Essential Farm Machinery – July 2026

Essential Farm

covering East Anglia and the Midlands

machines at Cereals 2026

JCB showcased the new 335hp Fastrac 6300 at last month’s Cereals event – with the tractor starring alongside the company’s most productive materials handling machines for efficient grain, bulk fertiliser and bale handling.

JCB’s familiar Fastrac concept is well-known for its combination of power, traction, speed and four-wheel steer agility. The new 6300 machine

Essential Farm Machinery

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was a big draw at the two-day event, help at Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm in Oxfordshire

The latest Fastrac is designed to provide the best operator comfort over long working days while ensuring sure-footed field work and road travel – legally at up to 66kph thanks to suspended axles and a braking system to commercial vehicle standards.

The new Fastrac 6300, however, de-

Essential Farm Machinery is published monthly for farmers and growers in the eastern counties and the Midlands. It is mailed with Anglia Farmer and Midland Farmer magazines and is also available at selected farm machinery and supplies outlets.

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The latest Fastrac from JCB proved a big attraction at the Cereals event.

livers more power in a relatively compact and manoeuvrable package ideally suited to arable farming cultivation, drilling and transport operations.

Stepless transmission

Features include a new engine and stepless transmission combination performance-matched to deliver smooth speed transitions and efficient power and torque delivery.

Up in the cab, the highly-configurable touch-screen iCON control centre offers ISOBUS implement operation and comprehensive factory-installed precision farming features.

These include a multi-mode guidance system with a choice of automated headland turn patterns and a unique twin satellite receiver installation that provides reliable accuracy, especially over rolling terrain.

Trailed sprayer

In addition to the example available for close inspection on JCB’s exhibit, a second Fastrac 6300 took an Amazone trailed sprayer around the Sprays & Sprayers arena, while a pair of 235hp Fastrac 4220s performed with demount sprayers.

JCB’s materials handing range, which encompasses loading shovels, telescopic wheeled loaders and telehandlers, with features such as builtin weighing and automated functions that make these machines more productive.

JCB’s Loadall 560-80 is the bulk loading and re-handling specialist in the range, now available to AGRI Pro specification with a 40kph version of the highly-efficient DualTech VT part hydrostatic, part powershift transmission and an uprated driveline Heavy-duty axles, 500mm-wide tyres and hydraulic power braking to both axles are part of the upgrade package, while a 14% increase in flow to 160-litre/min provides even faster cycle times.

Veg firm takes delivery of new forklift trucks

Lincolnshire vegetable producer AH Worth has taken delivery of nine new forklift trucks.

The nine Toyota forklifts were delivered by Skegness-based company Truckmasters Handling to the company’s Fosdyke site on Thursday 11 June, strengthening the equipment available to its teams.

The new fleet includes six Toyota 8FGF25 2.5-tonne gas trucks and three Toyota 9FBE16T 1.6-tonne electric trucks, each tailored to the demands of a busy fresh produce environment.

Three of the gas trucks have been fitted with advanced onboard weighing systems, making real-time weighing a key feature of the investment, which is designed to increase efficiency and safety across the company.

Established in 1895, Spaldingbased AH Worth supplies vegetables including cavolo nero, kale, spinach and leeks to national retail, foodservice, wholesale and food manufacturing customers.

Fosdyke Farms managing director Matt Walton said: “The safety and wellbeing of our teams is always a priority,

Matt Walton (left) from AH Worth takes delivery of the forklift trucks from Andy Rawlins of Truckmasters

and this investment gives our operators the equipment they need to work safely, comfortably and efficiently.

“The new fleet has been specified for the realities of a busy fresh produce operation, from camera systems and safety lighting to onboard weighing technology.”

The advanced onboard weighing systems enable loads to be weighed in real time while on the forks, helping to streamline internal flows by reducing the need for separate weighing stages, double handling and unnecessary vehicle movements.

The system also supports consistently accurate load weights, helping to minimise product giveaway, prevent overloading and maintain tight-

Tailored to the demands of a busy fresh produce environment

Mr Walton.

