Following is a list of “editor’s favorites” of some of the most influential articles and reports that chronicled the changing industry since Lessiter Media acquired Farm Equipment in the summer of 2004. Many of these articles can be accessed online by using the keyword search at www.farm-equipment.com

2000s

Ag Dealer Industry of 2010: Change is the Only Sure Thing … “This roundup of future-thinking dealers shows a much different landscape ahead in 2010.” By Mike Lessiter, October/November 2004.

Breaking Down Winter Service Programs … “Survey results, advice from leading dealers show how to avoid being ‘left out in the cold’ on the coming season’s profit opportunities.” By Mike Lessiter, October/November 2004.

Shark or Bait: Which One are You? … “Whether you are thinking about acquiring another dealership or selling your business, these seasoned dealmakers share what they’ve learned about the acquisition process.” By Jim Duffy, March 2005.

Drilling for Opportunities in Conservation Tillage … “Farm Equipment leveraged its vast grower audience to hold a first -ever focus group of farmers to find what farmers need from dealers on no-till and strip-till. The special format also highlights how dealers can differentiate themselves while feeling a needed void.” By Mike Lessiter, March 2005.

Selecting, Evaluating Shortline Manufacturers … “A first-ever survey provides a glimpse into dealers’ plan for carrying shortline equipment. Five articles included a dealer ranking of manufacturers’ performance.” By Mike Lessiter, June 2005.

Is Titan Machinery Reshaping the Future of Ag Dealerships? … “An interview with David Meyer (with then just 18 stores) reveals why dealer consolidation is necessary and how Titan is confronting the future head-on.” By Dave Kanicki, October/November 2005.

Crossing Over: 6 Former Major-Line Dealers Live to Tell About It … “Some think the ‘purification movement’ by the majors could result in more independent dealers. Dealers who’ve made the transition tell how they did it.” By Mike Lessiter, February 2006.

Making Multi-Stores Manageable … With 13 stores in 4 states, Arizona Machinery’s department managers self-report their performance on an internal website to share companywide results in real time.” By Mike Lessiter, April/May 2005.

How to Sell Skid-Steers … “Dave Kanicki’s first bylined article launched the popular ‘How to Sell’ series.” By Dave Kanicki, April/May 2005.

“How the ‘Big 4’ are Dealing with Dealer Issues … “From consolidation to equipment purification to succession policies, manufacturer-dealer issues are high on the list of industry concerns. The first in a series that would be repeated several times through the decades, the landmark coverage featured Jim Walker AGCO; Frank Anglin, Case IH; John Lagemann, John Deere, Bob Crain, New Holland, Mike Lessiter and Dave Kanicki, January 2006.

Why Swartzrock Implement is Staying Single … “A year and a half after it bought a second dealership, this dealer sold it off and has no plans to pursue another acquisitions Dave Kanicki, February 2006

Making Hay While the Sun Shines: Capitalizing on the Hobby Farmer … “Dealers who’ve made a concerted effort to take care of the hobby farmers share what works for them. The research for this article would lead to a standalone opportunity with the soon-to-be-launched Rural Lifestyle Dealer.” By Mike Lessiter, February 2006.

‘Built It and They Will Come ... “This tale of 5 equipment dealers examines the how’s and why’s of some very different farm equipment facility modernizations. This first in-depth look at facilities would lead to the annual Dealer Modernization & Expansions themed edition.” By Mike Lessiter, April/May 2006.

How Far WIll Technology Take Farming? … “Auto-guidance, precision farming and cabless combines are all inevitable steps in the ag industry’s move toward the future. The report featured an artist’s rendering of cabless combines in a master and slave arrangement.” By Dave Kanicki, March 2006.

“It’s All in Your Head And That’s the Problem … “Experienced dealership owners can tell a good deal from a bad one almost instantly and it’s time for mid-level staff to do the same. This important article also featured a lot of data and worksheets to train and empower staff..” By Dave Kanicki, April/May 2006.

Dealers Taking A ‘Harder’ Look at Shortlines … “While it remains a largely dollars and cents issue, a new survey shows the decision to take on new speciality equipment is becoming increasingly complex one for ag dealers.” Dave Kanicki, June/July 2006.

