{"id":876844,"date":"2025-10-11T00:22:27","date_gmt":"2025-10-11T05:22:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/11\/farmers-test-electric-tractors-sparking-hope-for-sustainable-agriculture\/"},"modified":"2025-10-11T00:22:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-11T05:22:27","slug":"farmers-test-electric-tractors-sparking-hope-for-sustainable-agriculture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/11\/farmers-test-electric-tractors-sparking-hope-for-sustainable-agriculture\/","title":{"rendered":"Farmers test electric tractors, sparking hope for sustainable agriculture"},"content":{"rendered":"<div xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\n<p>EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) \u2014 In the soft dirt of an indoor horseback riding ring last month, a group of farmers got ready to test drive a new piece of equipment: an electric tractor.<\/p>\n<p>As they took turns climbing in \u2014 some surprised by its quick acceleration \u2014 they gave real-time feedback to the Michigan State University researchers who have been developing it for over two years.<\/p>\n<p>The farmers remarked on the motor\u2019s quiet whir. Most were intrigued, or at least open to the idea. Some were concerned that the battery on the underside of the carriage would mean a lower clearance over the field, while others worried that it would simply be too expensive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat we hope to do when we retire is we want to get everything electric on the farm. The tractor is the last electric implement to get,\u201d said Don Dunklee, one of the farmers to provide feedback. He runs a small organic vegetable farm that\u2019s relied on wind and solar for decades.<\/p>\n<div data-align-fullwidth>\n<p><bsp-figure><\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>\n<p>    <a id=\"image-130000\"><\/a><\/p>\n<picture data-crop=\"imgEn-large-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"1360\" height=\"907\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" width=\"1360\" height=\"907\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"945\" height=\"630\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"945\" height=\"630\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"MK Bashar drives an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)\"  width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/163841e\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6714x4477+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F1b%2Fed%2Fb13c611887deb538fc15528a6059%2Fab7cffcc0a2e49e28555a8de9b633e98\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>MK Bashar drives an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>    <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template><\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">\n                        <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id><\/p>\n<p>MK Bashar drives an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<p>                        <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>    <\/template><\/p>\n<p><\/bsp-figure><\/p><\/div>\n<p>The market is fairly new, but some researchers and entrepreneurs think electric tractors will be ideal for small farmers who care about sustainability and want to market their products that way. The small cherry-red, open-cab machine is well-suited for tasks like weeding fields of specialty crops like carrots or asparagus, or squeezing between the tight rows of orchard trees. Farmers with solar panels can avoid the cost of diesel.<\/p>\n<p>Agriculture is among the largest sources of climate-warming emissions worldwide. Though tractors are a small culprit, experts believe an environmentally friendly machine would still attract buyers interested in sustainability.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s reduced emissions, but before you get there, you have to be solving for other problems,\u201d including noise, ease of use and cost, said Derek Muller, business manager for battery electric systems at John Deere.<\/p>\n<p>There are downsides \u2014 electric tractors are aimed at filling a niche, not overturning the status quo. And while battery technology has come a long way, they can\u2019t last all day or match the massive horsepower of a diesel engine that sets giant tractors cruising through the sprawling grain and soybean operations of the Midwest.<\/p>\n<h2>Why few companies offer electric tractor options, and who wants them<\/h2>\n<p>In addition to battery limitations, there are other structural obstacles. Most farmers do not have fast electric chargers, nor do they have solar panels to supply those chargers with free electricity \u2014 diesel would need to be much more expensive for the economics to turn sharply in favor of electric. But companies are starting to see an opportunity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor John Deere, it is not the only solution,\u201d Muller said. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to be where we lead our efforts. It\u2019s going to be one of many options.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-align-fullwidth>\n<p><bsp-figure><\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>\n<p>    <a id=\"image-310000\"><\/a><\/p>\n<picture data-crop=\"imgEn-large-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"1360\" height=\"907\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" width=\"1360\" height=\"907\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"945\" height=\"630\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"945\" height=\"630\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ajit Srivastava, an engineering professor at Michigan State University, talks about an electric tractor in development Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)\"  width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/ef00936\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Fe2%2Fe0%2F08b38f412ffc76091f8acb2ba7d2%2F506251468aa5495c89ba8cdc8850e7fe\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>Ajit Srivastava, an engineering professor at Michigan State University, talks about an electric tractor in development Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>    <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template><\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">\n                        <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id><\/p>\n<p>Ajit Srivastava, an engineering professor at Michigan State University, talks about an electric tractor in development Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<p>                        <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>    <\/template><\/p>\n<p><\/bsp-figure><\/p><\/div>\n<p>The company has built a small utility electric tractor prototype. It joins a limited set of offerings from other companies like Monarch Tractor, which started in 2019 with the aim to help farmers, who have traditionally struggled with razor-thin profits, save money, work sustainably and more efficiently.