Immediately following the release of its 5-year plan to significantly increase its investment in autonomous ag technologies, Raven Industries acted on that strategic plan with the acquisition of 2 independent autonomous companies.

While strides have been made establishing precision as a standalone business, dealerships continue to seek a better balance between revenue generated by hardware sales and service. This mindset is reflected in a continuing trend toward a more balanced breakdown of precision revenue sources in the seventh annual Precision Farming Dealer Benchmark study.

How many people are ready to turn the calendar to 2020? I won’t be taking a virtual hand count, but suspect there are plenty reading this who are mentally maneuvering toward what they hope will be a more prosperous fiscal year.

Finding and retaining precision farming talent has long been a challenge for equipment dealers, as many look to expand or evolve the scope of their business. While recent years have seen a slowdown in hiring plans, dealers plan to be more aggressive in adding precision specialists during the coming year.

Data sharing continues to be a source of both opportunity and irritation within the ag industry. While some farmers have pursued the potential advantages of sharing field data, others are reluctant to grant access, control or ownership of that information to third parties.

The last several years have seen rapid changes in competition and collaboration within the precision farming industry. Major manufacturers have been active in acquiring boutique precision companies to complement equipment offerings.