U.S. farm tractor retail sales fell 21.6% year over year in May 2026, while self-propelled combine sales fell 56.1%, according to preliminary monthly unit counts reported by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Through the first five months of the year, sales were also below the same period in 2025: tractors by 12.4% and combines by 14.6%.
How much did tractor and combine sales fall in May?
AEM reported 16,815 U.S. farm tractors sold in May 2026, compared with 21,461 in May 2025. The 4,646-unit difference represents a 21.6% year-over-year decline. Self-propelled combine sales were 138, down from 314 a year earlier—a decline of 176 units, or 56.1%.
| Equipment category | May 2026 units | May 2025 units | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm tractors | 16,815 | 21,461 | Down 21.6% |
| Self-propelled combines | 138 | 314 | Down 56.1% |
These figures are retail unit counts, not dollar sales. The combine decline was steeper as a percentage, but tractors and combines are different equipment categories with very different numbers of units sold; the percentages do not mean the same number of machines was lost.
Source: AEM’s May 2026 sales release.
Which tractor sizes saw the biggest declines?
All four tractor classes in AEM’s May report were below their May 2025 levels. The largest percentage drop was among 2WD tractors under 40 horsepower; the smallest was among 2WD tractors rated at 100 horsepower or more.
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| Tractor class | May 2026 change from May 2025 |
|---|---|
| 2WD, under 40 HP | Down 24.7% |
| 2WD, 40 to under 100 HP | Down 15.4% |
| 2WD, 100+ HP | Down 10.3% |
| 4WD | Down 18.2% |
The report groups 2WD tractors into three horsepower bands and lists 4WD tractors separately. Its total tractor count includes both 2WD and 4WD units. Source: AEM’s May 2026 release.
How did sales look through May?
The year-to-date figures compare January through May 2026 with January through May 2025. They show declines in both categories, but they are cumulative changes and should not be confused with May’s larger month-only drops.
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| Equipment category | January–May 2026 units | January–May 2025 units | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farm tractors | 70,779 | 80,839 | Down 12.4% |
| Self-propelled combines | 1,066 | 1,248 | Down 14.6% |
Source: AEM’s May 2026 U.S. Ag Tractor and Combine Report.
What these figures measure—and what they do not
AEM’s monthly U.S. Ag Tractor and Combine report compiles the previous month’s retail unit sales using data reported by member companies through proprietary statistical reporting programs. AEM describes the figures as preliminary monthly retail sales of agricultural equipment. They are an indicator of reported new-equipment retail activity, not a count of dollar revenue, orders, production, all dealer inventory, or used-equipment transactions.
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The figures also do not establish why sales fell. AEM Senior Vice President Curt Blades said the May reports reflected “the ongoing uncertainty and softness in this market,” and connected the figures to farmers’ financial conditions and depressed commodity prices. That is an industry executive’s interpretation, not a causal finding demonstrated by the sales table. The reviewed releases do not establish a cause or forecast what happens next. The statement appears in AEM’s May release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.May was not the latest available month
May is the month addressed by these figures, but AEM later reported July 2026 results. In that release, U.S. tractor sales were down 10.9% and combine sales down 5.3% from July 2025. Those later comparisons do not revise May’s results; they provide a separate month’s year-over-year reading. Source: AEM’s July 2026 release, published August 14, 2026.
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