Farm Equipment Podcast

Experience with Innermetrix Profiles: Free to Dealership Minds Summit Workshop Attendees https://www.farm-equipment.com/blogs/6-opinions-columns/post/25478-part-2-personal-observations-ahead-of-the-hands-on-workshop-at-dealership-minds-summit

According to reports, big companies like Ford and philanthropies are stepping up to boost programs to get more people into the trades — a boost to the tune of $400 million. https://www.farm-equipment.com/blogs/6-opinions-columns/post/25452-big-companies-are-putting-big-dollars-behind-the-trades-but-where-does-it-leave-diesel-techs

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we look at John Deere’s proposal for a 2-year labor contract extension with the UAW. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman explores the PTx OutRun autonomous platform. Also in this episode, the Farm Capital Index declines again and we look at what to expect in the used equipment marketing going forward.

Allowing its independent dealers to gather at the all-colors Dealership Minds Summit apparently makes the Deere corporate office uneasy ..,

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we look at Compeer Financial and PepsiCo’s pilot program to help lower the cost of strip-till equipment for farmers. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman visits with Rob Saik, founder and CEO of Vi by VisorPRO. Also in this episode, the number of Big Dealers dropped again in 2026 and the latest Dealer Sentiments Report shows prices were up 1.5% vs. the prior report.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we look at President Trump's tariff reduction on ag equipment, the latest dealer sales forecasts, and how high input costs are keeping farmer sentiment down. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman visits with Stotz Equipment precision specialist Jake Nordenberg. Also in this episode, coverage on the legal considerations for CNH's reorganization of its Case IH and New Holland dealer network management and the cancellation of a John Deere dealer merger in Manitoba.

Introducing a new product — or in our case a new event — can be equal parts excitement and nerve-racking. We did the attendee survey and polling on the need and formula, we lined up key presenters and sought input for the themed roundtable discussions. But you never quite know how the customer is going to respond to a format altogether different than anything the’ve attended before. Until you take the plunge you never really know.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we look at the impact interest rates are having on the ag market. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman visits with strip-tiller Robert Boyle. Also in this episode, coverage from the first-ever Ag Equipment Intelligence Executive Summit, CNH moves to a dual branding model and Ritchie Bros. completes its acquisition of BigIron.

Expectations are that customers are going to treat Ballweg employees with respect. If they don’t, Tom Ballweg is clear with them. “It’s easier for me to get a new customer than a new employee."

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we review the decline in farmer sentiment in April, which saw the Ag Economy Barometer and the Farm Capital Investment Index drop to their lowest levels since October 2024. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman visits with Stotz Equipment.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, Art’s Way Mfg. benefited from increased demand for its ag segment products, reporting Q1 sales up 27.3%. We also cover major business moves as Yetter finalizes the Martin-Till acquisition, catching up with Steve Martin and Derek Allensworth on what customers and dealers can expect going forward.

Lessiter Media CEO and longtime Farm Equipment editor Mike Lessiter shares a preview of the inaugural, invitation-only Ag Equipment Intelligence Executive Summit that will be held just outside of Chicago-O’Hare airport on May 19-20, 2026. Learn more at https://www.farm-equipment.com/aei-executive-summit

Veteran editor Mike Lessiter shares observations of having reported on the business of farm machinery for 20-plus years.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we have details on Deere agreeing to pay $99 million into a settlement fund for the right-to-repair class action lawsuit, and what this means for dealers as Eric Wareham discusses R2R legislation in states like Iowa.

Jim Irwin and 'Old-School' Leadership by Farm Equipment

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we have details on Titan Machinery surpassing its Fiscal 2026 inventory reduction target of $150 million and CEO Bryan Knutson’s perspective on positioning the company for the next phase of the cycle.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we have details on Case IH dealer Ritchie Implement adding the AGCO line to its offering, and what the additional will mean for their business. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman highlights Ag Leaders’s new AgFiniti platform live maps. Also in this episode, Linimar reports marketshare gains for its ag products, including MacDon, Bourgault and Salford and highlights from the 2026 Strip-Till Farmer benchmark study.

45 Years Later and We're ‘Still the Same by Farm Equipment

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we share an update on the beef producers and their equipment plans. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman visits with Bane-Welker on its 3-pronged approach to precision service. Also in this episode, AgRevolution’s Stacy Anthony provides his outlook for 2026 and an update on how customers in his region are feeling and more details on Yetter’s acquisition of Martin-Till, with insights from Martin-Till President Steve Martin.

Data Centers & Rural Land Destruction: Hit the Pause Button by Farm Equipment

The pressure is real in ag’s ecosystem, including manufacturing, retail and service. The current depths will go down in history as rivaling the 1980s, which broke many backs.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we report on Yetter Manufacturing’s acquisition of Martin Industries. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman stops by the PTx booth for a first look at Precision Planting's new ArrowTube.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden puts right-to-repair in the national spotlight. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman highlights the decisions HTS Ag’s Adam Gittins says he might make differently based on what he’s learned. Also in this episode, dealers report precision was a bright spot for 2025 business and OEMs share their outlook for how dealers can use technology to help their high value crop customers.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we bring you highlights from the Precision Farming Dealer Summit and National No-Tillage Conference. Representatives from CNH, AGCO and Kubota were on hand and shared their outlook for autonomy in the ag market.