By combining fewer movements with precise, repeatable weight readings, the technology is designed to support lower operating costs and more reliable day-to-day handling. One gas truck includes a 360-degree rotator for controlled tipping.

The gas trucks are also fitted with front, rear and in-cab camera systems to improve visibility, alongside LED safety lights which display a safety zone around the truck.

Fendt showcases new tractors in Scotland

The new Fendt 800 Gen 5 and the next generation 700 Gen 7.1 series tractors were showcased at last month’s Royal Highland Show.

The fifth generation 800 Vario includes three models: the 826, 829 and 832 with Power+, Profi and Profi+ specifications available. The range features Fendt’s Dynamic Performance added power concept – with boost of 23 horsepower (17 kW).

The latest Fendt Katana 850 forager features a revised crop flow and reversible fan with variable fan blade pitch technology. This technology can reduce cooling draws by up to 20kW with a ‘cooling on demand’ principle.

Lower maintenance

“The 850 has an 18L Liebherr in-line 6-cylinder engine which provides 847 horsepower and has been engineered to optimise torque characteristics while reducing maintenance costs,” says Fendt’s Ed Dennett.

“This is partly achieved through

Eco Mode, a fuel-saving system which maintains the running speed of the chopping cylinder at a reduced engine speed.”

Fendt’s updated 700 Gen7.1 Vario range includes the 720, 722, 724 and 726. All now benefit from Fendt‘s Dynamic Performance, providing an additional 20 horsepower to the whole range, a feature previously only available on the most powerful 728.

“The 700 Vario range now offers from 203 to 303 horsepower. With Power, Power+, Profi and Profi+ specifications, this offers operators a sliding scale of specifications that sit between the 600 Vario and the newly released 800 Vario.”

The popular 600 series will be on the Fendt stand and will appeal to operators looking for a lightweight powerful tractor. The four models in the range include the 614, 616, 618 and 620, offering power outputs from 149hp to 209hp.

The 600 Vario range is powered

The Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals Charity (1048170) supports better care for NHS patients at the N&N, Cromer & District and Jenny Lind Children’s Hospitals. It does this by providing resources, over and above what the NHS must and should fund.

Change starts with a will.

Help bring life-changing low-dose x ray imaging to young patients

The N&N Hospitals Charity is urgently appealing for donations to help fund a low-dose X ray imaging system that will transform care for children and young people with scoliosis and other complex conditions at the N&N.

A gift in your will could provide transport for vulnerable patients, give a palliative care patient a complementary therapy treatment or protect a child with scoliosis from radiation exposure. Write or update your will for free today.

While many supporters choose to include a gift in their will to N&N Hospitals Charity, there is no obligation to do so when using this service.

Claim your free will today:

Scan the QR code Or call 020 4525 3605 and quote Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals

The charity aims to raise £841,500 to purchase the state-of-the-art EOSedge low dose imaging system. Children with scoliosis typically undergo frequent X rays to monitor curvature of the spine, resulting in repeated exposure to ionising radiation. The EOSedge system reduces radiation doses by up to 86%, dramatically lowering longterm risks while producing clearer, more detailed images to support diagnosis and surgical planning.

The N&N Hospitals Charity is calling on local residents, businesses, community groups and supporters across Norfolk and beyond to rally behind this vital appeal and help protect children now and for generations to come.

Updates for next generation 8-series tractor

John Deere has introduced the next generation of its 8R, 8RT and 8RX tractors, designed to deliver higher productivity, greater efficiency and improved ease of operation in the 280-410 hp segment.

Updated models for 2027 are available as 8R tractors from 280 to 410 hp and as 8RT and 8RX models from 310 to 410 hp. The updated tractors combine strong drawbar performance with enhanced cab comfort and advanced precision farming capabilities.

This makes them a powerful and versatile solution for demanding large-scale farming operations with tasks ranging from heavy pull to semiload applications and occasional transport, says John Deere.

Performance

With up to 20% more drawbar power, the 8R 410 delivers strong pulling performance for heavy draft applications, allowing operators to work with wider implements and cover more hectares efficiently.