<\/p>\n<p>Ajit Srivastava, an agricultural engineer and Michigan State professor who hosted the farmer feedback session, wants to help smallholder farmers across the world. Such farmers grow about <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2022\/09\/smallholder-farmers-key-achieving-food-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a third of the world\u2019s food<\/a><\/span> but many do it with only hand tools. He started trying to emulate a pair of oxen made of off-the-shelf parts, so anyone could build it themselves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf we were to mechanize all the smallholder farmers in the world, there isn\u2019t enough diesel out there to power them. So we have to find some other source,\u201d Srivastava said.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s still a work in progress. Rain had postponed the feedback session, originally planned for the spring, because the tractor hadn\u2019t been waterproofed yet. It also doesn\u2019t have enough power for some jobs like tilling. But farmers generally like what Srivastava had developed. He hopes it could eventually be sold for roughly $30,000, substantially cheaper than some of the competition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe steering is really responsive. It just seems to run really smooth,\u201d said Dunklee, adding, however, that it might not do everything he needs on a farm yet. \u201cProbably the biggest thing would be it\u2019s relatively quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-align-fullwidth>\n<p><bsp-figure><\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>\n<p>    <a id=\"image-4c0000\"><\/a><\/p>\n<picture data-crop=\"imgEn-large-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"1360\" height=\"907\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" width=\"1360\" height=\"907\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"945\" height=\"630\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"945\" height=\"630\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Farmer Vicki Morrane, left, listens as Ajit Srivastava, right, explains the mechanics of an electric tractor before she test drives Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)\"  width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/bf49e18\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Fb8%2Fef%2F5bf24c494893d9b370f88b923fcb%2F2f46b7ffdc1345158098625a421415ad\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>Farmer Vicki Morrane, left, listens as Ajit Srivastava, right, explains the mechanics of an electric tractor before she test drives Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>    <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template><\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">\n                        <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id><\/p>\n<p>Farmer Vicki Morrane, left, listens as Ajit Srivastava, right, explains the mechanics of an electric tractor before she test drives Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<p>                        <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>    <\/template><\/p>\n<p><\/bsp-figure><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Muller said they\u2019re seeing demand for electric tractors from Europe, where farming policies are sometimes more progressive. And there\u2019s also a market at universities in other countries where researchers are studying agriculture, said Brendan Dowdle, chief business officer of Bonsai Robotics, which sells modular, automated electric farm robots that can work together to mimic some tasks ordinarily done by a tractor.<\/p>\n<p>One possible customer is the so-called \u201cgentleman farmer\u201d who has a small operation of specialty crops or vegetables and farms for fun, not necessarily to make a living.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey want to be self-sustaining,\u201d said Patrick Woolcock, an associate engineering professor and agriculture expert at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, without harmful diesel emissions, they can work in greenhouses and, with fewer parts, there\u2019s hope repairs won\u2019t be as complicated, at least once a readily available supply is established.<\/p>\n<h2>Could electric tractors be more compatible with automation?<\/h2>\n<p>Some entrepreneurs see electric tractors as a step on the path to automation \u2014 fewer workers, more efficiency and less cost. Engineers are now designing machines that will drive themselves and power precise weeders and planters.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Monarch Tractor CEO Praveen Penmetsa noted that if a self-guided tractor gets stuck and has to notify the farmer, electric power has clear benefits. A diesel tractor would sit there idling, but an electric one doesn\u2019t waste fuel while waiting.<\/p>\n<div data-align-fullwidth>\n<p><bsp-figure><\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>\n<picture data-crop=\"nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"1023\" height=\"682\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"1023\" height=\"682\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Farm implements, at left, and a battery, are attached to the underside of an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)\"  width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/40f1ea2\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5554x3703+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F3c%2F8f%2F431bd3755c26b070dbca9c48d679%2F925ce1e488bb46afb1b505a15729f2d2\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<\/picture>\n<div>\n<p><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>Farm implements, at left, and a battery, are attached to the underside of an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>    <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template><\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">\n                        <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id><\/p>\n<p>Farm implements, at left, and a battery, are attached to the underside of an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<p>                        <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>    <\/template><\/p>\n<p><\/bsp-figure><\/p>\n<p><bsp-figure><\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>\n<picture