This episode of the Farm Equipment podcast highlights some of the top viewed videos our editors gathered at Agritechnica 2025 in Hannover, Germany. Our associate editor Mackane Vogel spent the week in Hannover coving the show and the latest technologies on hand. This highlight reel just scratches the surface of everything that was on hand at the show which attracted 2,849 exhibitors from 52 countries and had more than 476,000 visitors from 171 countries. You can read more about Mackane saw at the show as well as FIRA USA earlier in the fall in the January issue of Farm Equipment.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we are closing out the year by dedicating the episode to a preview of the 2026 Dealer Business Outlook & Trends Report.

As a follow up to our last podcast talking about the Precision Farming Dealer Summit, we’ve got Technology Editor Noah Newman back with us. Noah is also heading up the 34th Annual National No-Tillage Conference, which kicks off on January 6, 2026, following the conclusion of PFDS. He joins us to share some highlights of the conference — including some exciting, new and outside the box sessions that were added to the program this year.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we take a look at how removing emissions controls from farm equipment could impact the market — from cost of equipment to what it means for the used market. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman has a report from AGRITECHNICA on AEF’s newest launch. Also in this episode, a discussion on how the latest interest rate cut will impact ag, including perspective from lenders, manufacturers and farmers.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we take a look at a recent lawsuit between Case IH dealer Burks Tractor and Monarch Tractor. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman catches up with the precision crew at John Deere dealer Riesterer & Schnell for an inside look at their most popular product in 2025.

We’ve got something a little different in store for you today. Joining me on this week’s episode is our very own Technology Editor Noah Newman who is our editorial lead on Precision Farming Dealer and the Precision Farming Dealer Summit. Noah share’s some highlights of the upcoming Precision Farming Dealer Summit — including the anniversary lecture, the kick-off session with HTS Ag’s Adam Gittins and the Day in the Cab panel — coming to St. Louis Jan. 5-6.

To The Point: Strengthening the Next Link in the Chain by Farm Equipment

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we get a market update from Curt Blades, senior vice president of AEM. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman catches up with Paul Welbig, director of precision technology for New Holland, for a conversation about the latest outlook for autonomy in agriculture. Also in this episode, Tennessee dealer Tim Brannon sheds some light on how livestock customers are failing compared to their row-crop counterparts and the latest Ag Economy Barometer highlights how farmers may spend government payments.

In this episode, we are honoring the 2025 inductees into the Shortline Legends Hall of Fame. Farm Equipment Editor and Publisher Mike Lessiter and Executive Editor Kim Schmidt honored this year’s class in front of their peers during the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Assn.’s Fall Convention in Las Vegas.

Blog update … With changes in regulation and incentive, we’re finally starting to put out the fire on the cash-burning EVs.

What others often forget is that another is rising up to the challenge because they’re watching you. Most of us behave because we learned from someone ahead of us. That’s how life’s greatest lessons get passed down.

In this episode, Executive Editor Kim Schmidt sat down with Brian McGuire, president and CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors, who had just returned from AED’s Policy Conference in Washington D.C.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we talk with NAEDA Director of Dealer Development Tom Healy about some of the dealer-manufacturer relations issues the association has tackled this year.

The creation of an environmental agenda P&L -- that recognizes the big picture rather than obsessions on any one piece -- can keep foolhardy notions grounded where they belong.

In this episode, Executive Editor Kim Schmid sits down with Brett Davis CEO of the North American Equipment Dealers Assn. Brett’s been in the role of CEO since July, and just 3 months into the job is already busy meeting with dealers, manufacturers, other associations and other service providers who work closely with dealers, like finance and software companies. In our conversation, we cover what these first few months have been like, what he hopes to accomplish as CEO and the challenges he anticipates dealers will face in the evolving ag economy.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we take a look at some of the details in a lawsuit between Hutson Inc. and its former CEO, Josh Waggener.

To The Point: Judge me on my Losers by Farm Equipment

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we take a look at dealers initial forecasters for 2026 and their latest forecast for 2025 sales. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman visits with Clint Brauer, co-founder of Greenfield Robotics.

In this episode, Managed Editor Christine Book sat down with John Fulton, a professor with Ohio State Univ.’s Department of Food, Agriculture and Biological Engineering,while working on Farm Equipment’s first-ever special report on careers in precision ag for the October/November issue of the magazine.

In this episode, I sat down with George Russell, founding member of the Machinery Advisors Consortium, who we’ve been working with on the annual Big Dealer Report since 2009 to track dealer consolidation.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we take a look at how the additional 407 tariff lines to the steel/aluminum tariff list will mean for manufacturers and dealers.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we report from the Farm Progress Show, with an interview from Claas’ Eric Raby. In the Technology Corner, Noah Newman reports on InnerPlant’s groundbreaking CropVoice technology. Also in this episode, an update on interest rate cuts from AgDirect’s Greg Roberg and DuoLift gets into the retail dealer business

In this episode, brought to you by Machinery Scope, we sat down with Kim Rominger, who recently retired as CEO of the North American Equipment Dealers Association.

In this episode, we check back in with the executive leadership team at 2025 Dealership of the Year Mazergroup. Starting off with CFO Wally Butler, the Mazergroup shares how the dealership has evolved over the years and how it is facing its challenges head on, from customer experience to developing its team and sales processes.

In this episode of On the Record, brought to you by Associated Equipment Distributors, we take a look at the Fed’s decision to hold interest rates and what to expect for the remainder of the year.

In this episode, we have what was likely the last interview with Bob Mazer, president of Mazergroup, who died on July 6, 2025, nearly one month to the day of when this interview was recorded. I was lucky enough to interview Bob back in January for the Farm Equipment Dealer Hall of Fame and then again in June for the Dealership of the Year story. I’m blessed to have had the opportunity to get to know and learn from him. He was a well-respected dealer and leader both in the industry and his community and will be dearly missed.