On the cusp of spring planting, dealerships are facing the dilemma of accepting the new reality of social distancing and self-quarantine, or taking advantage of the tools and talent they have to continue delivering high-quality service to farm customers.

On the cusp of spring planting in many areas, farmers are preparing to put their precision farming systems to the test. And in many cases, planter clinics have been cancelled or postponed this year, making it all the more important that farmers have alternative opportunities to get answers.

Immediately following the release of its 5-year plan to significantly increase its investment in autonomous ag technologies, Raven Industries acted on that strategic plan with the acquisition of 2 independent autonomous companies.

Data sharing continues to be a source of both opportunity and irritation within the ag industry. While some farmers have pursued the potential advantages of sharing field data, others are reluctant to grant access, control or ownership of that information to third parties.

In this podcast, we take a look at how the number of “big” dealers has changed vs. a year ago. In the Technology Corner, Jack Zemlicka discusses increasing interest in optical sensor technologies. Also covered in this episode: increasing demand for equipment loans, Cervus Equipment’s new president and CEO, Angela Lekatsas, the reintroduction of the Concord brand of air seeding technology and first quarter ag equipment sales results.

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.

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.

As we returned from the Precision Farming Dealer Summit in Indianapolis last week, it was clear that precision technology is going to strongly influence the direction of the farm equipment industry. In this episode, we cover how Deere chairman and CEO Sam Allen credits much of the company's recent success to new precision technologies it's introducing.