World’s Largest Farm Tractor is From Havre, Montana

That old-time steam tractor seen in the headline picture is definitely not the "World's Largest Farm Tractor." That old piece of rusty steel, while kind of neat in an 1890's way, likely produced less than 20 horsepower. Nothing "world's largest" about that. Heck, your garden lawn tractor probably has more power.

Oh no, my friend. The biggest farm tractor in the world is much, much cooler. It's called the 16-V 747 Big Bud and is very bad ass. Take a look at the video.

Claiming to hold the title of the "World's Largest Farm Tractor" for over 40 years, the Big Bud was originally built in Havre, MT at the Northern Manufacturing Company in the late 70's. Offering 760 horsepower from the 16 cylinder diesel motor, the Big Bud was sold to cotton farmers in Bakersfield, CA. It changed hands a couple of times before it made it back to Montana, where it now calls Big Sandy its home. The Williams Big Bud website states,

The tractor can work more than one acre per minute, at speeds up to 8 mph. Except its new paint job, chrome stacks, and a whopping 900 plus horsepower - the Big Bud looks like it did when it rolled out of the Northern Manufacturing Company building back in 1977.

The tractor was on display for a number of years at various agriculture museums in Iowa and the Midwest, where it recently got a new set of tires. Very expensive new tires.

H/T to Agrotechnics for showing up in my Facebook feed with a sweet video of the Big Bud doing its thing in Montana.