It’s been a challenging few years for many precision farming dealers navigating the instability of the commodities market and cautious purchasing habits of customers. But the results of this year’s recently published fifth annual Precision Farming Dealer benchmark study signal an optimistic shift in retailers’ revenue expectations and business objectives compared to recent years.

Dealerships tend to be adept at selling — whether it’s machinery, parts or service. But talking with precision farming managers, one area that is often an afterthought in their department is the need to sell themselves.

With the rapid evolution of technology, it's not always easy for precision dealers to catch their breath. However, a time may be coming when the precision industry takes stock of where it is and where it needs to go.

One of the more interesting elements of John Deere’s planned acquisition of Precision Planting from parent company Monsanto, involved the data collection capabilities provided by the hardware. The cancellation of the deal included a digital collaboration agreement between Deere and the Climate Corp., which would have allowed for sharing of agronomic data between Deere’s Operations Center and Climate’s FieldView platform.

It’s no secret that in recent years more dealerships — either by choice or by directive — are incorporating agronomic services into their businesses. Those who have been receptive to adding prescriptive farming options to complement machinery and component sales, have gradually been able to gain traction with customers.

Online ordering is an increasingly popular and convenient purchasing method for consumers. Just this past week, Amazon launched its Prime Now, which offers 1- and 2-hour home delivery of among other things, household items or groceries.

As dealer optimism continues to inch upward heading into the second quarter of 2017, no-till farmers are anticipating increased adoption of precision farming equipment this year.

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the 2017 SIMA Agribusiness Show in Paris and observe some of the global trends shaping the future of the agricultural market. With more than 1,700 companies from more than 40 different countries in attendance, there was no shortage of innovation on display. Here are a few of the highlights from this year’s show.

At last week’s National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, I had the opportunity to talk with suppliers about how and why precision farming dealer networks are evolving in the industry.