2019 has seen interesting new developments in market sentiments, with dealers continuing to slowly move away from hardware and steer business objectives toward data management for future revenue, according to the seventh annual Precision Farming Benchmark Study.

Much has been made of autonomous advancements in the ag industry during the last few years, as a possible pathway to increased field efficiencies and a solution to labor shortages.

Even in a challenging ag economy, dealerships are looking for opportunities which can strengthen the business for the future. Acquisitions and consolidation have long been a part of the farm equipment industry. But collaborations and partnerships, especially on the precision farming side, could be key in further developing this side of the business for dealers.

Summer is typically a prime timeframe for precision salespeople to engage customers on future purchasing decisions. But with many regions dealing with delayed planting this spring, precision specialists have perhaps put off having conversations with customers about technology additions or upgrades.

Strip-till farmers have typically been among the most progressive adopters of precision technology, embracing tools including variable-rate seeding, implement guidance and unmanned aerial vehicles. But RTK-level correction is often referred to as the most essential technology in a successful strip-till system, given the importance of accurately planting into a narrow strip of soil.

In this podcast, we report on Deere & Co.’s second quarter earnings and outlook for the remainder of the year. Publicly traded dealer groups Cervus Equipment and Rocky Mountain Dealerships both reported their first quarter results recently, and put an emphasis on moving used equipment in the quarter. CNH Industrial’s first quarter results took a hit du to unfavorable exchange rates.

One of the reasons behind growing interest in optical sensor technologies, or in sensor technology as a whole, is increasing input costs, which are creating tighter margins for farmers. While there is still plenty of theoretical outcomes, farmers are most interested in practical impacts that sensing technology can provide, according to Dr. Ray Asebedo, agronomic consultant.

In this podcast, we talk with Buhler and Kubota about their recently announced agreement in which Buhler will manufacture a tractor for Kubota. In the Technology Corner, Jack Zemlicka reports on no-tillers’ plans for precision farming purchases in the year ahead. Also in this episode we talk about how the “bomb cyclone” and resulting floods are impacting dealerships and manufacturers in the Great Plains, Rocky Mountain Dealership and Cervus Equipment’s 2018 sales reports, and we talk with the new NRCS chief Matthew Lohr.