During the last few years, we’ve had an ongoing conversation with Charlie Glass of the Glass Management Group (GMG) about farm equipment forecasts and OEM shipments to dealers vs. dealers’ retail sales. For several years Charlie has been developing his own annual outlook for tractor and combine unit sales, as well as field inventory and retail sales.

It’s an interesting approach, so we have decided to share it with Farm Equipment’s readers on a monthly basis. We’ll update it with the “actuals” monthly as reported by the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers. Charlie will also provide us with a brief monthly blog, which will review his forecast and developments he’s observed that impact ag machinery sales.

For the record, Charlie has been working in the farm equipment industry for 40-plus years, he’s chairman emeritus of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Assn.’s Dealer Relations Committee. He is currently one of the judges for both Farm Equipment’s and Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s Dealership of the Year programs.