Farm and Garden Machinery Wholesalers

The 4,470 farm and garden machinery wholesalers in the US distribute machinery, equipment, and related parts used in the agricultural, farm, lawn, and garden industries. Major product categories include farm tractors; lawn and garden machinery; harvesting machinery; new land preparation, planting, and cultivating machinery; and irrigation machinery. Firms may sell new and used equipment or rent equipment. They also offer warranty, maintenance, and repair services.

Variability In Commodity Prices

Fluctuations in commodity prices -- driven by global market conditions -- affect farm income and farmers' ability to purchase new equipment.

Highly-Seasonal Demand

Demand for farm and garden machinery is highly seasonal and affected by weather and climate.

Oct 6, 2026 - NAEDA and AED to Merge

• Two major equipment dealer associations are joining forces, potentially giving farm and garden machinery dealers a stronger voice on industry issues. The North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA) and Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) plan to merge in January 2027, creating a combined organization called Associated Equipment Dealers. The group will represent equipment dealers and distributors across the US and Canada. For farm equipment dealers, the merger could strengthen advocacy with policymakers and manufacturers while expanding access to education, workforce development, industry research, events, and other member services. The combined association also plans to focus on dealer-manufacturer relations, an important issue as dealers navigate weak farm equipment demand, workforce challenges, and changing distribution models. By pooling resources and expertise, the organizations aim to provide dealers with broader support and greater influence across the equipment industry.
• Canada's retaliatory tariffs on US goods will have a more limited impact on US farm machinery than initially feared, Realagriculture reports. Effective September 8, 2026, Canada will impose tariffs of 15% to 50% on $27.6 billion of US imports in response to new US tariffs on Canadian goods. Although agricultural equipment is among the targeted sectors, most major farm machinery, including tractors, combines, and many implements, was excluded. Tariffs will instead affect selected products and components, including combine headers, baler parts, some mowing equipment, trailers, truck parts, engine components, and conveyors. US wholesalers exporting these products to Canada could face weaker demand, higher landed costs, and disrupted cross-border supply chains. However, the exclusion of most major equipment reduces the potential impact on US wholesalers. Shipments already in transit before September 8 are exempt.
• The settlement announced in July by the Federal Trade Commission with John Deere over right-to-repair lawsuits in five states could create significant business risks for farm equipment dealers by increasing competition for their most profitable service work, Farm Equipment reports. Dealers interviewed by Farm Equipment warned that giving farmers and independent repair shops greater access to diagnostic software and repair resources could reduce high-margin service and parts revenue, weaken service absorption rates, and encourage experienced technicians to leave dealerships to start independent repair businesses. Smaller dealerships could be especially vulnerable if declining service income makes it harder to cover overhead or secure financing. Dealers also expressed concern that broader software access could erode dealership valuations, slow manufacturers' rollout of new diagnostic tools, and force dealers to rely more on parts sales, e-commerce, and other value-added services to offset lost repair business.
• Producer prices for machinery and supply wholesalers rose 13.1% in August compared to a year ago, after rising 4.5% in the previous August-to-August annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Industry producer prices are near all-time highs, having risen sharply since November 2025 driven by high steel and aluminum costs, tariffs, and other supply-chain expenses. Moreover, escalating US-Canada trade tensions in August increased costs for imported farm equipment and parts. Employment by farm and garden machinery and equipment merchant wholesalers shrank 1.2% year over year in July, while the average industry wage declined 1.2% over the same period to $32.05 per hour, easing from its peak in February, BLS data show.

Industry size & Structure

The average farm and garden machinery wholesaler operates from a single location, employs about 25 workers, and generates $31.8 million in annual revenue.

• The farm and garden machinery wholesaling industry comprises about 4,470 firms, employs about 111,335 workers, and generates $142.1 billion annually.
• The industry is concentrated at the top and fragmented at the bottom; the top 50 companies account for 55% of industry revenue.
• Wholesalers include independent dealers for major machinery manufacturers, such as John Deere and Case New Holland Industrial. A dealership group operates multiple retail locations.
• The largest farm dealership groups include Titan Machinery (Case, New Holland), RDO John Deere, Rocky Mountain Equipment (Case), and James River Equipment (John Deere).
• According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, 2WD sub-40 horsepower tractors represented 69% of total farm tractor sales in May 2025, followed by 2WD 40-100 hp tractors (21%), and 2WD 100+ hp (8.5%). 4WD farm tractors represented about 1% of sales. Overall, there are 3.4 million tractors in operation in the US, with about 90% of farms reporting owning at least one tractor, according to the USDA.