Nikki Carlson Havre Daily News photos@havredailynews.com
It's known as being the largest tractor in the world. The Big Bud 747 is such a big headliner that a group from France came to Havre on Wednesday to see it. A baker's dozen of farmers from France stepped off of their tour bus at Montana State University-Northern's Applied Technology Center to see the huge tractor in person. The Agripass France group is touring throughout the country to look at farm equipment. The tour was sponsored by the Department of Agriculture in France. "Apparently, (Big Bud) has been in a number of magazines over there and it's been talked about in tractor circles," Big Equipment owner Ron Harmon said. "It's touted over there as being the largest tractor ever built." Harmon said the tour's visit will bring added attention to the Big Bud tractor because a publisher from a French magazine was in the crowd and plans on turning out a feature on it. Robert and Randy Williams of Big Sandy, owners of the Big Bud tractor, and Big Equipment Company want the tractor to be upgraded for it's big crosscountry tour to farm shows June 2009 through 2010. Big Bud is at MSU-N to be reequipped to run on biodiesel fuel made in Montana. "We are honored to have them equip this tractor with biofuels, which is the future," Harmon said. "We want to make sure we are using the most effective and economically best fuels that are available." Harmon added that a proposal has been made to auto enthusiast and NBC late-night television host Jay Leno of "The Tonight Show" to drive the 1,000-horsepower tractor next spring or summer.
