Does Tech Sell Tractors?

When thinking about the right precision technology, consider OEM and third-party options.

- By Karen Jones

Today's machinery technology requires specific hardware and software to make it all work together. The ability to use your preferred platform is nearly as important as price and condition when it comes to buying a new-to-you machine.

“Changing over can be hard, and it’s one of the interesting dynamics I’ve seen in the last few years: People are choosing what equipment they buy based on what precision ag hardware works best in it,” said Nathan Faleide, creator of the Ag Uncensored podcast and newsletter. “If the machine is right for you in all the other ways but you want a certain system inside it, you have to figure out how to make that work. I’m seeing that if there are two identical tractors but one has the buyer’s preferred technology, that tractor will sell for more money.”

For a short time, it was easier to make hardware work among manufacturers. But now, running a mixed fleet or just having a preference for one type of system has become the realm of third-party companies such as Ag Leader.

“The beauty of a system like Ag Leader is that you own it, and if you trade in your tractor or switch colors, you can keep your Ag Leader system and not have to learn it all over again,” said Pete Youngblut, owner of Youngblut Ag in east-central Iowa. “It makes a big difference in user comfort when you already know something about how to use the technology.”