Top Farm Equipment And Machinery Auctioneers In The Midwest
Daria Pohrebniak
Marketing Director - Reverb
04.28.2026
This list compares the top farm equipment and machinery auctioneers in the Midwest for farmers, dealers and estate executors who want to buy or sell tractors, combines and other farm machinery at auction.
Finding the right auction partner can make a major difference when buying or selling agricultural equipment.
The top farm equipment and machinery auctioneers help farmers, dealers, and landowners connect with serious buyers, manage competitive bidding, and move equipment efficiently across local and national markets.
Across the Midwest, these auctioneers handle everything from tractors and combines to planting equipment, grain handling systems, and complete farm dispersals. Some focus on live onsite auctions, while others specialize in online bidding platforms that expand buyer reach and improve sale visibility.
This list highlights companies known for strong industry experience, broad equipment categories, and reliable auction services for Midwest agricultural operations.
Farm Equipment Auctioneers At A Glance
Auctioneer
Focus
Best for
1. Scotty’s Auction Service
Land, farm equipment, real estate, estate dispersals and heavy machinery
Missouri sellers of land and equipment
2. BigIron Auctions
Online sales of used agricultural equipment
Sellers who want weekly unreserved online auctions
3. Steffes Group
Agricultural equipment, land, construction machinery and transportation assets
Sellers choosing between live onsite and timed online sales
4. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Used heavy equipment, including agricultural machinery
Reaching a large global buyer base
5. Merit Auctions
Farm equipment, farmland and rural real estate
Iowa and Midwest farm and land sellers
6. Pifer’s Auction & Realty
Land auctions, equipment auctions, real estate and land management
Sellers combining land and equipment sales
7. Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate
Farm machinery, land, real estate and estate auctions
Missouri farm and estate sales
8. Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company
Farm equipment, land, real estate and personal property
Sellers in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio
9. Purple Wave Auction
Used farm equipment, construction machinery, trucks and fleet vehicles
No-reserve online sales
10. Miedema Auctioneering
Farm equipment, construction machinery, industrial assets and real estate
Michigan sellers of farm and industrial assets
Best Farm Equipment and Machinery Auctioneers in the Midwest
Scotty’s Auction Service is based in Macon, Missouri, and focuses on land, farm equipment, real estate, estate dispersals, and heavy machinery auctions. The company has been in business for more than 20 years and serves Missouri, Iowa, and eastern Kansas. It offers both on-site auctions and sales at its own auction barn, giving sellers different options depending on the type of property or equipment being sold.
The company handles farm sales, land auctions, antiques, personal property, and estate auctions with support from a full team that manages setup, advertising, clerking, and auction operations. Scotty’s Auction Service also provides live and online bidding options, which helps reach buyers across the region. Its work covers both individual equipment sales and larger farm liquidation events, making it a known regional auction company for agricultural and rural property sales.
BigIron Auctions is one of the better-known farm machinery auctioneers in the Midwest, with a strong focus on online sales for used agricultural equipment. The company was founded in 1984 and runs weekly unreserved online auctions for tractors, combines, planters, skid steers, grain handling equipment, and other farm assets. BigIron states that all equipment is lien-free and includes seller contact information on listings, which helps buyers review details before bidding.
Among farm machinery auctioneers in the Midwest, BigIron stands out for combining local agricultural knowledge with a large online buyer network across rural America. In addition to farm equipment, the company also handles construction equipment, transportation assets, livestock, and real estate. Its auction model is built around weekly online bidding rather than traditional live events, giving sellers wider exposure and buyers more flexibility when searching for equipment across different states.
Steffes Group is a long-established auction company that focuses on agricultural equipment, land, construction machinery, and transportation assets. The company was founded in 1960 and offers both live onsite auctions and timed online sales across the Midwest. Its agriculture division includes tractors, combines, planters, grain handling systems, and other farm equipment. Buyers can bid online or attend live events depending on the auction format.