Across the range from 280 to 410

trol are central to the new design of the 8 series. The updated CommandView 4 cab introduces a range of improvements aimed at reducing fatigue and simplifying daily operation.

Features

New features include door cinch softclose technology, push-button start with pin code protection, 320° wiper and wireless phone charging.

The standard convenience display allows operators to store and recall personalised settings for seat position, climate control and infotainment.

The next-generation seat offers electronic controls for both seat and CommandARM. On the 8RX models, the new CommandView 4 Plus cab removes the right-hand console, increasing legroom by 15% and improving side visibility to the implement by 20%.

“When developing the new 8 series cab, we deliberately put the driver and the needs of large farms at the centre of every decision,” said John Deere market manager Marcus Luchmann.

The updated cab has a range of improvements

Operation

The new 8 series is engineered to meet operational requirements in a balanced package. Independent tests show up to 35% higher productivity in partialload and combined applications, enabling higher output and the efficient use of wider implements.

Thanks to its efficient drivetrain and favourable weight distribution, the tractor can operate large implements economically, often without the need for additional ballast. Intelligent Power Management (IPM) ensures the tractor delivers exactly the power required, maximising efficiency when full output isn’t needed.

The Central Tyre Inflation System (CTIS) – or the four-track 8RX configuration – further minimises ground pressure, helping protect soil structure and yield potential. Integrated Precision Ag solutions provide centimetre-level accuracy.

The 8-series is a versatile all-rounder for larger farms

Greater lift capacity benefits grounds maintenance team

Two new Massey Ferguson 1M.25 models are among the fi rst in the UK.

An amenity contractor has continued its shift to Massey Ferguson tractors with the addition of two MF 1M models – two of the first machines in the UK.

“We ordered MF 1Ms as soon as we could as the increased lift capacity allowed us to be more efficient when using mounted equipment,” says Gareth Fowler-Simons, owner at Lakeside Ground Maintenance based near Coventry.

The workload for Lakeside has increased significantly over the past two years, which has included a near doubling of the workforce, a move to a 4ha dedicated office, workshop and machinery storage location, and an increase in the number of tractors to cope.

The latter point is one that remains the same, with Massey Ferguson machines dominating the now sevenstrong fleet. “The 1M models have 001 and 003 on the serial numbers, so they must be the first models off the production line,” says Mr Fowler-Simmons.

Although his compact machinery used to be green, Mr Fowler-Simmons says the latest two purchases, a brace of MF 1M.25 models, were chosen for very specific reasons to cope with the

increase in fine turf work on golf courses, bowls and cricket squares.

“We’re noticing more of these businesses carrying out the daily tasks themselves, but outsourcing renovation works to contractors. However, they require reliable contractors that work quickly to a high standard and avoid disruption to paying customers.

With work now stretching across the Midlands, primary jobs for the new machines are on the smaller areas, greens and tees, where clients don’t want to see the bigger tractors associated with open areas such as fairways and football pitches.

Lift capacity

Mr Fowler-Simmons evaluated other brands when looking at replacements. But the increase in lift capacity of the new MF 1M stood out as a huge benefit when Chandlers salesman Mark George went through the specifications.

Below: The controls are very similar to the previous MF tractors and are familiar across to all operators

Left: Gareth Fowler-Simons has progressively turned his whole fleet to MF red following several years running a variety of brands

“Our MF 1525 tractors could lift 600kg, which at times, with a loaded seeder on the back was at the limit and would make operators cautious or require less seed to be loaded. However, the new MF 1Ms have a 900kg capacity, which is a huge improvement to safety and output with the tractors on top of the job.”

Mr Fowler-Simmons and his now 22-strong team can use any of the implements for these tractors without struggling for capacity. It has made lifting at the end much quicker and has improved the efficiency of each pass.

The operators like the MF 1Ms versatility, allowing the tractors to carry out a wide range of tasks and quickly switch between implements. “They can quickly switch between a scarifier, seeder, top dresser, brush or vertidrain, without worrying if the tractor has the capacity for it.

“If needed, I can also put a mower deck on it and a weight up the front to cope with heavier loads off the back. They are small enough for our needs and now don’t feel like they’re limited.”

