Precision specialists tend to be busy year-round, but when it comes to training new employees, planting season is often an excellent test of stamina, problem-solving skills and technological aptitude. As the precision farming manager for Swiderski Equipment, John Cooper understands the seasonal rigors of long-hours, increased responsibility and the need for constant communication with new hires.

In this episode of the Precision Farming Dealer podcast, brought to you by Farmers Edge, we welcome Heather Hardy, of H&R Agri-Power, and Scott Meldrum, of Van Wall Equipment, to share their approach to the “soft side” of managing precision specialists, and their advice for working “on” the business instead of battling precision blazes in constant fire-fighting mode.

In my experience, one of the most ambiguous consumer labels is “user-friendly.” This is especially true of technology, when companies promise technical bliss is only a download, install or mouse click away.

Returning from the second Precision Farming Dealer Summit last week in St. Louis, I am slowly sifting through a notebook of takeaways accumulated during formal sessions, roundtable discussions and hallway conversations.

We’ve all been in a situation at a party, conference or even a meeting where we’re asked, “So, what do you do?” It’s the simplest of questions that somehow seems to bring out the most complex of answers.

The first step to structuring a successful and productive precision farming internship program is to establish what the goals are for both the dealership and the intern.

In the last edition of our e-newsletter, I related the revolving-door professional path of a friend to the fluctuating job market for precision farming specialists. After talking with a diverse group of independent and farm equipment dealers last week about their recruiting and retention practices, it seemed like a topic worth revisiting.