Fargo, N.D. — RDO Equipment Co. today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire True North Equipment’s John Deere agriculture locations in North Dakota and Minnesota. The acquisition, expected to close on August 3, 2026, will create a more integrated service area across northern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. The sale is subject to final approval by John Deere.
“We’re pleased to welcome the True North Equipment employees and customers into the RDO family,” said RDO Equipment Co. President Chris Cooper. “Both organizations are built on strong family ownership, a commitment to customers and values that guide our business. Those shared foundations will help bring the best of both teams together.”
True North Equipment traces its roots to 1897 in Grafton, North Dakota, and has grown through generations of family ownership, strategic expansion and investment in service and technology. Today, it serves growers across Minnesota and North Dakota with John Deere equipment, support and precision agriculture solutions.
For True North Equipment owners Dan Gorder, John Oncken and Scott Gorder, the decision to transition the company to RDO was easy and came down to shared values, a commitment to family ownership and a deep appreciation for employees and customers.
“Dan, Scott and I have worked hard to keep the culture of a family-owned business as we have grown, and RDO has done the same,” said John Oncken, CEO/Co-Owner of True North Equipment. “As a family business, we see this transition as an opportunity to make that family even bigger and serve our valued customers even better.”
RDO Equipment Co. is part of a family-owned business in Fargo, North Dakota. Ron Offutt founded the company in 1964, beginning with a potato farming operation alongside his father before purchasing his first John Deere dealership in Casselton, North Dakota, in 1968.
“The True North team has built strong, trusted relationships with customers over many years,” said RDO Equipment Co. Executive Vice President Daryl Shelton. “We have a responsibility to build on that legacy — supporting their team, investing in technology and strengthening resources and relationships so customers can continue to succeed.”
“We believe RDO Equipment Co. is the right partner to carry the organization forward,” Oncken said. “RDO understands this business and, importantly, understands this region. That gives me confidence this is the right next chapter for our team and our customers.”
All True North team members – about 200 – will transition to RDO Equipment Co. across eight store locations and two facilities in Grand Forks, Grafton, and Northwood, N.D., as well as Thief River Falls, Warren, Kennedy, Mahnomen, and Baudette, Minn. These locations will join RDO’s existing footprint across the Upper Midwest, Northwest, California, Mountain States, Southwest, and Texas.
“At the end of the day, this is about bringing two strong organizations together in a way that honors what’s been built and positions us for what’s ahead,” Shelton said. “By combining our teams, we’re creating new opportunities to strengthen our capabilities and better serve customers.”
RDO Equipment is on the Farm Equipment Dealer 100™ (a ranking of the top 100 North American farm equipment dealers — by number of locations), which provides information on total and ag stores, brands, geographies served, employees, history, executives and ownership/company profile information.
