One of the keys in Farm Equipment’s journey was the day it became a “real publication.” Up until the mid-1980s, it was largely a new products vehicle and was edited by Johnson Hill Press (JHP) workhorse Butch Horn, who was juggling 5 publications single-handedly.

A young Willie Vogt was transferred from JHP’s custom-publishing division in 1985 to turn Farm Equipment, which up to that point had been a new products tabloid, into a “real magazine.” He recalls the JHP meetings with Mike Martin, Jim Rank and the newly arrived Rich Reiff and getting the message that they wanted to “do something different and important in the market.”

In this video, brought to you by AgDirect, Farm Equipment Editor/Publisher Mike Lessiter sits down with Vogt, who shares his memories of his time with the magazine.

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The 55 Years in Farm Equipment video series is brought to you by AgDirect®, as we celebrate 25 years of serving agriculture’s equipment financing needs.

In 1998, AgDirect was introduced as a new option for ag equipment financing. Twenty-five years later, that option is one of the leading equipment financing brands in the industry, and we have you to thank for it. While production agriculture has changed, AgDirect remains committed to simple, fast and flexible financing – with online tools to support you through the process and excellent customer service to match. Contact your AgDirect territory manager or visit agdirect.com to learn more.

Read more about the series

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