A Precision Farming Dealer Staff Report

Gigabytes of farm data are being collected, stored and in some cases applied to improve on-farm decision making. But behind the algorithms and analysis a profitable precision business is rooted in relationships. 

Understanding the integration of technical capabilities with customer experience to maximize profitability was a core focus of the 5th Precision Farming Dealer Summit held at the Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, on Jan. 6-7.

Featuring a speaker lineup that included 10 leading dealer groups representing more than $1.1 billion in annual revenue, the event drew a sold out crowd of 162 precision farming professionals from more than 64 different dealerships across 24 states and 4 provinces.  

Emphasizing the theme Defining Precision Progress with Data-Driven Solutions, speakers and attendees zeroed in on how to advance their precision objectives through targeted integration of progressive technology and services to strengthen customer trust and confidence. 

Tom Rosztoczy, owner of Stotz Equipment based in Avondale, Ariz., noted that dealers can be adept at providing the best on-farm analytics, but if they can’t explain it to customer, it’s value is minimal.

“People don’t become farmers because they want to spend a lot of time doing data analytics. Those two things are almost mutually exclusive,” he said during a dealer executive panel at the Summit. “We’re still in a business where people do business with people. We think we’re in the equipment business or we think we’re in the precision business, but we’re still in the people business. In particular, our farmer customers think that way and they will do business with people they trust.”

While no dealership has perfected the model for fully leveraging the value of data-driven solutions for customers, the 14 speakers, 3 sets of roundtable discussions and dynamic networking opportunities at the 2 day conference, sought to candidly deliver actionable advice and experiences to put dealers on the path to progress.

From the single-location independent retailer to the multi-store farm equipment dealer, the veteran precision ag manager to the newly hired specialist, the passion for precision farming was prevalent during each structured learning session and hallway conversations.

We offer a snapshot of the 2020 Summit’s unique, knowledge-sharing environment. Stay tuned for extended coverage of the Summit in the March 2020 issue of Farm Equipment magazine and online at www.PrecisionFarmingDealer.com and www.Farm-Equipment.com. 

Extend the Summit Experience

Continue learning from the 5th Precision Farming Dealer Summit through exclusive video super sessions highlighting the most talked-about presentations from the 2020 event in St. Louis. The super sessions are brought to you by Laforge Systems Inc. Visit PrecisionFarmingDealer.com for more coverage of the 2020 Summit and past events.

Summer Print Edition Preview

Adding Agronomic Value to Every Sale: What’s the Secret to Success? 

Much has been made of the need for dealers to deliver comprehensive factory-to-field solutions designed to touch every acre of a customer’s operation. But how are dealers capitalizing on the combination of machine optimization to improve agronomic outcomes?

Agronomic service is still a push-pull proposition for dealers. Some have proactively embraced and invested in providing robust support options to customers that include soil sampling, data analysis and field prescriptions. 

Martin White, division sales manager precision ag, Enns Bros., Winnipeg, Man., Mitchell Hora, CEO, Continuum Ag, Washington, Iowa, and Mark Truster, managing agronomist, Reynolds Farm Equipment, in Fishers, Ind., each shared their unique approaches and advice for prioritizing agronomic service as a part of the precision sales mentality for dealerships.

Stay tuned for detailed coverage of this panel discussion in the Summer 2020 print edition of Precision Farming Dealer