Auto-Steer’s New Frontier Precise Implement Steering … “A plug-and-play system that provides total control of tillage tools, planters, drill and spraying equipment is well within reach of farm equipment manufacturers, offering your dealership new profit opportunities.” By Frank Lessiter, August/September 2006.

Specialization Sows the Seeds of Survival … “Binkley & Hurst staked a future on planting expertise. By leaving the order-book in the truck and selling ‘know-how’ to the farmers, the dealership is growing new customers across a 5-hour drive service area.” By Mike Lessiter, March 2007.

RDO Equipment: People are Key to Growth … “After taking the company public and back to being privately held, this dealer group learned that empowered employees are the most important factor it is future success.” By Dave Kanicki, April/May 2007.

Selling Shortlines Requires a Champion … “Despite the challenges, dealers say carrying a variety of lines is part of their strategy to best serve their customer and improve profitability.” By Dave Kanicki, June/July 2007.

Converting a Customer to Another Color and Finding, Closing Customers with Competitive Intelligence … “Dealers share how they go about the process of identifying and closing a customer thought to be loyal to Brand X’s color.” By Mike Lessiter, October/November 2007.

Are Manufacturer Alliances Good for the Ag Equipment Industry? …”Like it or not, alliances in the farm equipment industry are here to stay, but will the manufacturing synergy carry over to the retail level? By Dave Kanicki, January 2008.

Finding, Training & Retaining Service Techs … “Partnerships, training plans & innovative incentives are all part of dealers’ programs to strengthen their service departments.” By Lynn Woolf, April/May 2008.

Tractor Makers Ses Prospects & Problems Ahead … “It’s a divided outlook for tractor sales during the coming year. Nonetheless, tractor makers agree the time for planning is now. The report included interviews with John Lagemann, John Deere; Gary Morgan, New Holland; Greg Embury, Kubota; Doug Griffin, ACGO; Jim Walker Case IH; Anirban Ghosh, Mahindra: Rodney Miller, McCormick.” By Dave Kanicki, February 2008. 

Managing the Margin-Makers … “Best-practice observations from consultants on the areas most vital to dealer profitability are backed up by ‘benchmark’ dealerships. The report included insights from consultants George Keen, Floyd Jerkins and Stan Jackson alongside award-winning dealers Jay Pickrel of Jamestown Implement, Jim Haar of Fred Haar Co., Brian Carpenter of Champlain Valley Equipment and Ron Birkey, Birkey’s Farm Stores. By Mike Lessiter, February 2008. 

Heritage Tractor: Anatomy of a Dealership Startup … “Starting with zero equipment, zero buildings and zero staff, Ken Wagner grew this dealership to 5 locations in 2 states in just 10 years.” By Mike Lessiter, April/May 2008.

Models of Management: Money, Metrics & Margins … “6 Farm Equipment Dealership of the Year Alums share their approaches to managing four areas that will make an impact on every dealership’s bottom-line health.” By Mike Lessiter, February 2009.

New Engine Technology Gives Dealers Something to Sell … “Tractor makers believe that the new, fuel-efficient engines they’re developing with ll give dealers plenty to talk about in getting farmers to upgrade their older equipment.“ By Dave Kanicki, February 2009.

Contract Approval: The ‘Big Hammer’ in Dealer Consolidation … “As manufacturers consolidate their dealer networks, the business-transfer issue is the single biggest challenge for farm equipment retailers.” By Dave Kanicki, June 2009.

Machine Shortages Bring ‘New Reality’ to the Farm Equipment Industry ... “Manufacturers have pushed early-order programs for years, but the scarcity of equipment in 2008 may have finally brought the message home to both dealers and farm customers that pre-ordering is here to stay.” By Dave Kanicki and Mike Lessiter, June 2009.

2010s

Special Report Top 40 Ag Countdown - 40 Years of Changes … “Lessiter Media founder and editorial director Frank Lessiter shares 40 innovations from the last four decades.” By Frank Lessiter, January 2010. 

