Whether an early adopter or among the last to join in on the latest technology offering, few can argue against the overwhelming benefits it continues to offer the agriculture industry.

From the simplest in-cab control upgrades to advanced systems for automation, data management, and remote machine monitoring, technology advancements are constantly coming from one end of the spectrum to the other—and everywhere in between.

While the ongoing opportunities offer many advantages to growers, they also present them a major challenge—trying to keep up with ever-changing and ever-evolving technology. As one of the largest dealers of John Deere agriculture equipment and precision agriculture solutions, RDO Equipment Co. has a unique commitment to technology and helping customers successfully implement it in their business.

A Team of Experts

More than 50 years ago, RDO Equipment Co. began as a single dealership in the farming community of Casselton, ND. The company now owns and operates more than 75 stores across nine states, selling and supporting, not just agriculture equipment, but construction, environmental, irrigation, positioning, and survey equipment and technology as well.

As the company has grown and diversified to better partner with customers, the precision agriculture team and support piece has expanded right alongside.

Today, the RDO Equipment Co. team includes precision products specialists, agronomists, and agriculture technology support professionals. These teams are committed to staying up-to-date on the newest precision agriculture offerings, to communicating with growers on how to implement these opportunities for success, and to being knowledgeable to provide complete support, from initial training and setup to ongoing troubleshooting and service.

Why This Focus?

When it comes to technology, RDO Equipment Co. believes it has a unique responsibility, both to customers and to sustainable agriculture. With the global population expected to rise to 9.7 billion by 2050, the company believes technology in agriculture equipment will be crucial to increasing productivity and yields to feed the world’s rapidly-growing population. This belief is also a driving force behind RDO Equipment Co.’s support of the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology.

“Precision agriculture is the future of our industry,” said Nate Dorsey, RDO’s agronomist and product specialist supervisor in the company’s southwest region. “As a business, we need to remain on the cutting-edge of technology and we want to be part of the solutions that can help growers.”

Key to the company’s technology focus is its proactive approach. For example, the team organizes field days for growers to see demonstrations and receive hands-on learning prior to adopting new solutions. The precision product specialist team also offers machine set up, calibration, and training prior to the start of the season—in some cases, months in advance—to ensure growers are best positioned for success.

“Planting, spraying, harvest, it all has to happen in relatively tight windows of time,” Dorsey said. “By being proactive in our approach, customers and their machines are ready to go so they can operate within those timeframes rather than trying to figure it out as they go.”

RDO also embraces technology opportunities to provide proactive support in-season. John Deere, for example, offers machine support by leveraging the connection to the machine, made possible by JDLink. The Customer Support team works closely with this technology to identify potential issues, provided remote solutions, and help customers avoid unplanned downtime.

Creating Connections

Technology presents growers opportunities to prevent yield loss and optimize their operations. In addition to sheer excitement for the direction precision agriculture technology continues to go, Dorsey said RDO is in a unique position to be a leader in the space—one that he’s proud to see the company embrace.

“We’re not a manufacturer or designer, but we’re at the next level,” he said. “Equipment manufacturers need dealer partners with knowledge and training in technology opportunities to sell and support it. We connect the growers and the technology, that’s the loop we help close.”

Whether it’s a data management solution to make better decisions for the year ahead or a machine feature designed to make an in-season task more effective, the company is committed to being up-to-date and knowledgeable on equipment technology, to better partner with growers and ensure they receive the best solutions and support.

RDO Equipment Co. has locations in Arizona and California, in agricultural communities including Imperial, Salinas, Santa Maria, and Yuma. Find the one nearest you, or learn more about technology offerings for your equipment and business by visiting www.rdoequipment.com.