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Read the entire transcript from the latest episode.
Tony Kramer: Hi, I'm Tony Kramer, your host of the Agriculture Technology Podcast. And I'm sitting down with agriculture technology and equipment experts to help you enhance your operation for today, tomorrow, and into the future. In this episode, I talk with Brian Verkuehlen about what the landscape of tractor offerings looks like today in the John Deere portfolio. With that, let's dive into the show.
Like I said, I'm here with Brian Verkuehlen. We're going to talk a little bit about how the landscape of tractors has changed over time and what that portfolio looks like within John Deere's product offerings, and what we can offer you as a customer here at RDO Equipment. So before we dive into the show, Brian, why don't you take a minute just to introduce yourself, tell us a little bit about who you are, where you come from, and what you do here at RDO.
Brian Verkuehlen: Yeah, good afternoon, everyone. I'm Brian Verkuehlen. I'm a general manager at the Moorhead location here in Moorhead, Minnesota. So I've been with RDO just short of 20 years and started here back in 2006 as kind of the first precision products manager, back when Deere was getting their AutoTrac solution to market. So I've been in multiple roles — regional sales manager, general manager of sales — and now currently over at the Moorhead location.
Tony Kramer: Wonderful. Well, glad to have you here. You bring with a long time of experience here — 20 years with RDO Equipment — and I'm sure prior to that, you probably had some touch of agriculture in your background. So you bring with some great experiences and some great knowledge on how this has changed over the 20 years. Even myself, being 15 years with RDO Equipment, it's changed so much in what we've seen and what we've done. Going back to, like you said, in 2006 when you started kind of on that technology team — or the AMS team, they called it back in the day — it’s even changed then. So why don't we just start out, and before we hit the record button here, Brian, you were talking a little bit about kind of how you've seen things change over time. Why don't you kind of go through that or walk through that process of how you feel we've changed and where we're going into the future with tractor offerings and how customers are looking at those offerings?
Brian Verkuehlen: Yeah, that's a good place to start. You look back in the glory days when tractors — '70s, '80s, and the '90s — you had your tillage tractor, you had your planting tractor, and they were pretty specific. Your four-wheel drive for that, your front-wheel assist or two-wheel drive for planting, and you had a smaller tractor for loader work and things like that. But you look today — I mean, we're pulling planters with 9RX tractors, which was typically your tillage tractor, and we're doing tillage with 8RX, high-horsepower, you know, 410-horsepower 8RX tractors. So really, there's a lot of opportunity in these operations to look at things differently today, and technology's driven a large part of that — with now even up to autonomy, changing the way we think about what we're going to do. You know, whether it's a smaller tractor and it runs all night, right? So a lot of changing happening there.
Tony Kramer: Yeah, you bring up a good point about — so let's go back and talk specifically about pulling planters with larger tractors. Now, where I grew up, where I'm originally from — South Central Minnesota — it was always you were pulling a planter with that 8R tractor. You had skinny tires to go in between the rows because you didn't want to be causing any unnecessary compaction, things like that. But in comes individual row hydraulic downforce. That gives us the ability to maybe plant into a wheel track or a track track if you're utilizing that type of a tractor, correct?
Brian Verkuehlen: Absolutely. Yes, correct.
Tony Kramer: So being able to do that, adding technologies like individual row hydraulic downforce or whatever that may be, it really opened the door to allow customers to do different things. The next one that you mentioned was tillage. So we always had our big tillage tractor — our 9R, our 9,000 tractor. I know there's other places in the United States or the world, the big tillage tractor is an 8R, but it really comes down to what your operation looks like. But you talked about moving into autonomous tillage and maybe changing the landscape of tillage. What do you foresee happening there? What do you think could potentially happen with size of tillage tools or size of tractors and how we could move forward with that?
