 billion. Hasenfratz expects to be able to achieve the same level of growth with Bourgault. She thinks the company can do that by increasing Bourgault’s global reach and cutting manufacturing costs by including it in Linemar’s current procurement processes.

“We have the ability to link and leverage our purchasing efforts,” confirmed Jarrell.

“We see excellent growth potential with the business,” Hasenfratz added. “It’s not dissimilar in size to what MacDon was when we acquired it five years ago. We are selling now in more than 30 countries with nearly 2,500 dealers and distributors around the world. We’ve really created quite a broad strategy around our agricultural products.”

The deal is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2024.

Said Hasenfratz: “We doubled MacDon’s business in five years. We hope to do the same with Bourgault.”

The post Bourgault becomes third shortliner acquired by Linamar since 2017 appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

On Nov. 21, the federal government argued for an adjustment to the Competition Act that would prevent manufacturers from denying farmers the means for device and product repair in an “anti-competitive manner.”

The item was part of the 2023 Fall Economic Statement.

John Schmeiser, CEO of the North American Equipment Dealers Association, said his organization was “bewildered” by the announcement.

“There is an industry solution and we’ve always maintained that an industry solution is much better than a legislative solution,” he said.

The “industry solution” is a memorandum of understanding signed by the American Farm Bureau Federation and North American equipment manufacturers earlier this year to supply farmers with diagnostic and repair codes, manuals and product guides.

However, the memorandum does not give equipment owners the right to modify machines, said Schmeiser. He fears legislative action in Canada may grant producers that permission at the expense of safety, functioning farm equipment and even the law.

“The tools aren’t available to a customer to change the software code. A customer would not be doing the same level of testing that a manufacturer would be, to determine what the downstream ramifications are of changing that code,” he said.

“If you alter the code in one area, what does it do to other parts of the tractor?”

Manufacturers will never make that level of access available to the consumer, he added.

Concerns

One of the equipment industry’s biggest concerns is that owners will circumvent Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) emissions systems. This is done using grey market “DEF delete” kits to boost horsepower on tractors and combines.

“Altering the emission system in any way on a diesel tractor is against the law in Canada. If you have wide open access to a tractor, you could be facilitating something that’s illegal right now,” Schmeiser said.

“It doesn’t make any sense that tools would be provided to help customers do something that would be illegal.”

Producers

Producer groups have a different perspective on the Nov. 21 announcement.

Grain Growers of Canada executive director Kyle Larkin said that “enabling growers to access essential tools and software for maintaining their equipment — such as tractors and combines — will foster a more equitable landscape between manufacturers and consumers.”

Larkin’s organization argued that right to repair, as suggested by the federal government, would enable producers to save time during critical points of the growing season.

Larkin added that more clarity is needed regarding what would be included under the amendment.

“The devil is going to be in the details,” he said. “Of course, we want agriculture equipment, tractors, combine, etc., to be included. It’s not precisely clear in the economic statement that it will be included.”

The right-to-repair lobby would also like to see amendments to the Copyright Act, said Larkin.

“One of the challenges that farmers have experienced is that a lot of the time manufacturers will stand behind their intellectual property and that’s what they’ll use to not offer farmers the access to tools and diagnostics information to actually repair their equipment themselves,” he said.

“They also hold back a lot of that software from independent shops.”

Larkin noted the GGC supports two private members bills (Bill C-244 and C-294) currently before the Senate. Both bills, if passed, would open the door to full right to repair in Canada.

Bill C-244, which was in its second reading as of press time, would amend the Copyright Act to allow circumvention of a technological protection measure in a computer program if the circumvention is solely for the purpose of the diagnosis, maintenance or repair of a product in which the program is embedded.

Bill C-294, also at second reading at the time of printing, would amend the Copyright Act to allow a person, in certain circumstances, to circumvent a technological protection measure to make a computer program interoperable with any device or component or with a product they manufacture.

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