Agriculture Machinery for Sale: Where to Buy, What to Pay

Agriculture machinery for sale reaches buyers through five main routes: new-equipment dealers, dealer used lots, auctions (on-site and online), government surplus sales and private sellers on listing sites, or you can hire a contractor instead. Prices are high and still sit well above pre-2020 levels: the USDA tractor price index rose 21% from 2020 to 2023, according to a farmdoc daily analysis of NASS data from the University of Illinois. A late-model used machine at auction often sells for roughly 70% to 75% of the new dealer price, so the route you choose matters as much as the model.

This guide ranks the main places to buy farm machinery, shows dated auction results with their basis, explains used versus new prices, and gives you a calculator to test whether owning a machine beats hiring a contractor. It is written for farm owners and managers in the US, Canada, the UK, Europe and Australia. If you need money to buy, our separate tractor loan guide covers finance; if you are looking at repossessed units, see our repossessed tractor guide.

Where to buy agriculture machinery: six routes ranked

We ranked the routes by how much protection the buyer gets for the price paid. The first routes cost more but carry warranties and service. The later routes can be cheaper, but you carry more of the risk.

1. New-equipment dealers

Best for: farms that need uptime, warranty cover and dealer service during planting and harvest.

A dealer sells new machines at list price less any discount or trade-in allowance. You get a factory warranty, set-up and a parts counter nearby. The downside is cost. The list price of the combine used in the University of Illinois cost budgets rose from $587,000 in 2021 to $741,000 in 2023, a 26% jump, according to farmdoc daily. Always ask for the out-the-door price, which includes freight, set-up and tax, not only the list price.

2. Dealer used and certified pre-owned lots

Best for: buyers who want a lower price than new but still want an inspection and a short warranty.

Dealers resell trade-ins and lease returns. Many inspect and recondition them first. Prices are dealer asks, which are higher than auction results for the same model, but you usually get a known service history. Ask whether the unit came from a trade-in, a lease return or a repossession, and what the warranty covers in writing.

3. Live and online farm auctions

Best for: experienced buyers who can inspect a machine and set a firm price limit before bidding.

Farm retirement sales, dealer clearance sales and lender sales all run through auction companies. Online timed sales close lot by lot over several days and often include photos, inspection notes and engine-start videos. Remember the buyer fee. For example, Ritchie Bros. lists a US buyer fee of 10% on winning bids of $30,000 or less, 5.5% from $30,000 to $75,000 and a flat $4,125 above $75,000 for events opening on or after 1 August 2026, per its buyer fees page. Most auctions sell “as is, where is”, so there is no warranty.

4. Government surplus sales

Best for: small farms and hobby farms looking for mowers, utility tractors and trailers.

In the US, federal agencies sell surplus equipment through GSA Auctions. States, counties and universities run their own sales. Machines are often fleet units with maintenance records, but sizes tend to be small and models older.

5. Private sellers and listing sites

Best for: buyers who know the machine type well and can check ownership papers.

Listing sites carry machines from dealers, auction houses and private sellers. Private sales can be the cheapest route, but you must check for liens (a lender’s claim on the machine), stolen equipment and hidden faults yourself. Pay through a traceable method and get a written bill of sale.

6. Renting or hiring a contractor

Best for: machines you use only a few days a year, such as a disc plough, a baler or a grain cart.

Not every job needs a machine you own. Custom operators charge per acre. The University of Wisconsin custom rate survey for 2025 found an average of $22.13 per acre for chisel plowing and $51.08 per acre for combining corn, including grain cart and local hauling. The calculator further down compares owning with hiring on your own numbers.

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New, used or hired: a quick comparison

The table sums up the trade-offs. Costs depend on the machine, region and season, so treat it as a checklist rather than a price list.

One more point: a machine you own is ready when the weather is right. A contractor serves many farms and may arrive late. For planting and harvest, that timing can be worth more than the cost difference, so weigh both.

Chart

Average custom rates, Wisconsin

$ per acre, 2025 survey averages, selected operations

Agriculture machinery prices: what new and used units cost

Machinery prices climbed fast after 2020. The NASS tractor prices-paid index was set at 100 in 2011. It rose to 114 by 2020, then to 123 in 2021, 131 in 2022 and 138 in 2023, as summarised by farmdoc daily (October 2025). That 21% rise in three years compares with 14% over the nine years before it.

Chart

US tractor prices-paid index

Index, 2011 = 100, selected years

Those higher prices flow straight into farm costs. On central Illinois corn farms in the Illinois Farm Business Farm Management records, machinery-related costs rose from $136 per acre in 2021 to $171 per acre in 2024, a 25% increase. Depreciation was the largest part, up from $69 to $87 per acre.