FOCUS

Same layout

The Lakeside fleet now consists of seven Massey Ferguson tractors, with larger MF 6S.180, MF 6S.165 models and a slightly smaller MF 5S.135, carrying out work on larger spaces. The four smaller hydrostatic models include the MF 1M models, an MF 1750 and MF 1740, for works where the larger models aren’t suitable.

In 2024, the MF 5S replaced an NH T4, with the new model being a higher spec and capable of taking some pressure off the two larger MF 6S tractors. Mr Fowler-Simmons says that having tractors that are familiar to operators and models they want to use are both essential considerations when deciding what to buy.

“Our smaller and larger models have similarities, and this is essential if switching machines on site. We demoed a basic model, but we required something that was at a similar spec level to our 6S tractors,” says Mr Fowler-Simmons.

“We cover 800 hours a year in these so having something that is enjoyable and easy to operate is essential.

“It is also about our image. We’re known as the company with the red tractors, which is great for recogni-

tion and has won us a few jobs recently. We always turn up with clean wellmaintained machines as that’s what I like to think our customers expect when hiring a contractor.”

The extensive fleet means he can service multiple clients at the same time. During a three-week period in autumn 2025, the team covered renovations on three golf courses and vertidrained over 300 sports pitches of varying types.

On several occasions, each machine was on a different job, highlighting that being well equipped and having

The tractors can be transported on trailers with a variety of implements – and remain within the road legal towing limits

Replacement continues to be every three years as this leaves the machines with two years of warranty remaining, making them more attractive and commanding a better resale value. The reliability is a big factor for staying with MF and dealer Chandlers.

“Our MF 6S.180 Dyna-VT is three years old with 3000 hours, and I don’t think we’ve laid a spanner on it, apart from servicing. The MF’s fit our business well and we are gaining a strong reputation through running them.”

Ten years on: what Brexit has meant for agricultural machinery exports

AExport demand for used machinery remains strong –despite 10 years of Brexit, says Bill King .

s Europe’s largest auctioneer of second-hand agricultural machinery, Cheffins has been at the sharp end of the impact postBrexit on our markets. Ten years on from the referendum, the story of machinery exports is one of two distinct phases.

In the years immediately following the vote and up until 2021, a weaker pound and uncertainty around future trading arrangements created exceptionally strong demand from overseas buyers.

More recently, however, the practical realities of trading across borders have introduced additional costs and administrative burdens which have inevitably affected export volumes.

Before the UK’s departure from the European Union came fully into effect, European buyers represented a significant proportion of our customer base. In 2016, Cheffins exported 2,328 items of machinery to Europe. By 2025, that figure had fallen to 1,518 items – a reduction of almost 35 per cent.

Rather, it reflects the additional com plexity involved in moving machinery across borders.

Despite the existence of a free trade agreement, exporters and buyers must now navigate a range of non-tariff bar riers, including customs declarations, transport documentation and sanitary and phytosanitary requirements. These additional costs have had the greatest impact on lower-value machinery and implements, where export paperwork, transport and cleaning requirements can represent a significant proportion of the item’s overall value. As a result, some European buyers who previously purchased smaller lots have become more selective in their buying decisions.

Currency

Demand remains strong for secondhand machinery – but trade is more complex

In 2017, we reported how immediately following the Brexit vote, we saw a surge in used machinery and tractor sales, driven by the weaker Pound which made UK-based machinery highly competitive for international buyers.

The Cheffins monthly auction is among the world’s largest machinery sales

We certainly saw a mad dash in the couple of years following the vote, however as the post-Brexit border friction started to come into play, we have had to facilitate a large amount of logistical support.

As post-Brexit trading arrangements became established, however, the market evolved. Rather than seeing demand disappear, we have seen the process of exporting become more complicated.

Washdown

Recognising this challenge, Cheffins has invested heavily in supporting both buyers and sellers through the export process.

We provide machinery washdown and sanitary cleaning facilities prior to shipment, ensuring equipment complies with EU regulations, and

By providing these services, we have ensured that export demand for all of our sales has remained particularly robust. In the first quarter of this year, 34 per cent of items sold at the monthly machinery sale at Sutton were destined for overseas.