Brian Verkuehlen: Well, it all comes down to, you know, optimizing what you have in your operation, right? And when you think about tractors in general, you know, you have your high-horsepower like we talked about before, but there's always at times — it seems like a need — it would be nice to have another 8R tractor, it'd be nice for, you know, to split the time up between these two operations that are going on at the same time. And that's where, you know, autonomous tillage really brings in those questions. And we talk with customers, you know, almost daily on what does that look like? How does that fit into your operation? If it's an 8R that you're sometimes short on in the spring or in the summer months, you know, is that your next tillage tractor? So you have that for tillage — autonomous tillage in the fall — and then you have it as kind of a fill-in during the spring and summer months.
Tony Kramer: One thing I also think kind of changed the landscape of what type or what size of tractors we use with tillage is just the continuing increase of horsepower with the different frame sizes. Tell our listeners a little bit about, you know, where we were 20 years ago with horsepowers and frame sizes, and where we can get to today with an 8 or a 9 Series tractor.
Brian Verkuehlen: Yeah, you start, you know, with the big dog out there right now — the new 9RX high-horsepower — you know, that's leading the group of the tractors. But as you work down now through the tractor list into your 8R, 7Rs — I mean, you have 300-horsepower 7Rs, so kind of a mid-size frame tractor instead of a large frame. And then you have 6Rs that are well up in the higher 200 horsepower. So having that portfolio to really, you know, mix and match on your operation — the horsepower needs for what you're looking at now. But then as things have changed and technology has driven a lot of change on the operations, we've got to be forward-thinking a lot further when you're making that purchase. You know, tractors aren't $100,000 anymore, you know, so when you're really thinking about what your cost of your operation is and what you need for equipment, we've got to think, you know, two or three years out. You know, is autonomous something in the future? Or is it this, is it that? You know, are you thinking a high-speed planter in the future? All those are in consideration now when we're thinking, you know, what's a tractor purchase look like?
Tony Kramer: Yeah, absolutely. Back to the planters again — you talk about, you know, if you're not in it today but you're looking to get into maybe an ExactEmerge planter solution — we're not pulling a 24-row planter with a 250-horse tractor anymore. Because if you're looking to get those increased speeds, we're looking upwards of those 370s, 410s in that realm. Or even like you said, there are regions out there pulling planters with 9R, 9RXs, and that's upwards of the 640 horse. So having a plan and making sure we're not — the other thing you said is tractors aren't $100,000 anymore. So we want to make sure we're not investing — or we're not writing that check — for a half-a-million-dollar tractor that's only going to be used for maybe one operation for, let's call it, a month and a half out of the year. Maybe try to work with your dealership, work with your RDO account manager to find the right solution that you can make work long-term for you.
Brian Verkuehlen: Absolutely. You know, when we talk tractors, we always talk about creature comforts and all the things that are nice and frilly and whatever else. But really, the conversation has shifted quite a bit. A lot of the tractors are all the same now. It doesn't matter if it's a 6R, 7R, 8R, 9R — you know, the look, the feel, the touch is all the same, right? So now we really, really are honing in on what is that tractor going to do? How do we optimize your operation with that tractor, and what does the future look like?
Tony Kramer: Absolutely. And when we talk about what that future looks like and what you're hoping to do, let's talk a little bit about technology and the few different technology offerings — whether it's some of the integrated stuff we can get or some of the universal stuff. There are still operations out there that prefer that flexibility of universal components. Let's talk a little bit about that and what we can do for customers there within these tractors.
Brian Verkuehlen: Yeah. So, you know, I think technology-wise, we've seen — with tractors specifically — AutoTrac Turn Automation has been huge. AutoPath has been something that we've adopted around the area, and it's been highly successful. Customers really, really love that option when it comes to their tractors. And being, yeah, like you said, flexible to move components — that's still part of it. Yeah, we have a lot of customers. We have a package where we can put a display and a receiver on competitive stuff. Modems — we talk about that. I mean, we're lighting up the whole farm. We're putting modems into — if you have a mixed fleet — we can get it into other machines, we can get it into your trucks, we can get it into your vehicles. So you really can get everything down to one central place, which is the Operations Center — John Deere Operations Center. So, you know, technology-wise, there's new stuff coming every — it seems like every three or four months there's something new being worked on. But it's really coming at a fast pace. So how are you prepared for that as well? Are you setting yourself up equipment-wise to utilize what's all out there for technology today?
