Ben Thorpe is the Associate Research Editor of Farm Equipment and Ag Equipment Intelligence. He joined Lessiter Media in 2019 after 1 year working with the Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers. He graduated with a writing degree from Carroll University.

EVs On The Homestead: Why We Need Healthy Skepticism Before Embracing the ‘Next Big Thing’

By Ben Thorpe posted on March 26, 2024 | Posted in Industry News

Be careful jumping feet first into the “next big thing” and wait for those follow up reports that may save you from getting burned.

The Difference Between New Holland & Case IH’s New Combines

By Ben Thorpe posted on February 23, 2024 | Posted in Product Innovations

Last week, I was at the National Farm Machinery Show, where Case IH debuted its new AF11 combine. On the morning of day 2, Precision Farming Dealer Technology Editor Noah Newman and I noticed something.

3 Ways to Take Advantage of the Winter Season

By Ben Thorpe posted on December 28, 2023 | Posted in Dealer Development

I did some digging and present to you here 3 things to think about as we head into this dark, cold but potentially profitable season.

Drones Offer Farmers Cost Savings & Efficiency Gains

Experienced dealers & industry experts weigh in on how dealers can make the most of up-and-coming spray drone tech

By Art Aiello and Ben Thorpe posted on December 20, 2023 | Posted in Precision Sales, Service & Support, Product Innovations

For Birkey’s Farm Store, a 19-location Case IH dealership group based in Champaign, Ill., a drone distributor came knocking, and they answered.

5 Ag Tech Takeaways From the 2023 Nebraska Ag Expo

By Ben Thorpe posted on December 8, 2023 | Posted in Autonomy & Robotics, Industry News

We were on the ground at this year's Nebraska Ag Expo in Lincoln, Neb. These are our top takeaways from the show’s Innovation Hub.

4 Benefits Dealers Get From a CRM System

By Ben Thorpe posted on June 21, 2023 | Posted in Dealer Development, Service & Support

The process of choosing a customer relationship management (CRM) tool can be a daunting task, and understanding the full scope of benefits it brings to the dealership can be difficult to determine.

Turning Data Into Efficiency to Boost Your Precision Business

Precision Farming Specialist Jason Pennycook and Precision Ag Manager Layne Richins talk about their success in using data to improve their precision business.

By Ben Thorpe posted on May 23, 2023 | Posted in Precision Sales, Service & Support

Farmers using precision technology generate valuable data about their farming operations. Dealerships often have access to it. But how do you ensure both the dealer and the farmer are making the best use of that data? And how can you segue that efficient use of data into revenue opportunities?

Dealer Execs More Confident in Staff Bench Strength

Service managers remain the top short- and long-term concern for workforce development.

By Ben Thorpe posted on May 15, 2023 | Posted in Dealer Development, Industry News

Workforce development is not a new topic in the ag equipment industry, but it’s becoming more relevant every year. That’s according to Michael Piercy, vice president of dealer development at the North American Equipment Dealers Assn. (NAEDA).

Case IH Raven Autonomous Spreader Trident.JPG

Autonomy, Precision Ag Everywhere at Farm Progress Show

By Ben Thorpe posted on September 2, 2022 | Posted in Product Innovations, Autonomy & Robotics

Precision Farming Dealer's editors attended all 3 days of the 2022 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. Here are their top takeaways for precision dealers.

What Dealers Should Know About the Latest Deere Display Hack

By Ben Thorpe posted on August 24, 2022 | Posted in Industry News

The jailbreak — when a user gains full access to the root operating system of a product — on the John Deere 2630 and 4240 displays allowed a hacker to take control of the tractors.

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[Technology Corner] Future of Drone Use in U S Brighter After FAA Regulation Change

Big news in the drone world — the Federal Aviation Administration recently granted Texas-based drone builder Hylio a regulatory exemption that will allow it to swarm its heavy-lift drones with only one operator in control. Hylio co-founder and CEO Arthur Erickson says the development was a case of regulations catching up with existing technology and promises a 3-fold increase in productivity for drone operators applying material to crops, plus a significant reduction in their labor requirements.

Top Directory Listings

Ivy Tech Community College, Lafayette Campus

The college offers an associate degree in Applied Science in Agriculture (60 credit hours). Students enrolled in this program may specialize in precision farming technology by selecting up to 15 credit hours in this area and agriculture business, sales and agronomy.

Lake Region State College - Dakota Precision Ag Center

The college offers an AAS in Precision Agriculture and customized precision ag- related training for agricultural producers, insurance underwriters, equipment dealer and agricultural cooperative employees and others.

HTS Ag Precision Ag Solutions

Offering training on Ag Leader, Trimble, Reichhardt, Norac and Integris Systems in twice yearly customer training events (spring/fall). Also offering individual training opportunities on any HTS Ag products and SMS software, year round.

Ben Thorpe

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