As I walked around our show in Lincoln this past December, and then again at our show in Des Moines the end of January this year, I couldn’t help but notice all the innovation there is in agriculture. The one product that seems to be gaining the most traction in farming practices over the past...…
It is that time of the year again where we see our insurance agent come into our store just a few days or the day before our insurance renews for the next year, they sit down at your desk, ask you to sign for renewal for the next year, they may tell you a little...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 07.17 | Keywords: Iowa Field Director, Technicians] Where can I find a tech? This is a question Iím frequently asked by dealers. As a matter of fact, one day in early June I heard it from not one, but three dealers. Finding technicians has been a problem for years and I donít see...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 09.2016 | Keywords: Iowa Field Notes, ARC-CO Checks] The government program referred to as ARC-CO, will likely be adding revenue to farmers this fall for the 2015 corn and soybean crops. The maps below (compliments of AgriSource) show expected county payments for corn and soybean crops as of August 17, 2016. The...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 11.2016 | Keywords: Iowa Field Notes, State of the Industry] Are we there yet? Weíve all been asked this before, especially when traveling by car. Iím a numbers guy. When Iím driving I often find myself calculating the Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) in my head so I can blurt out the...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 05.2016 | Keywords: Iowa Field Notes, Change] During my visits with dealers, many have brought up the old saying ìbad habits are learned in good times.î Dealers are starting to recognize that they have developed bad habits or ignored good business practices during the robust years of the ag economy. Many are...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 07.2016 | Keywords: Iowa Field Notes, Equipment Values, Change] Not too many years ago (maybe 5 or 6 years), dealers used the “Official Trade-In Guide” to determine the value of equipment. Depending on the condition of the equipment, dealers primarily used Retail Price or Trade Premium. When the ag industry boomed, trade-in...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 01.2016 | Keywords: Iowa Field Notes, Extended Warranty] With the influx of extended warranty sales by dealers (John Deere PowerGard, Case Protection Plan, New Holland Purchased Protection Plans and AGCO Protection) and the number of calls I have received from dealers since this topic was mentioned in the November Retailer, I felt...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 03.2016 | Keywords: Iowa Field Notes, The 80s] Most dealers agree that ag conditions today are not the same as they were in the 1980s due to lower interest rates and lower farm debt. However, dealers continue to debate whether or not the farmerís need to own equipment has been satisfied today more...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 03.2017 | Keywords: Iowa Field Director, Iowa Power Farming Show, Surveys] When farmers registered online for the 2017 Iowa Power Farming Show, they completed a survey about their internet and social media use, future purchases and planting intentions. In the end, 1,686 farmers participated in the survey. Hereís a brief look at...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 01.17 | Keywords: Iowa Field Notes, Nebraska Power Farming Show] No one was more surprised than me at the terrific outcome of the 10th Annual Nebraska Power Farming Show held December 6-8 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Prior to the show, I spoke with several exhibitors who reported uncharacteristically low attendance at both the summer...…
[Author: Tom Junge, 05.17 | Keywords: Iowa Field Notes, Whole Goods] The results are in! First, letís take a moment to celebrate the good news ñ new equipment sales were up 2.8% and used equipment sales were up 22.8% for the first quarter of 2017 compared to the first quarter of 2016, according to the 2017 State...…