Tony Kramer: Yeah, that's a great point you bring up — setting yourself up, making that plan. Because, you know, you get into that ExactEmerge planter or you get into that bigger tillage tool — you don't, or I should say, you have the idea to get into that or go down that road. It's not just a “buy that tillage tool” or “buy that planter” and we're good. You need to look at the technology, the equipment, all of that stuff. You bring up the displays, receivers, things like that. There's a lot of technologies that are based off of the new G5 platform. And so maybe you've got a fleet of Gen 4 machines on your farm. We also have the ability to upgrade those machines with the Precision Upgrade kits — getting a G5 integrated display into those machines. And maybe you keep that tractor for another season or two in making a plan to get to that next one. But like you said, it's kind of become a repetitive comment in this episode, but it's making a plan — having an idea of where you're at today and where you want to go tomorrow with any technology or equipment that you're getting into. Correct?
Brian Verkuehlen: Correct. You know, and you bring up a good thing with the Gen 5 display and that flexibility to upgrade. You know, with Deere thinking ahead on that one — if you have Gen 5 in your operation and you look to pick up a used piece of equipment that was Gen 4 — we can upgrade, right? Keep everything on the same platform. And it's a very robust platform, very user-friendly. And it's really going to be the future of John Deere's technology is that platform.
Tony Kramer: And I mean, obviously we have the basic things about, you know, horsepower we talked about. One of the things I've always thought was really cool about the John Deere portfolio and the offerings that we have is John Deere being the only manufacturer in the market to offer wheels, two tracks, and four tracks when it comes to our 8s and our 9s. I think that offers a lot of flexibility for our customer base — finding the right machine for them in terms of what they're looking to do.
Brian Verkuehlen: And it really comes down to, you know, the landscape, right? You know, you find pockets where you're heavily two-track tractor, and then some where it's more wheels. And 9RX coming on and 8RX coming on have changed the game again for us — to get into even more horsepower than we could with our RTs. But it really comes down to soil types, where you're at. You know, there is still a little bit of “well, that's how it's worked in the past, so that's how we're still going to do it.” But it's taking the opportunity — and through demos — to try the different platforms. And we've seen a shift to 9RX from 9R wheel. But we still have the pockets that are heavy 9RT — that's just the soil type, the conditions. That's what works the best and provides the best outcome for the crops and efficiencies for the customer.
Tony Kramer: Yeah. And then on top of that is also the transmission offerings that John Deere has. So there's those few different transmission offerings. Why don't we just touch on those real quick — what the customers have options of?
Brian Verkuehlen: Yeah. So you get, you know, in your high-horsepower 9Rs — more mechanical transmissions and those 18-speed transmissions. You get into the 8R, 7Rs — that's where things change up a little bit. We have, you know, the IVT transmission has been the most popular since it was introduced. I couldn't tell you what year that was, but IVT goes back even to some 7800 Series tractors. But, you know, EVT is the new one that's out on the market. It's been out for a couple of years now. As we transitioned into the higher horsepower, it was evident that the IVT could only sustain so much. And so now having the EVT — the Electric Variable Transmission — is the newest offering. It performs, it acts — it's basically the same as the IVT — but we're getting rid of that hydro pump in there and going with an electric motor.