For businesses looking for an online tractor auction, Steffes Group offers regular online sales that make it easier to buy and sell equipment across different states. The company lists upcoming auctions, past results, and equipment categories directly on its platform, giving buyers access to a wide range of listings in one place. In addition to agriculture, Steffes Group also handles land and real estate auctions, which makes it a well-known name in Midwest farm and rural asset sales.
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers is one of the largest global platforms for buying and selling used heavy equipment, including agriculture machinery. The company handles tractors, combines, harvest equipment, grain systems, and other farm assets through live auctions, timed auctions, and marketplace listings. Buyers can also use its platform to search by equipment type, brand, and location, which makes large inventory easier to manage.
Among major farm equipment auction sites, Ritchie Bros. stands out for offering several ways to buy, including onsite auctions, online bidding, and direct purchase options through Marketplace-E. The company also supports sellers with services like appraisals, logistics, and storage. Its agriculture section covers both individual machine sales and larger farm equipment dispersals, giving buyers and sellers access to a broad international market.
Merit Auctions is based in Fort Madison, Iowa, and focuses on farm equipment, farmland, and rural real estate across the Midwest. The company also handles construction equipment and other real estate sales. It offers live auctions, timed online-only auctions, and virtual online sales, giving buyers and sellers different ways to participate depending on the type of property or equipment involved.
If you are looking for an agricultural equipment auction, Merit Auctions provides sales for tractors, combines, planting equipment, grain systems, and full machinery dispersals. The company highlights its Midwest auction yard and a team with more than 100 years of combined experience among auction managers and representatives. In addition to equipment sales, it supports land auctions and rural property transactions, making it a strong name in Midwest agricultural auctions.
Pifer’s Auction & Realty is a full-service auction company that focuses on land auctions, equipment auctions, real estate, and land management. The company operates across North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Arizona, serving both local and regional agricultural markets. It runs live, online, and timed auctions for farm equipment, retirement sales, and large machinery dispersals, along with farmland and ranch property sales.
Among the best farm equipment and machinery auctioneers in the Midwest, Pifer’s is known for handling both single-equipment sales and large seasonal equipment auctions across the Upper Midwest. Its platform includes tractors, combines, planting equipment, grain systems, and retirement farm auctions, with regular events scheduled throughout the year. The company also supports sellers through land management and real estate services, which gives clients a broader option beyond equipment-only sales.
Wheeler Auctions & Real Estate is a full-service auction company based in Missouri that focuses on farm machinery, land, real estate, and estate auctions. The company serves Missouri and surrounding states and offers both live in-person auctions and internet bidding across different platforms. Its machinery category includes tractors, combines, planters, hay equipment, tillage tools, and construction equipment, along with regular consignment and retirement auctions.
Among farm machinery auctioneers in the Midwest, Wheeler Auctions is known for combining traditional onsite auctions with live online bidding through its Wheeler Live platform. The company also supports sellers with advertising, consignment services, and auction planning for both single-equipment sales and larger farm liquidations. Its regular calendar includes dealer and farmer machinery auctions, annual consignment sales, and late-model farm machinery events across Missouri and nearby states.
Schrader of Fort Wayne is an auction and real estate company that serves northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio, and nearby areas. The company handles farm equipment, land, real estate, and personal property auctions through both live and online formats. Its services also include certified appraisals and private treaty real estate sales. The company highlights more than 100 years of combined experience and offers in-house legal review as part of its auction process.
The company runs auctions for tractors, farm machinery, land parcels, and full property dispersals, along with personal property and estate sales. Buyers can bid in person or online depending on the auction type. Schrader of Fort Wayne also uses detailed listings, professional photography, and marketing support to help sellers present assets clearly to buyers. Its regular auction calendar includes both farmland and equipment sales across Indiana and nearby states.
Purple Wave is an online auction company that focuses on used farm equipment, construction machinery, trucks, and fleet vehicles. The company runs no-reserve internet auctions and offers regular sales for tractors, combines, planters, harvest equipment, grain systems, and other agricultural assets. Buyers can search by equipment type, brand, and location, which makes it easier to review available inventory across different regions.