Leading locations include countries such as Spain, Poland, Ireland, Ukraine and the Netherlands. Within the quarter, we processed some 240 machines through the washdown facility.

Values

And while exports are down in terms of lot numbers, the value of total exports tells a different story and has increased in line with the growth in second-hand machinery values from £6,569,309-worth exported to Europe in 2016 to £13,326,995-worth in 2025 (representing an uplift of 103 per cent).

Last year saw almost half of the items sold at Sutton head overseas, 86.8 per cent of which went to Europe, with the remainder sold further afield to locations such as Northern Africa, South Africa, Turkey and New Zealand.

Buyers have continued to make the most of strength of the Euro against Sterling and consistent political uncertainty post-Brexit has really allowed overseas buyers to cash in on quality machinery as the Euro held firm.

This reflects both the strength of machinery values and the continued appetite among European buyers for quality used equipment.

While fewer items may be leaving the country, those that are being exported are often larger, higher-value machines where the economics of international trade remain attractive despite the additional administration involved.

Friction

Trade frictions have also created major uncertainty for UK farmers. This has directly led to a decrease in the number of new tractors being purchased. Recent reports showed that the sales of British farm products to the EU plummeted by nearly 40 per cent since Britain left the EU.

This is where the real issues lie. And it has had an effect on the second-hand machinery market too. As new tractors are not purchased, there are fewer trade ins, this means less stock on the market, and as a result, higher prices.

According to the Agricultural Engineers Association, new tractor sales reached their lowest levels in 2025 since before World War II

The proposal to reverse Brexit is now gathering momentum. Polling has suggested that there would be overwhelming support for the country to rejoin the EU and Labour’s leadership contest is now reopening the Brexit debate.

If we were to rejoin, however, much of the damage has already been done for farmers. We would need to rebuild

Sales draw buyers from across the UK and beyond

Last year, almost half of all machines sold were exported “

demand for British-made goods and we would need to see a significant reduction in red tape and border delays. These challenges have affected all parts of the agricultural industry. They also allow for significant support for those sectors which have been the most heavily affected, such as potato growers or cheese makers.

Reputation

However, the enduring strength of international demand demonstrates that British machinery continues to enjoy an excellent reputation overseas. The key difference today is that exporting requires greater expertise and support than it did a decade ago.

Ten years on from the referendum, that is perhaps the clearest lesson: while the trading environment has changed dramatically, the market has adapted, and international opportunities remain firmly open for British agriculture.

Bill King is chairman of Cambridgeshire-based machinery auctioneers Cheffins.

From single machines through to complete turnkey installations, Haith has unrivalled experience and expertise in designing and installing vegetable handling solutions.

Bespoke workshop benefits remapping service

Astate-of-the-art renovation of Avon Tuning’s site near Bristol means the company is well-placed to meet increasing demand for its remapping service.

The two-year redevelopment of its site for Avon Tuning HD (ATHD) – and automotive division Avon Tuning – includes a bespoke research and development centre, alongside a workshop and training facility.

It will support the company’s 175-strong network of agricultural agents, along with automotive agents. Improvements aim to help the business to continue to provide a highquality service and support to all agents and remapping users.

Expansion

Gareth Jones, director at Avon Tuning and ATHD, said: “Our focus is firmly on research and development, alongside expanding and supporting our global agent network.

“The new facility matches the demand we are experiencing, especially in agriculture, as users look to maximise efficiencies of their existing equipment for greater output and potential fuel savings.”

The building developments also include a dedicated training room for in-house practical and theory training for agents, and a new

tomotive and HD divisions, enhancing business productivity.

A second dyno cell includes increased cooling and exhaust extraction capabilities. A New Holland T5 training tractor allows Avon to show new and existing agricultural agents the process of adding maps onto tractors.

Steel Framed Buildings

“We have been professionally remapping agricultural equipment for over a decade now and our HD agent network has grown significantly over the past five years to reflect demand from farmers and growers.

“The new facility allows continued growth and support to engineers when they are installing remaps on farms.”

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