Dealer Pressures are Shortliners’ Problem: How 5 Shortline Execs Intend to Grow Their Business... In-depth interviews included Dmitry Lyubimov, Buhler; Howard Dahl, Amity Technology; Mike Irish, Brillion Farm Machinery; J. Ward McConnell, Art’s Way Manufacturing and Susanne Veatch, Kinze Manufacturing.” By Mike Lessiter and Dave Kanicki, January 2010.

Winning Equipment Demo Programs … “Farm equipment dealers share well-thought-out approaches to on-farm demos and how they’re achieving an average close rate of 69%.” By Mike Lessiter, April/May 2010.

Life Beyond the Majors: Succeeding with Shortlines ... “Interviews with former mainline dealers still in business and primary research provide an inside look at how the ‘mavericks’ of farm equipment retail broke away from their majors and are succeeding nonetheless.” By Dave Kanicki, June 2010.

300 Bushel Corn: Answering the Equipment Challenge … “This 11-article special report explains that there’s no silver bullet to doubling corn yields. It’s going to take skillful use of the most advanced technology and the best equipment.” By Martha Ostendorf, September 2010. 

Is Brand Loyalty Dead? … “This report featured 3 articles that showed farmers' real behaviors, how dealers can alter their sales process to foster loyalty and what dealers have to say on the subject, including whether loyalty is to the brand or the dealership.” By Dave Kanicki and Mike Lessiter, January 2011.

Are Compact Discs the Next Wave in Tillage? … “Originally developed in Europe to improve residue management, this tillage tool is now finding plenty of work in North America.” By Dave Kanicki, March 2011.

Selling Precision Ag Demands Focus … “With electronic functionality more prevalent in farm machinery, dealers are finding selling & supporting precision requires a dedicated team.” By Chad Elmore, March 2011.

Dike, Iowa, 5 Years Later … “Titan Machinery credits quality employees and sound business practices as the foundation for total turnaround following the Walterman Implement scandal that bankrupted the company and sent dealer-principal Leon Walterman and others to prison.” By Dave Kanicki, April/May 2011.

Will Equipment Rollovers Keep Rolling? … “Machinery rolls teamed with multi-unit discounts are a boon to farmers and manufacturers, but what’s in it for dealers?” By Dave Kanicki, June 2011.

What Will Agriculture Look Like in 2021? … “The next decade will be a time of technological marvels & awesome advancements. This 13 different articles report takes an in-depth look at the major developments that will shape the ag equipment business for decades to come & how it’ll impact dealers.” By Martha Mintz, September 2011.

Outlet Stores Focus on ‘Move it Out’ Approach … “A host of factors are forcing dealers to be more astute & innovative in handling the trades and moving used inventory.” By Lynn Woolf, September 2011.

Selling to Multi-Generation Farm Operations … “Dealers need to reach out to younger decisionmakers while nurturing existing relationships with older producers.” By Lynn Woolf, April/May 2012.

The New World of Used Equipment … “This 4-article report explains how dealers are putting as much or more emphasis on the used segment of their business as they do new equipment.” By Dave Kanick, June 2012

Planning a Dealer Auction … “Leo & Eric Johnson help manage cash flow & inventory by holding auctions & keep costs down by managing the majority of the sale themselves.” By Kim Kaiser, October/November 2012.

How the Business Has Changed for Dealers … “Interviews with major-line retirees Charlie Gause, John Deere; Jim Irwin, Case IH, Robert Ratliff, AGCO, and Al Rider, New Holland show how far the industry has changed, and what perhaps today’s executives have lost sight of.” By Dave Kanicki and Mike Lessiter, January 2013

Dealing with Ag’s Boom/Bust Cycles … “Three articles focus on 8 factors that could significantly slow down ag’s current run; how dealers prepare for the best and worst and the key vulnerabilities consultants say dealers must plan for.” By Dave Kanicki and Mike Lessiter, June 2013.

Refining the Selling Process … “The data-heavy report’s articles examine selling machinery on a per-acre basis and the new depreciation rules.” By Dave Kanicki, September 2013.

