The 2017 recipient of Precision Farming Dealer’s fifth annual Most Valuable Dealership is Southern States Cooperative based in Richmond, Va.
In total, 37 U.S. and Canadian dealerships including large and small farm equipment dealership groups with precision departments, independent precision operations and co-ops were nominated by their farm customers, precision equipment suppliers and their own employees.
We asked an independent panel of judges to evaluate precision farming sales growth and diversity, along with how each nominee is generating revenue from hardware, software and precision service.
The judges also analyzed less quantifiable elements that define the best precision farming dealership, such as employee training, performance standards, innovation, sustainability and community involvement.
Previous recipients of the honor showcased the diversity of dealerships carving out a successful niche in precision farming, and 2017 once again highlighted another uniquely innovative retailer in Southern States.
Most Valuable Dealership Alumni
2013 Brokaw Supply Company Fort Dodge, Iowa
2014 South Dakota Wheat Growers Aberdeen, S.D.
2015 Ag Info Tech Mount Vernon, Ohio
2016 Hoober Inc. Intercourse, Pa.
With agronomy revenue of nearly $680 million in fiscal year 2016, the 200,000 member cooperative places a priority on collecting, analyzing and applying agronomic data to help customers make timely cropping decisions.
“You can learn a lot about a crop from a yield monitor, but at that point, you can’t fix anything,” says David Swain, precision farming manager for Southern States. “We take a more nurturing approach with our precision services to collect data throughout the growing season and then try to solve or eliminate those limiting factors for our customers that will help them be more profitable.”
As noted by the judges, Southern States is making good on the agronomic promises of precision technology and agricultural machinery with robust service offerings and collaborative training that puts the customer’s needs first.
The challenging job of choosing this year’s Precision Farming Dealer Most Valuable Dealership went to three highly experienced individuals who comprised the independent judging panel. This year’s group included Dr. Harold F. Reetz, Jr., owner of Reetz Agronomics LLC, Terry Brase, Agricultural Science Instructor at West Hills Community College and Thomas Krill, founder of Precision Strategy LLC.
Most Valuable Dealership Judging Panel
Dr. Harold F. Reetz, Jr. Owner, Reetz Agronomics LLC, Monticello, Ill. Reetz has nearly 40 years of experience as an agronomic consultant in the areas of high-yield cropping systems, precision farming technology and on-farm research. From 1995-2009, he was the lead organizer for the InfoAg Conference series and served as co-coordinator of the International Conference on Precision Agriculture in 2008 and 2010. He currently serves as executive director of the International Society of Precision Agriculture.
Terry Brase Precision Ag Instructor, West Hills Community College, Coalinga, Calif. After spending 15 years as professor of Agricultural Geospatial Technologies at Kirkwood Community College in Iowa, Brase launched BrASE LLC, an educational consulting company to assist agriculturists develop geospatial technology skills in 2014. In 2016, he joined West Hills Community College as a precision ag instructor, teaching a variety of agricultural science courses and developing technology and curriculum at the Farm of the Future.
Thomas Krill Consultant, Precision Strategy LLC, Pettisville, Ohio For more than 20 years, Krill has worked in the precision agriculture industry as a collegiate instructor, sales manager and research and development team member for farm equipment manufacturers and an agronomic consultant. Krill currently serves as a member of the Agriculture Management Team at the Kenn-Feld Group and he also works as an independent strategist with Precision Strategy LLC.