Used versus new: the 70 to 75% guide

Auction analyst Greg Peterson (Machinery Pete) uses a simple rule of thumb: a well-kept, late-model used machine at auction should sell for roughly 70% to 75% of the dealer advertised price for the same machine new. In June 2025 he reported an average auction price of $334,578 for a used John Deere 8R 410 against an average new dealer price of $450,430, a ratio of about 76%. Treat the ratio as a guide, not a rule. Hours, condition, options and region all move the price.

Chart

Machinery costs per acre, central Illinois corn

$ per acre, Illinois FBFM farms on high-productivity farmland

Recent auction results for used tractors

Auction prices are the closest thing to a real market price for used equipment, because they show what a buyer actually paid. In September 2026, a farm retirement auction in Gretna, Nebraska, sold a 2018 John Deere 8295R with 655 hours for $270,000, and a BigIron dealer auction sold a 2025 John Deere 8R 250 with 991 hours for $241,500, as reported in AgWeb’s Pete’s Pick of the Week. These are single sale results, not averages. Use them to sense the range, then look up results for the exact model, hours and region you want.

Why sales volumes matter to buyers

New sales have been slow, which can help buyers negotiate. US farm tractor sales were 15,985 units in July 2026, and year-to-date sales were down 13.1% from a year earlier, according to AEM data reported by Farm Policy News at the University of Illinois. Four-wheel-drive tractor sales fell hardest. When dealers carry more stock, discounts and finance offers tend to improve, so ask more than one dealer for a quote.

Chart

Tractor auction prices, two US farm sales

$ winning bid, single sale results, September 2026

Key types of agriculture machinery and what to check

Every machine type has its own wear points. Use this list as a starting point for inspection, then follow the maker’s service manual.

• Tractors: engine hours, blow-by, hydraulic leaks, transmission shifting under load, PTO function and tyre wear.
• Combines: separator hours as well as engine hours, rotor and concave wear, feeder house chains, and the yield monitor.
• Planters and drills: seed meter condition, disc opener wear, row unit bushings and monitor wiring.
• Sprayers: boom welds and breakaways, pump condition, nozzle bodies and the rate controller.
• Tillage tools and disc ploughs: blade diameter against new, bearings, frame cracks and hitch wear.
• Hay and forage tools: knotters, belts, bearings and the pickup.

Precision features add value only if they work with your other equipment. Check that GPS receivers, displays and software gains transfer with the machine, and whether subscriptions need to be renewed by the new owner. Good crop protection depends on sprayer accuracy, so test a used sprayer’s rate controller before you pay.

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How to buy farm machinery in seven steps

1. Define the job. Write down acres, crop, working width and the days the machine must work.
2. Check owning against hiring. Use the calculator below with a local custom rate.
3. Set a total budget. Include buyer fees, tax, transport, set-up and a repair reserve.
4. Search more than one route. Compare dealer asks with recent auction results for the same model and hours.
5. Inspect, or pay someone to. Ask for service records, oil samples and a test under load where you can.
6. Check ownership. Search the lien record (in the US, a UCC search with the state) and match serial numbers.
7. Arrange finance and insurance before you bid or sign. Know your rate and payment in advance.

Is owning agriculture machinery cheaper than hiring?

The University of Illinois notes that combines are typically the single largest machinery investment on a farm, and that per-acre combine cost falls sharply as acres rise. In its 2025 budgets, combining corn on 3,600 acres with new equipment cost $43.40 per acre. Its benchmark for economical combine use is at least 3,000 acres a year. Below that, hiring or buying used may cost less.

The calculator spreads the yearly cost of owning a machine over the acres it covers, then compares it with a custom rate. It counts depreciation, interest on the money tied up and repairs. It leaves out fuel, labour, insurance and housing, so add those if they apply to you.

Try the numbers for your own farm below.

Buying in Canada, the UK and Australia

The same routes exist outside the US, with local differences. In Canada, dealer networks and farm auctions work much like they do south of the border, but check that a US-sourced machine meets Canadian rules and budget for duty, brokerage and exchange-rate costs before you buy across the border. In the UK and Europe, check that a used tractor has its registration documents and that its road speed, lights and brakes meet the rules for road use. In Australia, large clearing sales and online auctions carry much of the used trade, and long distances make transport a big part of the landed cost.

Wherever you buy, ask the same questions: who owns the machine, what work it has done, what it needs next, and what it will cost to get it home and into the field. Check local tax, import and road rules, or get professional advice, before you commit to a purchase across a border.

