One of the most talked-about sessions looked at creating a culture of advancement and growth within a precision dealership. Skip Klinefelter, owner of Linco-Precision in El Paso, Ill., noted during his opening general session that success and survival of precision dealers will require continuous collaboration and internal problem-solving — both of which are cornerstones of stability.

Equipment automation, drone-based nutrient application and hybrid or electric machinery are among the innovations which are trending toward broader application, perhaps as soon as 2025, according to results of a recent study conducted by consulting company Roland Berger.

The manufacturing models of the farm equipment and automotive industries are intertwined, with innovations developed for consumer vehicles often finding their way into the production of ag machinery.

Learning from early experience selling and supporting the recurring revenue program, Devin Dubois, vice president of Integrated Solutions with Western Sales, recently helped expand the dealership’s precision platform to include independent precision software support for 6 other dealer groups in the region.

As ag technology evolves to include more machine learning and automated functions, the threat of data theft and other cyber crimes is increasing.

In this podcast, we report on the leadership change at Buhler Industries and provide a look at some of the damage caused by Hurricane Florence in North and South Carolina. In this week's Technology Corner segment, Jack Zemlicka takes a look at Redline Equipment's test plot in Gas City, Ind. Other topics include worldwide tractor sales for the first 8 months of the year, preliminary results to Ag Equipment Intelligence's 2019 Dealer Business Outlook & Trends survey and the competition in the combine market.