Momentum for autonomy in ag continues to accelerate with driverless systems being developed and demonstrated. However, over the past 6 months, companies have adapted the pace of progress to accommodate the unavoidable impact of COVID-19.
With many North American dealers heading into the thick of spring planting, more than 9,000 miles away, dealerships in Australia are preparing customers for seeding crops ahead of winter.
So what kind of business climate can we expect in the next 6, 12 or even 18 months? Chances are, it will be more similar to what we are experiencing today than what we did a year ago.
Although many precision farming specialists are in the thick of spring planting and logging long hours, the growing season can create a service void for precision teams prior to preparing for fall harvest. But even amidst the socioeconomic challenges confronting the ag industry, there are revenue opportunities dealers can pursue to bridge the seasonal gap for precision farming employees.
Scaling pre-season spring planting projects is as much an art as it is a science for Lance Larsen, precision service coordinator with Agtegra, a 5,000-plus farmer cooperative based in Aberdeen, S.D., and 2014 Most Valuable Dealership.
Network sharing is a way for national wireless operators to reduce their network cost structure in rural America. The average cost of a new tower can cost upwards of $200,000 for a single company. Splitting the cost among 3 companies would allow operators to provide coverage in rural areas at a third of the cost.
Mitchell Hora thrives on the collaborative aspects of agriculture. As a farmer, agronomist and owner of Continuum Ag, a precision farming-focused consulting business in Washintgon, Iowa, this time of year, Hora is accustomed to close contact customer interaction, setting up field trials and scouting at clinics across the country.
Spring planting poses enough daily challenges for precision farming specialists without having to wonder when, how and if they will be able to access needed hardware or call on experienced back-up to tag-team complicated service calls to get farm customers in the field. Fortunately, the 18-member precision farming team at Stotz Equipment is ably navigating through the added seasonal uncertainties, without sacrificing quality or communication.
Visiting with Pete Youngblut, founder and sole proprietor of Youngblut Ag, a precision farming dealership in Dysart, Iowa, it’s immediately clear that his primary focus is on preparing customers for planting — because he has to — regardless of the circumstances. I caught up with Youngblut in the middle of a hydraulic steering installation on a Case IH MX180 tractor the afternoon of Monday, April 6.
On the cusp of spring planting, dealerships are facing the dilemma of accepting the new reality of social distancing and self-quarantine, or taking advantage of the tools and talent they have to continue delivering high-quality service to farm customers.
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DigiFarm VBN is a proven leader in providing RTK Correction Services across the Midwest and beyond, via cellular based RTK network. We have been in business since 2011 working with farmers, Ag retailers, and precision Ag dealers
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