Lots of things to keep track of these days. There’s dealer consolidation (see “Dealers on the Move”), OEMs buying stakes in others (Yanmar-Ariens, Bad Boy-Stanley Black & Decker), brand management consolidation (Case IH and New Holland), strategic alliances (CNH-Bourgault), and even OEMs buying out dealers (Fabick Cat and another to be announced shortly).
Each is pursued to gain an unrealized efficiency in talent, engineering or other knowhow and distribution; to gain even the smallest competitive edge.
Artificial Intelligence. AI commands the room at every industry gathering these days, including the 3 dealer meetings we hosted last year. What was AI daydreaming a year ago is now a sprint to get going.
No business can afford to ignore AI and what it can do for speed, duplicated effort and leveraging data. AI is unlike yesterday’s introduction of the fax machine, voice over IP, digital cameras or Zoom calls. And with the pressures in the equipment biz today, the efficiency gained through AI may equate to the ONLY margin you get to keep.
All the reshuffling on the Big Dealer Report this year shows the big groups buying each other. Those with advanced technology systems and talent are finding the elusive and long-sought economies of scale, even across borders.
I’ve been told that the farm equipment dealership is an AI-er’s dream. The low-hanging fruit for AI applications are plentiful, both internally across departments/functions as well as customer management and communications. Brilliant Harvest’s Jennifer Luce noted that vast amounts of knowledge lives inside dealerships while most have yet to capture and share it.
More dealer-specific resources now exist to help streamline inefficiencies. Earlier entrants like Vi and Brilliant Harvest have been joined by NorthBuilt and Lahzo, which many of you met at our dealer Summits.
You’ll see NorthBuilt and Vi at the Precision Farming Dealer Summit in January, and NorthBuilt is even providing all attendees with a scheduled 90-minute free working session to provide a solution to your lowest-hanging fruit for AI in your business.
In addition, panel of dealer leaders ahead of the curve with AI adoption will also address Summit attendees, including Brent Harness of LoneStar Ag and Jeremy Marston J.J. Nichting Co). They’ll share how they’re putting AI to work in areas such as marketing, customer communication, service, sales, training and internal operations, the tools they’re using and critical lessons learned along the way.
Extra Value: A Private AI Working Session to Solve One Immediate Need
Summit Title Sponsor NorthBuilt has agreed to conduct a complimentary AI Working Session for all attending companies of the 2027 Precision Farming Dealer Summit.
Through the private session, dealers will find low-hanging fruit that can reduce manual or redundant work, and put more time back on the clock, says Chris Morbitzer, CEO of the Minnesota-based software and technology advisor firm, back again as a Summit sponsor.
“You’ll walk out with a working solution, built around your business, and understand in time and dollars what it’s been costing you,” he says. “And it’s yours to keep.” The “no-pitch” 90-minute session will examine a real-world task in your operation and deliver a specific solution that will work with your systems. No preparation, no technical skill, nothing to buy.
How it works:
- Once you’re scheduled for the private session, we’ll ask a few quick questions.
- Our senior advisor starts with the one task you identified.
- We build it together, live — our hands on the keyboard, your call on every move.
- You take it for a spin with your real example, right there. Something you can keep and use.
- We wrap up and mention bigger things you could do, without selling. “It’s entirely free, with nothing to buy,” says Morbitzer. “Any next steps would be on your call and timeline.”
The AI Working Session is FREE to Summit attendees (1 per dealership) and valid through June 2027. For more information, visit PFDSAiSession.com
Dealer Associations. The proposed AED–NAEDA merger — to be called Associated Equipment Dealers – shows that associations are responding to the consolidation trend, too. (See p. 10). This development might be referred to as Version 4.0.
The MOU crafted a year ago telegraphed the sensible path toward a merger, but the timetable came swifter than expected.
If approved, NAEDA’s members should find a greater federal presence while AED members will get a crash course in dealer advocacy and manufacturer relations, should the construction dealers wish to get into the ring with their OEMs.
NAEDA CEO Brett Davis says the merger combines the best of both organizations, while also noting AED’s strength in fundraising. “One voice for the industry makes sense,” he says, “and combining the resources gives us a much stronger voice.”
NAEDA Chair Steve Hunt of H&R Agri-Power told me about the clout that the new organization will have on Capitol Hill. The merged organization will represent 11,000-plus dealer locations, the kind of numbers that elected officials must respect.
Brian McGuire, AED CEO, will continue in that role. Davis (an attorney and previously an exec at CNH for 25 years) is to oversee manufacturer relations, industrial affairs and dealer advocacy.
The merger requires approval by NAEDA members starting this month. The past shows these outcomes aren’t slam dunks. The groups haven’t always aligned, such as on accelerated depreciation, due to AED members’ rental yards. Another real-world issue in large associations is whether ag, OPE and construction dealers create a table big enough to avoid stepchild status. (You can attend the NAEDA+AED Merger Virtual Town Hall webinar on October 13 at 9.am. CST by registering here)
Efficiency is calling for the changes of industry in 2026 and beyond, but leadership, as always, will define success.
Review the just-released program/agenda for the Precision Dealer Summit this January in Indianapolis here.
