Without a reliable digital connection, American farmers cannot fully embrace the new tools and technologies allowing producers to meet the needs and demands of tomorrow, according to the Association of Equipment Manufactures. The organization said now is the time for lawmakers, organizations, and other to come together to close the connectivity gap that exists across much of rural America. Curt Blades, AEM senior vice president said a lot of attention has been placed on the digital divide, thanks to the pandemic.

Artificial intelligence has been making rapid advances since a forum was held in Manchester in 2019. We hear from one of those panelists, and learn how AI, as it’s known, has many applications, including, and maybe importantly for Vermont farmers, in agriculture.

After my first week of being hired at a manufacturing company, I saw an opportunity for efficiency if workers simply altered the process in which they were fulfilling orders. I made my suggestions to the owner of the business, after which he shook his head and replied, "Thanks, but we've been doing it this way for years."

We get an update on ag equipment sales and how things are looking on implement availability, parts and more. Curt Blades, senior vice president, industry sectors & product leadership at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, joins us to discuss the September numbers and more.

A number of key drivers poised to impact the future of agriculture are taking shape, and American farmers are already feeling the pressure.

A number of key drivers poised to impact the future of agriculture are taking shape, and American farmers are already feeling the pressure. Whether they will succeed or fail all depends on if they can meet demands for increased sustainability while navigating such factors as the ever-growing skills gap, input prices on the rise and problematic weather events. Producing more with less will be a key goal in this new era of ag.

In the middle of a gruesome war in Ukraine, with its death, destruction and economic disruptions, it is hard to decipher the worldwide impact on manufacturing. But it must be recognized that it is one more worry for purchasing executives looking to supply their production lines with parts and materials.

Kip Eideberg with The Association of Equipment Manufacturers on The Challenges with The Supply Chain in the Equipment Industry

Despite strong growth in both the agriculture and construction sectors over the past 18 months, fewer equipment companies are optimistic about that growth trend continuing in 2022, particularly given the ongoing issues with inflation, workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions. We catchup with Benjamin Duyck, director of market intelligence at Association of Equipment Manufacturers, to find out more about what may be ahead.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers is calling for bipartisan policies that support long-term economic growth in the industry. Kip Eideberg, senior vice president of government and industry relations, says the infrastructure law is a good start.

Equipment sales for 2021 were up across the board in North America. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers reports nearly 360,000 tractors and combines were sold from dealer lots last year. According to Curt Blades, senior vice president of industry sectors and product leadership with AEM, issues remain in getting equipment to market, especially new equipment.

Want a sense for how crazy the farm equipment market has become? Consider the case of Tom Bischoff, a corn and bean grower near New Windsor, Illinois. Late last summer, he spoke to his dealer about purchasing a new 15-foot bat-wing mower — a replacement for his 4-year-old model. Bischoff then turned his attention to harvest and didn’t give the mower another thought.

Year-end sales numbers show farmers reinvested in machinery last year when they could find it. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) reports sales of farm tractors increased about 10.3% in 2021 compared to 2020, at the start of the pandemic.

“There is a war for the most talented, dependable people to join your team versus someone else's team.” That’s how national career search and talent acquisition expert Chris Czarnik began his “Best Practices in Employee Retention and Recruitment” session at AEM’s Second Annual Workforce Solutions Virtual Summit held earlier this summer, and the numbers back up Czarnik’s assertion.

AGRIBUSINESS REPORT PODCAST – Guest: Curt Blades is with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)

Farmers invested heavily in new tractors and combines last year but higher production costs could affect their continued appetite for machinery in 2022, experts say.

Nearly 360,000 total tractors and combines left dealer lots in 2021 in North America. U.S. and Canadian unit sales of ag tractors and combines finished 2021 with gains of more than 10% in nearly every segment in both countries, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

Nearly 360,000 total tractors and combines left dealer lots in 2021 in North America. U.S. and Canadian unit sales of ag tractors and combines finished 2021 with gains of more than ten percent in nearly every segment in both countries. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers released the data this week that shows U.S. total farm tractor sales gained 0.3 percent for December compared to 2020, while combine sales for the month saw a gain of 25.3 percent.