Home / Authors / Mike Lessiter

Articles by Mike Lessiter

Mike Houghtaling P&C Ag Solutions

P&C Ag’s 6 Stages of Adoption for Autonomous Farming Vehicles

Independent dealer shares steps in go-to-market strategy for autonomous farm equipment.
By Mike Lessiter posted on November 22, 2021 | Posted in Precision Ag Sales & Service

Mike Houghtaling, president and founder of P&C Ag Solutions in Reese, Mich., views adoption of autonomy in six stages. Each stage represents an opportunity for the independent retailer to demonstrate the reliability and necessity for new precision agriculture equipment.


Read More
Dealer Survey Planter Order Deliveries
Updated Report

Survey Shows Year-End Reality for Farmers, Dealers

A survey of farmers & dealers, closed on November 17, reveals a window into what the next 6 weeks will look like as farmers exit the field, meet with their accountants and make year-end purchases.
By Mike Lessiter posted on November 19, 2021 | Posted in Used Equipment Remarketing, Manufacturer & Dealer Issues, Data & Forecasts

In this most unusual year of high farm incomes, rising inputs and scarce supply of nearly everything, Farm Equipment and Ag Equipment Intelligence conducted a 48-hour survey from November 15-17 on the year-end situation, which drew 257 growers and 80 dealers.


Read More
M-21-planter-built-in-1954.jpg

The No-Till Planter Race: Did IH Get There Before A-C?

International Harvester appears to have been the first to come to market with a no-till concept planter — 13 years before Allis-Chalmers’ model found commercial success in 1966. But IH exited production just 2 years later after only 23 shipments.
By Mike Lessiter posted on October 21, 2021 | Posted in Product Innovations & Introductions
As our staff was delving into research for the “Timeline of No-Till History," ​the No-Till Museum we’ll be bringing to the National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville, and an all-new history series planned in 2022 to mark the “triple crown” of no-till milestones, we discovered some mystery over the first no-till planter. And it’s the kind of discovery that’s sure to fuel additional debates.
Read More
Lessiter
To the Point

Rounding the Corner to 2021

By Mike Lessiter posted on October 6, 2020 | Posted in Manufacturer & Dealer Issues
Just within the last few weeks, there’s been plenty to keep one’s attention, both in and outside of the farm economy. For a while up until the first debate, even the presidential election seemed to be fighting for attention. Here’s just a few things we’ve been watching as we put together the final edition of 2020.
Read More
Mike L's headshot for social media
To the Point

Are We Commoditizing Ourselves?

By Mike Lessiter posted on September 21, 2020
“They’ll know more about the products than I can anyway,” he said. Yet without opportunity to contribute to decisions, it also increases the likelihood that your transaction will become “commoditized.”
Read More
Lessiter
To the Point

Your 2020 Dealer of the Year ...

By Mike Lessiter posted on July 10, 2020
It was 15 years ago this summer that Farm Equipment’s Dealership of the Year (DOY) edition made its debut. Revisiting the collection of articles on these Alumni Group Members over this period provides an interesting timestamping of growth in the size of leading dealer operations.
Read More
Mike Lessiter for Social Media
To the Point

What 2020 Has to Teach ...

By Mike Lessiter posted on May 4, 2020 | Posted in Best Practices, Dealer Succession
The only thing that sounds as crazy as offering someone a congratulations in advance of persevering through an ongoing economic crisis is the idea of accepting it. But if you don’t (or attempt to avoid it altogether), you’ll miss what a hardship promises to teach — as well as tomorrow’s reward for having endured it.
Read More

Top Articles

Current Issue

View More

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

View More

Farm Equipment Videos

View More
Top Directory Listings

Yetter Farm Equipment

Built on 90 years of expertise, Yetter Farm Equipment leads the agriculture industry in designing effective and innovative equipment for residue management, seedbed preparation, precision fertilizer placement, harvest attachments, strip-tillage, and more.
MonTag

Montag Mfg

Montag is the industry’s innovative leader for precise, accurate metering of fertilizer, seed and other nutrients. The Montag system has become the standard for deep banding of fertilizer. Montag is also pioneering the technology for cover crop seed application. The new Cover Crop+ is able to meter the smallest seed, and can be mounted to tillage implements, combines, plus Hagie sprayers and detasselers.

Machinery-Scope-Finance-Scope.png

Finance Scope

Finance Scope is able to provide the best financing opportunities for equipment dealers and customers through a diverse mix of lending companies under one single platform. Our large group of lenders, allows for competitive rates regardless of credit scores. Additionally, dealers and customers have access to the industry’s best expertise surrounding finance and lease structures, for all purposes, within the agricultural and construction industries. We provide all of this into one online platform to provide our customers with the best available tailored finance solution for their equipment.
View More