What is Vertical Tillage Anyway? … “Manufacturers have their say in defining vertical tillage as well as how and why they’ve designed their equipment the way they have.” By Dave Kanicki, March 2014.

Alternative Distribution: How Many Options Really Exist? … “Consultants and manufacturers weigh in on 7 options that are bandied about, and whether equipment dealers could see new or evolving models popping up around them.” By Dave Kanicki and Mike Lessiter, April/May 2014.

Koenig Equipment Sharpens Service Operations by ‘Walking Around’ … “Proactive, 2-way communications between service managers and techs is improving customer service as well as shop productivity and profitability.” By Dave Kanicki, April/May 2014.

Transitioning to the Next Generation of Dealers … “This in-depth report examined how the youthful leaders at 8 succession-oriented dealerships are working to make the business their own. Jennifer Carroll, Arnett New Holland; Jason Huber, Central Equipment Co.; Brant Bingham, Bingham Equipment; Eric Reuterskiold, Johnson Tractor; Christopher Miller, Hendershot Equipment Co.; Sean Young, Young’s Equipment; Scott Eisenhower, P&K Equipment; and Clint Schnoor, Agri-Service., June 2014.

Does Agriculture Have a ‘Need for Speed?’ … “While speed has taken center stage in ag’s push for increased productivity, industry experts in this 8-article report say it will take more than going faster through the field to meet the growing demand for ag commodities.” Staff report, September 2014.

Weighing the Benefits of SPIFS on Your Sales Team & Your Dealership ... “Some dealers say sales incentives paid by the manufacturers and finance companies help motivate their sales force, while others see them as undermining the dealer’s business goals.” By Kim Schmit, October/November 2014.

2015s

What You Need to Learn from Auto Dealers … “Farm Equipment attended an automotive marketing conference in Las Vegas to unearth the possibilities for farm equipment dealers in customer intelligence & CRM use in this 6-article report.” By Mike Wiles, January 2015.

Dealer Executive Roundtable … “Farm Equipment staff gathered 4 Dealership of the Year Alumni (Steve Connelly, RDO Equipment; Leo Johnson, Johnson Tractor; Clint Schnoor, Agri-Service; Mark Foster, Birkey’s Farm Store) for a first-ever dinner meeting that became a candid, exchange on issues facing today’s industry.” By Mike Lessiter, Dave Kanicki, Michael Ellis, Alan Stenum, Kim Schmidt, Darren Foster and Jamie Elftman, February 2015.

The Next Generation ... “The sold-out Dealership Minds Summit in Cincinnati spurred 6 feature articles on what dealers needed to do to navigate the succession planning process with their own staffs and the majors’ who hold the cards on the contracts. “ By Mike Lessiter, Dave Kanicki, Jamie Elftman, Kim Schmidt and Ian Gronau, March 2015.

RDO Equipment's Structure for Shortlines …“RDO Equipment recognized greater opportunities in shortlines and put dedicated resources on the job via former dealer-principal Lee Rogness to manage decision-making across this 28-store farm equipment dealer group.” By Mike Lessiter, March 2015.

The Balance Sheet, Leverage & Turnover: Birkey’s Training Primer … “In one of the most requested articles in our history, Mike Hedge shares his approach to teaching employees throughout the dealership the importance of leverage and turnover, the guard rails for keeping the balance sheet — and dealership — on track.” By Mike Hedge, April/May 2015. 

Case Studies: How Well Do You Understand Your Customers' Challenges? … “Exclusive coverage, presented in a case study format similar to that of a Harvard Business Review case study, includes a series of homework questions for each of the 5 case studies on planning capital expenditures, improving rented land, investing in buildings, succession planning and objective decisionmaking.” By Mike Wiles, Dave Kanicki, Lynn Woolf, Jamie Elftman, KIm Schmidt, September 2015.

The Best of Dealer Winter Service Promotions … “Creative approaches to winter service, complete with examples of successful promotions, help these dealers earn their customers’ business all year long.” By Jamie Elftman, October/November 2015. 