Tony Kramer: Absolutely. And then one of the other cool things that a lot of people may not know about with this EVT is the ability to — and we don't have, there's not a ton of offerings right now on the market — but the ability to off-board power with this Electric Variable Transmission. And right now, I know Sputnik has a harvester — the Sputnik AirSep harvester. You can plug this in electrically into the tractor, and you're feeding that air separator fan on the Sputnik harvester, but you're just using this electric transmission to power that. So I know in Europe they have slurry tankers that you can have powered wheels on, but right now those are kind of the off-board solutions that are out there. But I would say keep your eyes peeled, look to the future. I'm sure there'll be more things coming from — whether it be John Deere or some of these third-party manufacturers out there — with the ability to utilize that electric power within the EVT tractor.
Brian Verkuehlen: Yeah, on-board power generation is the future. And as you’ve looked across the landscape and even just in Deere’s portfolio, the electrification is real. That’s what has happened. And you look at air carts now — we can upgrade the air carts with the new metering system. Those are electronic motors, electric motors. You look at the ExactEmerge planters — the industry is moving to electrification when it comes to that standpoint. Hydraulics has worked, it’s worked in the past, but the needs in what we’re doing on the implements has changed considerably. There’s more demand — more than you can produce through hydraulics on the tractors. And electric is simple, and it’s efficient. So that’s the way to go. And that’s where you see Deere coming with the EVT transmission and electrification and on-board power generation.
Tony Kramer: So as we talked here, Brian, there’s so many more things to think about these days when it comes to tractor purchases — or implement purchases, for that matter. We’re not just buying horsepower, iron, and paint anymore. There’s a lot more to think about. So if you could tell your customer base, our customer base, or anybody out there listening to this podcast — what are things they need to think about going into a purchase conversation?
Brian Verkuehlen: It starts with that thinking. It really does. Kind of understanding, working with your account manager, knowing where the direction of your operation is going, and knowing what opportunities are out there to be more efficient on your operation and reduce risk — things like that. So it starts with planning. It starts with planning with your account manager, for us, having some good conversations around where that two-, three-, four-year plan looks like, and then starting to feed in the possibilities of looking at what you have for powered equipment. Does this make sense in the future? Or should we be looking down this path, taking and adopting this new technology, and then utilizing this for a tractor and how that fits into the grand scheme?
Tony Kramer: Yeah, definitely come up with a plan. Talk with anybody involved in your operation. Come in, talk to your RDO account manager, your local John Deere dealer, and have a plan. Don’t just go in saying, “Hey, we need this,” and not understanding or knowing where you want to go into the future. So Brian, if anybody out there wants to learn more about any of these offerings or have a talk about purchasing something, where can they go? Who can they talk to?
Brian Verkuehlen: Definitely go to rdoequipment.com if you’ve got some questions. There’s some good links and good information in there. These podcasts are great things to listen to when you have time and learn what’s happening in the industry. Or call your dealer, call RDO Equipment, work with your account manager on what’s today and what’s tomorrow, and really hone in on what that plan looks like for the future.
Tony Kramer: Yeah, definitely don’t forget about tomorrow — what that plan looks like into the future. We can often think or kind of pause in the here and now, thinking about what we want to do today. But look forward, look into the future about where you want your operation to go. So Brian, I just want to say thank you for taking the time out of your day to sit down and chat with me about what this landscape looks like and how it’s changed over time. And again, we’re not just buying iron and horsepower anymore — there’s a lot more pieces to think about. So thanks for doing this.
Brian Verkuehlen: Yeah, no, thanks for having me. And we come back six months from now — it’ll probably change again.
Tony Kramer: I would agree with that. Please take a moment to subscribe to this podcast if you haven’t already. You can subscribe to the show on the many different podcasting apps that we’re streaming this out to, such as Apple, Google, Spotify. While you’re out there, drop us a review — we’d love to hear what you think about the show. And finally, make sure to follow RDO Equipment Company on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and catch all of our latest videos on YouTube.
Tony Kramer
Tony Kramer is the Product Manager of Planting Technology and a Certified Crop Advisor at RDO Equipment Co. He is also the host of the Agriculture Technology podcast. If you have any questions for Tony or would like to be a guest on the podcast, email agtechpodcast@rdoequipment.com, or connect with him on LinkedIn.
