With the influx of venture capital, countless web-centric apps have flooded the agricultural market. However, this has almost masked the movement of traditional ag app companies in a new direction.
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.
Heading into 2015, many dealers knew it would be difficult to replicate the success they've enjoyed in recent years selling precision farming technology. Lower commodity prices are prompting farmers to be more judicious with where they plan to spend their money in the coming year.
Todd Janzen, attorney at Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP in Indianapolis, grew up on a Kansas grain and livestock farm and now practices law in the at the intersection of ag and technology. In this guest post, Todd addresses the question "Does Your Co-Op Own Your Farm Data?"
With precision farming data becoming an increasingly valuable commodity, it's more common to find dealers selling services to include compiling a comprehensive yield report or layering field maps that color-code weaker producing areas for farm customers.
This week I was very thankful to have an autosteer system while performing planting especially since it is always so hard to tell how far away from the previous pass you are.
While still on the cusp of planting season, precision specialists have been feeling the service pressure build for several weeks. Checking in with a few dealers recently, they didn't mince words with how hectic it's been.
I just read the article in Precision Farming Dealer in which Ag Info Tech was identified as the Most Valuable Dealership ("Selling Precision Partnerships with Purpose & Profitability", Precision Farming Dealer, Winter 2015) and would like to offer my congratulations both in this recognition but maybe even more in being able to build your idea into a business.
Creative thinking is a mandatory skill for most precision farming specialists. This applies not only to troubleshooting a technical problem in the field, but also seeking out new sales opportunities.
Spending time during the last few weeks at a handful of industry events, I had the chance to take the pulse of both precision dealers and manufacturers on their market outlook for 2015.
Last week, I shadowed Dave Thompson in Amboy, Ill. He’s a precision farming specialist with Case IH dealer Johnson Tractor. He tells me most of his customers were done with harvest by the middle of October.
The college offers an associate degree in Applied Science in Agriculture (60 credit hours). Students enrolled in this program may specialize in precision farming technology by selecting up to 15 credit hours in this area and agriculture business, sales and agronomy.
The college offers an AAS in Precision Agriculture and customized precision ag- related training for agricultural producers, insurance underwriters, equipment dealer and agricultural cooperative employees and others.
Offering training on Ag Leader, Trimble, Reichhardt, Norac and Integris Systems in twice yearly customer training events (spring/fall). Also offering individual training opportunities on any HTS Ag products and SMS software, year round.