John Deere Names 2026 Technician of the Year Finalists
John Deere has announced the finalists for its 2026 Technician of the Year Awards, with 30 regional finalists being named in five award categories.
These come in the form of the new five-metre centre pivot C500 and a redesigned four-metre centre pivot C400. Quick change knives come as standard and an industry-leading five-year cutter-bar warranty across the range.
Eight new Zero Series models are available, ranging in cutting widths from 2.5 metres to five metres – replacing all 600, 800 and 900 Series models. Conventional, trailed offset machines are dubbed S250, S300 and S350, while centre-pivot machines carry the C300, C350, C400, C450 and C500 numbering.
For producers wanting to cover ground more quickly, the C500 is 10% wider than the previous model, the 956. It also utilises an overshot cross auger design, used on the JD 500R Rotary Windrower platforms, to move the crop from the cutter-bar to the conditioner rolls more efficiently. The layout is said to deliver improved cut quality and reduced trash content, while promoting faster drying through an improved windrow formation.
The all-new C400 is lighter, offers better weight distribution and features wider conditioning rolls than its predecessor, the 946. It also features a repositioned driveline above the main beam of the tongue to improve access for easier servicing. All Zero Series Mo-Co’s include an extended five-year cutter-bar warranty that covers parts and labour.
All models utilise a low-profile cutter-bar and large, reliable shear-hub-protected drive gears with a single oil-check location. Additionally, the new Quick-Change Knife system, standard for 2021, reduces knife replacement times by more than 50% - compared to a standard bolted knife.
At the rear of the machine, a Wide Swath Kit attachment using spreading vanes, is now standard equipment on Mo-Co’s from three to four metres wide. The C400 can be adjusted to create windrows up to 330 cm wide.
Conditioning options, to suit crops being harvested, include a simple impeller; a urethane roll conditioner for thicker stemmed grasses and leafy crops; or steel V-10 or Tri-Lobe roll conditioners that provide added durability.
On the three and four metre machines, a new swivel hitch provides improved manoeuvrability and ease of transport. These also also allow for greater than 90-degree turning without chatter, noise or damage to the driveline.
