The ongoing battle about whether or not vehicle owners — on-road or off-road — should be exempted from the restrictions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act won’t be over until it’s over.
Today’s farm equipment includes computers and technology systems ranging from engine controls, to guidance systems, to media and entertainment systems. Making each system work is computer software.
If you only look at the unit sales for big farm equipment, it would be hard to get too excited about the current state of ag machinery business. But plowing through the dealer commentary from this month’s “Dealer Sentiments & Business Conditions Update” survey, it’s interesting how many dealers had some pretty positive things to say.
Since I joined the Farm Equipment staff in 2005, I’ve heard about the John Deere dealer meeting that took place in 2002 in Louisville, Ky., that laid the groundwork for a lot of the dealer consolidation efforts that we’ve seen during the past decade.
Sometimes you just need to step back and re-examine some things. In this case, we’re taking a closer look at what reader responses we approve for posting on the Farm Equipment website.
As I was coming down on the elevator of the hotel where I was attending a meeting last week, one of the passengers looked at me and said, “You’re the forecast guy.” He kind of took me off guard, and I said, “I do some work in the that area.”
What is the value of the knowledge, experience and analytical ability (or troubleshooting) that your dealership has developed in order to sell and support your customers? This ability, which has been developed over time and exists in the minds of you and your employees can rightfully be called dealership wisdom.
Twenty years ago, farm field speeds were slower and sprayers and other implements were not as wide, nor were they as complex as systems now farming the land. That was the world into which the first control area network (CAN) was standardized as a communication link between tractors and implements.
While previous articles have addressed dominating a market, initiating a strategy and executing with speed, all using the precepts of Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” this column will use the same source to identify the leadership attributes necessary to win a protracted war of attrition.
Just read Mike Lessiter’s Op-Ed (“To The Point: In Praise of Straight Talk,” March 2015). In my circle of life (began since 1960s, dealer-principal since the 1970s), I have been a student of the industry. I followed Case and its rise, along with the disasters along the way, as well as Allis Chalmers and its demise.
Built on 90 years of expertise, Yetter Farm Equipment leads the agriculture industry in designing effective and innovative equipment for residue management, seedbed preparation, precision fertilizer placement, harvest attachments, strip-tillage, and more.
Montag is the industry’s innovative leader for precise, accurate metering of fertilizer, seed and other nutrients. The Montag system has become the standard for deep banding of fertilizer. Montag is also pioneering the technology for cover crop seed application. The new Cover Crop+ is able to meter the smallest seed, and can be mounted to tillage implements, combines, plus Hagie sprayers and detasselers.
At Machinery Scope, we believe you deserve the best risk management solutions for your investments in heavy equipment. Since 2013, we have been proud to offer extended warranty, appraisals, and inspections. Machinery Scope is a family-owned business built on our experience in farming and equipment dealerships. We understand your business and provide a personalized and professional level of customer service. Machinery Scope has built a strong warranty product with our customers in mind, offering the same professional level of service from the time you get a quote, through the processing of a claim.