In this podcast, we report on Deere & Co.’s second quarter earnings and outlook for the remainder of the year. Publicly traded dealer groups Cervus Equipment and Rocky Mountain Dealerships both reported their first quarter results recently, and put an emphasis on moving used equipment in the quarter. CNH Industrial’s first quarter results took a hit du to unfavorable exchange rates.

One of the reasons behind growing interest in optical sensor technologies, or in sensor technology as a whole, is increasing input costs, which are creating tighter margins for farmers. While there is still plenty of theoretical outcomes, farmers are most interested in practical impacts that sensing technology can provide, according to Dr. Ray Asebedo, agronomic consultant.

In this podcast, we talk with Buhler and Kubota about their recently announced agreement in which Buhler will manufacture a tractor for Kubota. In the Technology Corner, Jack Zemlicka reports on no-tillers’ plans for precision farming purchases in the year ahead. Also in this episode we talk about how the “bomb cyclone” and resulting floods are impacting dealerships and manufacturers in the Great Plains, Rocky Mountain Dealership and Cervus Equipment’s 2018 sales reports, and we talk with the new NRCS chief Matthew Lohr.

One of the most talked-about sessions looked at creating a culture of advancement and growth within a precision dealership. Skip Klinefelter, owner of Linco-Precision in El Paso, Ill., noted during his opening general session that success and survival of precision dealers will require continuous collaboration and internal problem-solving — both of which are cornerstones of stability.

Equipment automation, drone-based nutrient application and hybrid or electric machinery are among the innovations which are trending toward broader application, perhaps as soon as 2025, according to results of a recent study conducted by consulting company Roland Berger.

The manufacturing models of the farm equipment and automotive industries are intertwined, with innovations developed for consumer vehicles often finding their way into the production of ag machinery.

Learning from early experience selling and supporting the recurring revenue program, Devin Dubois, vice president of Integrated Solutions with Western Sales, recently helped expand the dealership’s precision platform to include independent precision software support for 6 other dealer groups in the region.

As ag technology evolves to include more machine learning and automated functions, the threat of data theft and other cyber crimes is increasing.

In this podcast, we report on the leadership change at Buhler Industries and provide a look at some of the damage caused by Hurricane Florence in North and South Carolina. In this week's Technology Corner segment, Jack Zemlicka takes a look at Redline Equipment's test plot in Gas City, Ind. Other topics include worldwide tractor sales for the first 8 months of the year, preliminary results to Ag Equipment Intelligence's 2019 Dealer Business Outlook & Trends survey and the competition in the combine market.