Manufacturer & Dealer Issues

SATISFYD Releases Analysis of Customer Dissatisfaction, Aftermarket Revenue in Equipment Industry

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

New research analyzing 20 million equipment industry transactions identifies measurable revenue-risk patterns tied to customer dissatisfaction and operational execution. Leading equipment dealers validate the findings.

Associations: The ‘Behind the Scenes’ Work Nobody Sees

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Former dealer association exec John Schmeiser provides a ‘behind-the-curtain’ look at manufacturer relations, warranty wars & meetings that saved the industry from hundreds of lawsuits.

AI in the Equipment Dealership: A Practical Guide to What Works, What Doesn’t & What to Look For

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The industry is moving fast. But the dealers getting real value from AI aren’t chasing every trend, they’re making smarter choices about where technology helps and where their people still lead.

Industry Shares Comments on CNH’s Color-Mixing of its Dealer Network

mlessiter@lesspub.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Big changes for Case IH and New Holland machinery dealers, customers – and rival colors.

NAEDA Responds: CNH’s Color-Mixing of its Dealer Network

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The recent move by CNH to further align the Case IH and New Holland organizations—often referred to as the "purpling" of the brands—has generated significant discussion throughout the dealer network. While many details remain unclear, NAEDA sees both opportunities and challenges associated with this strategy.

Successful First-Ever Summit, But Some Conspicuous Absences

kschmidt@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Introducing a new product — or in our case a new event — can be equal parts excitement and nerve-racking. We did the attendee survey and polling on the need and formula, we lined up key presenters and sought input for the themed roundtable discussions.

First-Ever Ag Equipment Intelligence Executive Summit Wraps in Chicago

Thu, 21 May 2026 16:03:29 -0400

The registrants gathering in Chicago for Ag Equipment Intelligence's Executive Summit represented $32.2 billion in annual sales and the oversight of more than 24,000 employees.

NAEDA/AED Announce Washington, D.C. Policy Conference and Advocacy Day

Sat, 16 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

NAEDA is partnering with the Associated Equipment Distributors for a Washington, D.C. Policy Conference and Advocacy Day. The fly-in will be held June 1–3 with a robust agenda for engagement with Congress and the administration.

AED’s McGuire Lends Equipment Dealer Support to E15 Passage, Talks Highway Bill in D.C. Trip

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

On May 13-14, AED’s President & CEO Brian P. McGuire visited Washington, D.C., for high-level meetings with lawmakers and Trump administration officials.

CNH CEO: ‘Passing Through Lowest Period’ of Current Ag Cycle

kschmidt@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

CEO Gerrit Marx also noted that dealer inventory levels remained unchanged since the beginning of the year, calling it “by design.”

ONGOING COVERAGE: Right-to-Repair Impact on Dealers, Deere, Other OEMs

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:50:39 -0400

Deere & Company announced that it has reached a settlement agreement to resolve the multidistrict “right to repair” litigation pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

U.S. House Passes Farm Bill 2.0, Pesticide 'Liability Shield' Removed

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The version approved Thursday removed controversial language that would have prohibited states and courts from, “penalizing or holding liable entities for failing to comply with requirements that would require labeling or packaging that is in addition to or different from the labeling or packaging approved by the EPA administrator.”

Caterpillar Acquires Monarch Tractor

kschmidt@lessitermedia.com — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:00:19 -0400

In a statement earlier this month, Monarch said its “core technology, including our software-defined vehicle platform, perception stack, and electrification systems, has been acquired by a large global equipment manufacturer. It means the technology will continue to move forward.”

Dealer-Major Line Relations and What Got Lost Along the Way

mlessiter@lesspub.com — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Dealer-manufacturer relationships have shifted from personal, field-based partnerships to being more transactional today.

Observations on the Mainline OEM ‘Cast of Characters’ Over 20-Plus Years

mlessiter@lesspub.com — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Veteran editor Mike Lessiter shares observations of having reported on the business of farm machinery for 20-plus years.

AEI Brings Together All Corners of Ag Equipment Industry with All-New Event

kschmidt@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The entire industry — manufacturers, dealers and suppliers — has lacked a dedicated forum devoted solely to strategic market intelligence in which all can learn from each other.

Jim Irwin and 'Old-School' Leadership

mlessiter@lesspub.com — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

What dealers want from the executives they answer to at their major-line is simple and straightforward.

AI’s Potential for Ag Machinery Manufacturers

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Baird analyst Mircea (Mig) Dobre said that the firm views AI as a potential disrupter for business models built on information access and digital products.

Diesel Prices Should Fall Eventually

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Forces at work within the economic structure of the oil refining business seem to be indicating the beginning of a stable market of softening of diesel fuel prices over the coming years — barring catastrophic geo-political upheavals.

Squid Juice, AI & Optimism: Noteworthy Nuggets from National Farm Machinery Show

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:00:00 -0500

Here are some of the top things we saw — and heard — at the 2026 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Ky.

Titan International Inc. Signs as Title Sponsor for 2026 Farm Equipment Dealership Minds Summit

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The editors of Farm Equipment announced at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville that Titan International has signed on as a Title Sponsor for the 2026 Dealership Minds Summit.

2026 Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame Inductee: Ron Birkey

mlessiter@lesspub.com — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

As is often said, the legacy of a leader cannot be measured until long after the retirement party and presentation of the gold watch. More specifically, the leader is valued on how the principles and core tenets translate over and into the preparedness of the next generation for the enterprise’s continuity. Such is the case for Ron Birkey.

2026 Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame Inductee: Jack Stankievech

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Rather than growing quickly or chasing expansion, Jack Stankievech focused on making careful decisions and maintaining relationships that have endured for decades. That approach helped shape Trochu Motors through both strong years and challenging down times.

2026 Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame Inductee: Alex Swiderski

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

To become a successful fighter, physical attributes like strength and endurance are essential. But it’s the mental side of things that’s even more important, requiring traits like courage, discipline and determination. Alex Swiderski possessed all of the above.

2026 Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame Inductee: Tim Brannon

mdrewek@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Growing up on a diversified family farm instilled an appreciation in Tim Brannon for the ecosystem that feeds the world from a young age, although if you ask him what his first memory of agriculture was, he will say he was thrown face-first into it.

2026 Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame Inductee: Don Van Houweling

kschmidt@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Don Van Houweling started his first business — a carwash in Nevada, Iowa — when he was just 18 years old. As he approaches his 80th birthday later this year, the energy of that young entrepreneur is still going strong.

EPA Issues Guidance on Self-Repair of Nonroad Engines

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

On Feb. 2, 2026, the United States Environmental Protection Agency issued guidance reaffirming existing policies that temporarily disabling aspects of an emission control system or components to repair or maintain a nonroad engine is permissible under the Clean Air Act

Byproduct of Trying Times: Your Chance to EARN Customer Loyalties

mlessiter@lesspub.com — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The time is always right to do the right thing, especially when it’s painful for you. Don’t waste the opportunity these times “give you” to show who you are.

Dealership Leaders Promote Farmer Priorities, Help Drive Policy Momentum During AED Summit

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

A key component of the Summit was a roundtable discussion, moderated by BJ Knutson, CEO of Titan Machinery, featuring Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

NAEDA Requests Meeting with USDA’s Vaden

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0500

The North American Equipment Dealers Assn. (NAEDA) has requested a meeting with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Deputy Secretary Steven Vaden.