From the History Files: The Rear-Fold Planter and the Battle that Ensued … “Jon Kinzenbaw’s shares his remarkable story of his David vs. Goliath lawsuit after John Deere’s effort to squeeze Kinze Manufacturing out of the planter-building business.” By Jon Kinzenbaw, October/November 2015.

Thinking ‘Small’ Pays When it Comes to Moving Used Inventory … “Small-store leaders within Farm Equipment’s Dealership of the Year Alumni Group share the actions they’re relying on to guide them through the choppy waters of reducing equipment backlogs.” By Dave Kanicki, Mike Lessiter and Mike Wiles, January 2016.

Full-Time Dealer Agronomists: Western Sales’ ‘Eureka’ Moment … “This innovative Deere dealership shares its reasons for entering agronomy in 2010 and how 6 ‘in-house’ agronomists leverage their trademark services for data management, field scouting, prescriptions and scouting.” By Devin Dubois, April/May 2016.

After the Ink Dries: The First 100 Days Post-Acquisition … “Dealers and consultants share their lessons learned on best practices for integrating your company culture into a newly acquired store in this special report containing 8 articles.” By Mike Lessiter, Dave Kanicki, Kim Schmidt, Jamie Elftman and Jack Zemlicka, June 2016.

The Real World of ESOPs From Acquisition to Owner Retirement … “A stock ownership plan is providing a seamless succession strategy for Livingston Machinery.” By Mike Wiles, July/August 2016.

What's Trending in Ag Application Technology? … “Three years of low grain prices are forcing farmers to minimize production costs. This report, across 11 articles, shares that how farmers apply their inputs will be vital for cost-controls.” By Dave kanicki, Dan Crummet, Erdahl Ozhan, Kim Schmidt, September 2016.

Growing the Business Through Financial Literacy … “Jenner Ag plays the Great Game of Business and practices open book management to move the business forward, while also providing its employees with a financial education.” By Kim Schmidt, October/November 2016.

Turning Your Dealership Around … This special report featured dealers’ greatest mistakes and also a case study on bringing back a dealership from the brink of failure. By Kim Schmidt and Mike Lessiter, January 2017.

Used Equipment Remarketing … “15 articles detail the top dealer takeaways from the first-ever Dealership Minds Summit devoted to used machinery, including the industry-changing Washout Cycle explanation by Casey Seymour. By Dan Crummett, Mike Lessiter, Mike Wiles, Kim Schmidt and James DeGraff, October/November 2017.

Breakthroughs That are Reshaping Agriculture … “This 5-article special report covers AI, data exchanging, driverless technologies and 3-D parts printing” By Ian Gronau, Laura Barerra, Dan Crummett and Kim Schmidt, January 2018. 

20 Conversations in Ag … “Farm Equipment editors moderated conversations with individuals touching various aspects of agriculture — among them dealers, farmers, manufacturers, economists and consultants — about the biggest issues impacting the farm equipment industry.” By Mike Lessiter, Dave Kanicki, Kim Schmidt, Jack Zemlicka, Lynn Woolf, Michael Ellis, Alan Stenum, Darren Foster & Alex Zank, June 2018.

Consolidation Impacts All Aspects of the Ag Industry … “Consolidation has hit all aspects of the agriculture industry from farmers, suppliers, manufacturers to dealers and even associations.” By Laura Barrera, Jennifer Reibel and Kim Schmidt, September 2018.

The Marketing Issue … “Every dealership’s future is in the hands of the marketing department. Either marketing steps up and does its job or the dealership fails,” says Jeff Bowman of Titan Machinery. The report features 8 articles covering the most timely topics in farm equipment marketing.” By Jeff Bowman, Tyler Musson, Kim Schmidt, Mike Wiles, Lynn Woolf, James DeGraff, Sierra Wolff, Jen Bradley, October/November 2018.

U.S. Farm Equipment Dealership Marketing Expenditures Survey First-Ever Farm Equipment Dealership Marketing Survey Finds Digital Practices Yield Best Returns on Investment ... “The first of its kind Marketing Expenditures Survey reveals surprises while validating what works best.” By Alex Zank, September 2018.

