If you are a dealer merchant of any size accepting credit cards, you must be in compliance with PCI Security Council standards. PCI DSS version 4.0 was released on March 31, 2022; however, it has been in a transition period since the prior version v3.2.1 was retired on March 31, 2024. The new requirements of version 4.0 will become effective March 31, 2025. What does that mean for you? If you have already completed your Security Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) you are compliant until your next SAQ is due. When your next SAQ is due, you will be required to be in compliance with PCI DSS ..read more

JERRY L. PIGSLEY | Woods Aitken LLP A federal court in Pennsylvania on January 23, 2024, gave INEDA members guidance in a case concerning claims brought by an employee who worked remotely for almost two years against her employer who determined she could not perform all of the essential functions of her job from home. She contended that her employer’s refusal to grant her request for a permanent work from home accommodation was discriminatory under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Galette v. Avenue 365 Lending Services LLC, U.S. Dist. Ct. E.D.Pa. Jan. 23, 2024). When she began working for ..read more

Naio robot with LiDAR, camera and GNSS antenna in the top center front. (Photo: Mark Pasveer) Autonomous robots are one of, if not the hottest trends in precision agriculture at this moment. These robots are equipped with a wide range of technologies and sensors. Because farming is about achieving the best results with minimal effort, I advise farmers to consider the capabilities and the level of autonomy the robots have before purchasing one. This is more important than focusing on fancy lights, colors, and options that don’t add any value to their basic operations. For a robot to be truly au ..read more

Guardian Agriculture Nets $20m Series A Guardian Agriculture has raised a $20 million Series A round led by Fall Line Capital to expand its autonomous drone technology to farms across the US and ramp-up manufacturing of its SC1 aircraft. The raise brings Guardian’s cumulative funding to $35 million. Founded in 2017 with a focus on large-scale agriculture, the Woburn, Massachusetts-based company has more than $100 million in pre-orders and will begin commercial operations to support customer (and investor) Wilbur-Ellis in Salinas Valley, California, this summer. The first Electric Vertical Tak ..read more

(Photo: Andres reto Molina / unsplash) Many small- and medium-scale family farms aren’t adopting artificial intelligence because it’s out of their price range and area of expertise. Can drones make it more accessible? Why Is AI Out of Reach to Smallholder Farmers? Many smallholder farmers can’t afford — or don’t know how — to integrate algorithms into their processes. In the U.S., small family farms making less than $350,000 before expenses accounted for 88.1% of all farms in 2022. Needless to say, they don’t have enough for AI. Most smallholder and medium-scale farmers will need a mid-sized A ..read more

Innovation is Where Dealers Come to Grow! While agtech venture funding has slowed within the industry over time, the implications of technology, complex interactions between companies, and macro trends continue to drive compelling new themes to pay attention to for agribusiness professionals such as yourself. Follow along for highlights and predictions (although, not intentional) of some themes surrounding agtech and agribusiness you may want to pay attention to. They are in no particular order. Also featured are other ag innovation articles on: Precision Spraying: Discover who is dominating ..read more

As the marketing landscape evolves rapidly in 2024, it’s crucial for dealerships to keep up and stay ahead of the curve. with the latest marketing trends isn’t always easy. Keeping up isn’t easy, but to succeed in the fast-paced marketing world — I’d challenge you to pick 3 or 4 of the insights below to focus on and see what adifference it can make! 1. Short-form Video Content Dominance Insight: Short-form video content on platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Reels, and YouTube Shorts continues to engage audiences effectively, with 53% of marketers utilizing this format in 2024. Actionable Steps ..read more

Recently, I’ve seen a lot of autonomous vehicles, electric tractors, ag robots, and AI enhanced equipment at World Ag Expo, FIRA USA and Agritechnica. Out of all the new tech equipment, I believe the first large-scale adoption will come in precision spraying. Herbicide-resistant weeds have proliferated over the past years. There are also numerous negative reports on the environmental and health impacts of using farm chemicals, including a recent report that came out showing Midwest states having the largest increased rate of cancer. Also, Bayer has fought over 110,000 lawsuits and still has mo ..read more

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 few years is drones. It was very evident with the number of vendors at the show that were displaying their drones and all their capabilities that the small, unmanned aircraft are going to have a lasting impact on the agricultural industry and already have. There are many uses for drones in agricultural p ..read more

As the CEO of INEDA, I believe that innovation is not merely a tool for progress; it’s the very essence of what connects us as individuals and communities. In the equipment realm, innovation is not just about adopting new technologies or techniques; it’s about re-imagining the way we interact with the land, the market, and each other. It’s about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and forging a path towards a more sustainable and prosperous future. At our Iowa and Nebraska Ag Expos, we are not just hosting events; we are cultivating a culture of innovation. We recognize that our dealer ..read more