AGCO,Your Agriculture Company (NYSE:AGCO), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and infrastructure, announced today a new global corporate initiative that addresses all aspects of precision farming technology and how farmers can optimize their operations through AGCO products and new services.
As farmers increasingly adopt precision farming technology, it's no secret that there's a tremendous business opportunity for precision farming dealers. However, that opportunity will require a big investment in providing technical support, especially for non-technical customers.
Bruce and Adam Blonde are adopting precision farming systems one step at a time on their 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans near Litchfield, Mich. Three years ago, the father-son farming team started with a Trimble EZ-Steer assisted steering system, first using it for chisel plowing, then adapting it for spraying and planting.
Unprecedented commodity prices that have led to a sustained demand for agricultural equipment over the past 4 years have resulted in two types of regrettable sales techniques. First, because many end-users are flush with cash, many sales people in turn believe they can be successful by just sitting in the dealership and waiting for their next victim to waltz through the door. Unfortunately, this has proven true in many instances. This does not build lasting relationships and will not survive the next downturn, and neither will the sales personnel who engage in such selling techniques.
One of the frequent observations I'll hear from precision farming dealers is that customers rarely utilize the full potential of their technology after purchase.
When partners Ryan Speer and Steve Jacob started adopting precision farming technology at Jacob Farms near Halstead, Kan., in 2002, they immediately appreciated the assistance of their precision farming dealer.
During dealership visits, it's always educational to get a guided tour of the business and learn about recent enhancements, whether it's a new product line, building updates or staff additions.
When farmers trade equipment, they often take a few steps ahead in technology and productivity. For Jason Starnes and his father, Kim, they ended up taking a step backward when they upgraded to a newer combine.
Many farm equipment dealers with precision farming interests consider auto-steer to be the entry point for customers who want to utilize technology. In many cases, those systems are now standard features on new tractors rolling off the assembly line. The tangible benefits of auto-steer are easily proven through reduced operator fatigue and the ability to maintain a straight path though the fields.
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 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.
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.