Growing the Workforce Filling the Skills Gap Requires Industry-Wide Effort … “Low unemployment, declining populations and a widening skills gap are all contributing to the challenges farm equipment dealers face in workforce development. This 6-article report stresses that solutions require participation from dealers, associations, OEMs, schools and the community.” By Kim Schmidt, Gene Armas, Sierra Wolff and Jack Zemlicka, June 2019.

2019 Confidential Sales Survey: Benchmarking Sales Efforts in the Industry by Dealership Revenue … “This 7-article report includes a benchmark study into how dealers’ structure their sales departments.” By Sierra Wolff, September 2019.

No More Order Takers: Strategies for Motivating & Improving Your Sales Team … “ This deep dive into sales management covers sales culture, compensation plan deep-dives, Van Wall’s sales strategy and technologies to boost sales performance. By Kim Schmidt, Mike Lessiter, Don Van Houweling, Ben Thorpe, October/November 2019.

2020s

Following the Numbers Using ROI to Sell More Iron … “To successfully sell customers on ROI, determine the numbers that are important to them — hours saved, fuel savings, yield increases — and go from there.” By Kim Schmidt, January 2021.

Sounding the Alarm: Technician Shortage Hurts the Bottom Line … “Being down just one technician for 30 days can have a significant financial impact on farm equipment dealerships. The report included 5 different articles on the topic.” By. Kim Schmidt, Michaela Paukner and Brian O’Connor, January 2022.

Are We Headed Back to the 2014 Used Equipment Glut? … “Things aren’t quite as grim in 2022 as they were in 2014. But some of the same issues that caused the 2014 used equipment glut need to be monitored.” By Ben Thorpe, February 2022.

Executive Q&A: Why Birkey’s Farm Store Set Up an ESOP … “Mike Hedge, CEO of 17-store Case IH dealer Birkey’s Farm Store, says the new ESOP helps with employee retention and will fuel future acquisitions.” By Ben Thorpe, April/May 2022.

Lost Without AgriSync? Consider These Alternatives … “Dealers get creative in their searches for a replacement customer service platform after John Deere’s acquisition of the customer service platform left dealers scrambling to find a replacement. “ By Michaeala Paukner, April/May 2022.

Ag Prepares for an Electric-Powered Future … “Just-completed research provides an update on the realistic possibilities for electric-powered machinery on the farm in this 8-article report.” By Dan Crummett, Michaela Paukner, Joani Woelfel, Mike Lessiter, June 2022.

Take Your Service Management to the Next Level … “With supply chain issues limiting wholegoods sales, the aftermarket business — the dealership’s true margin-maker — has never been more important. This special report delves into service shop profitability in 7 articles.” By Mike Lessiter, Kim Schmidt, Ben Thorpe, Noah Newman, Michaela Paukner, Libby Wawzenek, October/November 2022.

Weighing The Viability of an Autonomous Future … “As robotics, AI and autonomous technology continue to evolve, manufacturers, dealers and customers weigh in in this 5-article report on what an autonomous future for ag looks like, and what it will take to get there.” By Dan Crummett, Noah Newman, January 2023.

Right to Repair - Memorandum of Understanding Leads to More Questions than Answers … “ Does the Jan. 8 memorandum of understanding John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Federation signed change anything?” By Kim Schmidt, February 2023.

Point/Counterpoint: Lessiter Media Editors Debate Right to Repair … Grower-division editor Frank Lessiter squares off with Dealer-Division editor Kim Schmidt on this polarizing issue facing farmers, dealers and manufacturers. The piece is complemented by Lessiter’s “133 Right to Repair Concerns–Growers Get Loud.” By Frank Lesstier and Kim Schmidt, March 2023

Business System Best Practices: Choosing a DMS … “A dealer management system can dramatically improve your business. But only if you choose wisely. Here’s some expert advice.” By Art Aiello, June 2023.

Shortline Legends Hall of Fame …The inaugural class of Farm Equipment’s ‘Shortline Legends’ (Roy Applequist, Jon Kinzenbaw, Don Landoll, Joe MacDonald and Gary Vermeer) made a permanent dent in the ag equipment universe. By Mike Lessiter, Kim Schmidt and Art Aiello, September 2023.