Friends who mingled in the aisles of the Associated Equipment Distributors Summit in Orlando early this year reported brisk off-the-record discussions concerning U.S. workforce ills such as a looming skills gap in technical and trade professions, and the thinning of the nation’s workforce itself. 

Ag industry consultant, John Schmeiser, tackles brand purity in his latest op-ed. "On paper, these purity policies may look like brand management. In reality, they limit choice, drive up costs, and undermine the independence of both dealers and their customers. Dealer purity is not good for the end user, and it is not good for the long-term health of the farm equipment industry."