A note on disc ploughs and tillage tools

Tillage tools such as disc ploughs and disc harrows are simple machines, which makes them good candidates for buying used. Measure blade diameter against the new size, spin every bearing by hand and look for cracks near welds. Many farms now till less, so ask yourself whether you need to own one at all; at the Wisconsin survey rates shown above, hiring a few days of disc work a year may cost less than owning the tool.

Financing and tax points

Dealer and maker finance offers can include low rates during sales events. Compare them with bank and government options. In the US, the USDA Farm Service Agency set its direct farm operating loan rate at 5.375% effective 1 October 2026. Operating loans can be used to buy equipment. A lower headline rate is not always cheaper if it comes with a higher purchase price, so compare the total cost.

Machinery is a depreciable business asset. The IRS explains depreciation, the section 179 deduction and special depreciation for farm property in Publication 225, the Farmer’s Tax Guide. Rules differ in Canada, the UK and Australia. Tax rules change, so check with a tax adviser before you buy for tax reasons. Our page on crop loans and insurance covers how lenders and insurers use farm data.

Selling or trading in your old machine

Most buyers also have a machine to sell. A trade-in is simple, but the dealer allowance is usually set against the price of the new unit, so compare it with what the machine might bring at auction after fees. Clean the machine, gather service records and fix small faults before listing. Sell before the season when demand for that machine type peaks: planters before spring, combines before harvest.

Used machinery and sustainability

A used machine that is well maintained can do the same work as a new one at a lower cost. Keeping machines working longer also spreads the energy and materials used to build them over more years. The trade-off is that older engines may use more fuel and meet older emission standards. Newer machines with auto-steer and section control can cut overlaps in spraying and seeding.

Right to repair also affects used values. In January 2025, the US Federal Trade Commission and two states filed a lawsuit against John Deere over repair restrictions, as reported by DTN Progressive Farmer. Ask any seller which diagnostic tools and software a machine needs, and whether an independent shop can service it.

Mechanisation has changed farming over many decades. Our story on how mechanized farm equipment changed Texas farming covers that history, and our guide to sustainable farming practices covers ways to cut input use.

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Buying online: platforms and checks

Most buyers now start their search online, even if they buy in person. Listing sites, dealer websites and online auctions let you compare many units in one evening. Use them to build a price list for the model you want, with year, hours and location. Then call sellers to ask what the listing leaves out.

• Ask for the serial number and check it against the maker’s records and the lien search.
• Ask for recent photos with today’s date in the shot, and a video of a cold start.
• Never send a deposit to a private seller you cannot verify. Scammers copy real listings.
• Get transport quotes before you bid. Hauling a large machine across states can add thousands of dollars.

Where Farmonaut fits

Buying the right size of machine starts with knowing your fields: how many acres you plant, which zones yield well and where work is wasted. The Farmonaut Satellite + AI Farm Monitoring System shows satellite crop-health maps for each field through the season, on the web app and mobile apps. Larger operations can use fleet management to track where machines work.

Related pages on our site: agro admin app, carbon footprinting, product traceability, satellite and weather API docs.

How we checked the numbers

Prices in this guide come from named, dated sources. Index values and per-acre costs come from University of Illinois farmdoc daily (October 2025). Custom rates come from the University of Wisconsin 2025 survey. Auction prices come from AgWeb’s Pete’s Pick of the Week and are single sale results, not averages. Dealer prices are advertised asks, not transaction prices. Buyer fees and loan rates are from the Ritchie Bros. and USDA FSA pages as of October 2026. Prices change, so check them on the day you buy.

FAQ

Where is the best place to buy agriculture machinery?

It depends on the risk you can carry. Dealers cost more but give warranty and service. Auctions and private sales are often cheaper, but you take on inspection and ownership checks yourself. Many buyers check auction results first, then negotiate with a dealer.

How much cheaper is used farm machinery than new?

Machinery Pete’s rule of thumb is that a well-kept, late-model used machine sells at auction for about 70% to 75% of the new dealer price. Older, high-hour machines sell for much less. Always compare the same model, hours and options.

Are farm machinery prices still rising?

The NASS tractor price index rose from 114 in 2020 to 138 in 2023, per farmdoc daily, and per-acre machinery costs kept rising through 2024. New tractor sales slowed in 2026, which can improve dealer discounts.

Should I buy or hire a machine I use only a few days a year?

Often hiring is cheaper for low-use machines. Use the calculator above: if your ownership cost per acre is above the local custom rate, hiring wins on cost. Timeliness also matters, because a contractor may not come on the day you need.

What fees apply at a farm equipment auction?

Most auctions charge a buyer fee on top of the winning bid, plus sales tax where it applies. Ritchie Bros. US fees range from 10% on small lots to a flat $4,125 above $75,000 for events from 1 August 2026. Add transport and a repair reserve.