Among companies handling Midwest farm auctions, Purple Wave is known for its online-only model and regular agriculture auction schedule. The platform holds weekly ag equipment auctions and supports both individual machine sales and larger equipment dispersals. In addition to farm machinery, it also covers government, transportation, and construction assets, giving sellers access to a broad buyer network across the Midwest and beyond.
Miedema Auctioneering & Appraisals is a Michigan-based auction company that focuses on farm equipment, construction machinery, industrial assets, and real estate. The company held its first live auction in 1984 and later expanded into online auctions in 2000. It offers both live onsite events and online bidding, which gives buyers and sellers more flexibility depending on the type of auction and equipment involved.
The company handles tractors, combines, planting equipment, consignment sales, and full farm auctions, along with land and commercial asset sales. Miedema also operates through several related auction platforms, including services for real estate and online equipment sales across different regions. Its auction model combines traditional live auctions with internet bidding to reach a wider buyer base and support larger equipment dispersals throughout the Midwest.
A farm equipment auction starts with a consultation. The auctioneer reviews the machinery you want to sell, recommends a sale format and agrees on terms, including whether items sell with or without a reserve. The company then photographs and lists each item, advertises the sale to its buyer network and, for onsite sales, organizes the sale day at the farm or at its own yard.
Most Midwest auctioneers now run one of three formats: live onsite auctions with online bidding added, timed online auctions that close on a set date, and fully online no-reserve auctions. After the sale, the auction company collects payment from buyers, deducts its commission and fees, and pays the seller. Buyers usually arrange their own pickup or transport.
How To Choose A Farm Equipment Auctioneer
Equipment fit: pick a firm that regularly sells the kind of machinery you own, whether that is tractors and combines, grain handling equipment or a full farm dispersal.
Sale format: decide whether you want a live onsite sale, a timed online sale or a no-reserve online auction, and choose a firm that runs that format often.
Buyer reach: ask how many registered bidders the company reaches and how it advertises sales outside your area.
Region: a firm that works in your state knows local buyers, land markets and logistics, which matters most when equipment sells alongside land.
Fees and terms: get the commission rate, buyer premium, advertising costs and payout timeline in writing before you sign.
Contact one or more auction companies, describe the equipment you want to sell and ask for a sale proposal. The auctioneer will recommend a format, set a date, list and advertise your items, and handle bidding and payment. You receive the sale proceeds minus the agreed commission and any fees.
What is the best farm equipment auction company in the Midwest?
The best choice depends on your location, the equipment you are selling and the sale format you prefer. Online platforms such as BigIron and Purple Wave reach wide buyer pools, while regional firms such as Steffes Group, Merit Auctions and Scotty’s Auction Service combine equipment with land and local onsite sales. Compare a few proposals before you decide.
Are online farm equipment auctions better than live auctions?
Online auctions reach more buyers across a wider area and avoid organizing a sale day, which suits single items and well-known models. Live onsite auctions work well for full farm dispersals and for buyers who want to inspect equipment in person. Many auctioneers now combine both by adding online bidding to live sales.
Do Midwest farm auctioneers also sell construction and heavy equipment?
Many of them do. On this list, BigIron Auctions, Steffes Group, Merit Auctions, Purple Wave Auction and Miedema Auctioneering state they handle construction equipment or machinery, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers focuses on used heavy equipment including agriculture machinery, and Scotty’s Auction Service lists heavy machinery auctions. If you are selling a mixed fleet, ask the auctioneer how it markets construction items alongside farm equipment.
Sum Up
Choosing from the top farm equipment and machinery auctioneers in the Midwest depends on your goals, the type of equipment involved, and how you prefer to buy or sell. Some companies focus on large online platforms with nationwide reach, while others offer local expertise and live onsite auctions for regional buyers and sellers.
The right auction partner can help improve visibility, attract serious bidders, and simplify the entire sales process. By comparing services, auction formats, and industry experience, farmers and equipment owners can find the best fit for their needs and make more confident decisions in a competitive market.
If you want to feature your farm equipment auction company on this list, email us or submit a form in the Top Choices section. After a thorough assessment, we’ll decide whether it’s a valuable addition.