data-crop=\"nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"1023\" height=\"682\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"1023\" height=\"682\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Electronics for a self-driving system sit on an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)\"  width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/bd1ebb5\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/6000x4000+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F4f%2F5b%2F95e0362f0f28310554715c16161d%2F0313e1cb8a6b41f19f6d66706d6f7bff\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<\/picture>\n<div>\n<p><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>Electronics for a self-driving system sit on an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>    <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template><\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">\n                        <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id><\/p>\n<p>Electronics for a self-driving system sit on an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<p>                        <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>    <\/template><\/p>\n<p><\/bsp-figure><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Srivastava also said he\u2019s just trying to make people\u2019s lives easier \u2014 looking backward all day to make sure a plow is operating properly is grueling. So, a self-driving tractor would let farmers pay more attention to ensuring harvesting is happening properly, or the weeder isn\u2019t accidentally digging up crops.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot that we want to take the operator off the tractor, the operator would be there, but they can focus on how well the operation is going rather than making sure the tractor is in the rows,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n<p>Still, some aren\u2019t so sure electric has such a big advantage when it comes to automation. Tim Bucher, CEO of Agtonomy, a company focused on bringing autonomy software to farm vehicles, was all-in on electric a few years ago. But the technology has gotten so good that now his customers can pick and choose the energy source for their tractor and see similar results, he said. And with government <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/congress-clean-energy-climate-environment-trump-tax-bill-19b13a47fbb671218ee59ab9da136478\">electric vehicle subsidies disappearing<\/a><\/span>, there\u2019s less incentive for most farmers to go that route.<\/p>\n<p>On his own farm, though, he opts for electric, and he says he\u2019s seen economic returns.<\/p>\n<p>And from an environmental perspective, \u201cit also just makes me feel better,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<div data-align-fullwidth>\n<p><bsp-figure><\/p>\n<figure data-openoverlay>\n<p>    <a id=\"image-130000\"><\/a><\/p>\n<picture data-crop=\"imgEn-large-nocrop\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"1360\" height=\"907\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 1024px)\" width=\"1360\" height=\"907\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"945\" height=\"630\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" width=\"945\" height=\"630\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source media=\"(min-width: 600px)\" width=\"767\" height=\"511\" ><source type=\"image\/webp\" width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><source width=\"599\" height=\"399\" ><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ben Phillips test drives an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)\"  width=\"599\" height=\"399\" src=\"https:\/\/dims.apnews.com\/dims4\/default\/c787efa\/2147483647\/strip\/true\/crop\/5731x3821+0+0\/resize\/599x399!\/quality\/90\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F90%2F86%2F581969edf93e17f909fbe282f5e2%2F0f9097c6ddc74f7aa564c7533153b004\" loading=\"lazy\">\n<\/picture>\n<div><bsp-read-more data-more-button-text=\"Read More\" data-less-button-text=\"Read Less\" data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-limit=\"110\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\"><figcaption>\n<p>Ben Phillips test drives an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/bsp-read-more><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>    <template data-bsp-figure-overlay-template><\/p>\n<div data-slidenumber=\"0\" data-slidescount=\"1\">\n                        <bsp-carousel-read-more data-show-less data-expand=\"ReadMore-expand\" data-main-class=\"ReadMore\" data-more-id data-less-id><\/p>\n<p>Ben Phillips test drives an electric tractor Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, during a demonstration in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo\/Joshua A. Bickel)<\/p>\n<p>                        <\/bsp-carousel-read-more>\n                    <\/div>\n<p>    <\/template><\/p>\n<p><\/bsp-figure><\/p><\/div>\n<p>___<\/p>\n<p>Phillis reported from Washington and Walling reported from Chicago.<\/p>\n<p>___<\/p>\n<p>The Associated Press\u2019 climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP\u2019s <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ap.org\/about\/standards-for-working-with-outside-groups\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">standards<\/a><\/span> for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at <span><a data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ap.org\/discover\/Supporting-AP\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AP.org<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> Michael Phillis<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/electric-tractors-farming-sustainability-ac122d9a55466052f25e9faf40e14088\" class=\"button purchase\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) \u2014 In the soft dirt of an indoor horseback riding ring last month, a group of farmers got ready to test drive a new piece of equipment: an electric tractor. As they took turns climbing in \u2014 some surprised by its quick acceleration \u2014 they gave real-time feedback to the Michigan<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":876845,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3589,17],"tags":[7459,5085],"class_list":{"0":"post-876844","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-electric","8":"category-farmers","9":"tag-electric","10":"tag-farmers"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/876844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=876844"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/876844\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/876845"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=876844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=876844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=876844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}