As 2023 ends, it’s the perfect time to reflect on our accomplishments and achievements throughout the year. From connecting with farmers in the field to giving back to the community, Ag Leader continues to focus on what’s most important. . . people.
Below are 23 highlights for Ag Leader, a company that remains privately-owned and family-operated, in 2023.
1. Our most popular Instagram post this year was “Are you looking for a steering solution for the upcoming planting season? Find your fit with Ag Leader.” SteerCommand® Z2 offers high-accuracy, integrated steering with year-round visibility and control that includes advanced planting features. Installed right to the steering column of tractors, combines, application, and more, SteadySteer® is an economical way to add assisted steering.
2. At the annual all-employee spring and fall luncheons, Ag Leader recognized 53 employees for their 5-, 10-, 20-, 25-, and 30-years of service. Ag Leader’s roots in innovation allow employees to take ownership of their work and make an impact from day one on the job.
3. Ag Leader products are built to order at the company’s headquarters in Ames, Iowa. To provide high-quality customer service, production has gone from a 15-day lead time on orders to seven. The department continues to improve and has a goal to be down to a five-day lead time.
4. Ag Leader employees contributed more than $35,000 to United Way of Central Iowa. The funds raised are invested in community programs and initiatives addressing the challenges people are facing across the state.
5. As elite precision farming experts for Ag Leader, more than 120 members of the Blue Delta network gathered at the Blue Delta Dealer Summit in Iowa where they were honored for their achievements. In addition, these leaders learned about the latest technology advancements and market trends as well as best practices for running a successful precision ag business providing industry-leading service.
6. TurnPath™, automatic and precise turning at the end of the field, was made available to growers. This feature takes the guesswork out of turning, so a farmer has more capacity to focus on other tasks.
7. Ag Leader was a 2023 Innovations Program winner in the equipment category for TurnPath™. The program, which is presented by Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show and the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada, with support from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, recognizes new technologies expected to advance agriculture and farming.
8. The most popular blog on agleader.com in 2023 was “How to properly set up GPS and implement offsets.” You can find it here: agleader.com/blog/gps-offsets-and-implement-offsets-explained/.
9. Ag Leader welcomed new dealers across 18 states including Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming this year. By expanding our dealer network, Ag Leader can provide an increased level of service and support to farmers across the U.S.
10. Ag Leader had 76 colleges and universities across the globe enrolled in its Educational Solutions program in 2023. The program is designed to give students hands-on experience with the latest tools in precision agriculture.
11. Ag Leader’s SMS YouTube channel has had 48,300 views this year. “Reading in Files and Creating a Map” is the most popular tutorial, which highlights how to read files into SMS software and create maps using data from those files. Check out this and other tutorials at youtube.com/@AgLeaderSMSTutorials.
12. Ag Leader product sales specialists devoted more than 150 hours building two RightSpot™ Rangers, so the value of nozzle-by-nozzle sprayer technology could be shown to growers across the U.S. Our territory managers then traveled nearly 50,000 miles with the Rangers demonstrating the nozzle-by-nozzle sprayer technology to 387 farmers across 36 states. By showcasing RightSpot’s key features and benefits, growers can see firsthand how the technology can impact their operation.
13. The most popular Facebook post was “Calling all loyal Ag Leader customers! Steer toward savings with our Customer Loyalty Steering upgrade.” As a result of the promotion, customers traded in more than 1,000 Ag Leader legacy steering systems. Eligible trade ins received up to $5,000 off the SteerCommand® Z2.
14. Ag Leader hosted 34 interns across 12 departments in 2023. Participating in an internship can provide students with a wealth of benefits including applying what they learned in the classroom in a professional setting, gaining exposure to their chosen field, establishing critical network connections, and gaining valuable work experience.
15. Through the Ag Leader Academy, growers can take instructor-led training or complete an online course on data management to improve their knowledge and skills. In 2023, growers attended 72 instructor-led trainings and completed 44 online courses with SMS Advanced software training leading the way in attendance. To view and register for a data management course, visit https://academy.agleader.com/learn.
16. Ag Leader partnered with Iowa State University in many areas including the ISU Foundation scholarships awarded to five recipients pursuing engineering degrees. In addition, our engineering departments administer and support multiple ISU student projects and clubs. Ag Leader was also present at five ISU engagement and recruitment events, reaching thousands of students.
17. RightSpot is a rising star in the Ag Leader product lineup. Introduced less than two years ago, this nozzle-by-nozzle control system is resonating with growers looking to maximize spraying efficiency and accuracy. Contact your local Ag Leader dealer to learn how RightSpot can increase productivity, reduce overlap, and achieve consistent results throughout a broad range of speed all while navigating challenging terrain such as contours and odd-shaped fields.
18. Ag Leader launched BoomLoop™, an upgrade for sprayers equipped with the RightSpot™ nozzle-by-nozzle control system. A complete recirculation solution, BoomLoop is seamlessly integrated into the InCommand® display.
19. Ag Leader’s Hardware YouTube channel had 88,000 views this year. “Creating and Management Guidance Lines,” which covers creating and management guidance lines, as well as using the group manager in the InCommand® displays, is the most popular tutorial. Knowing how to create and manage guidance lines in the display allows you to efficiently get started in the field and manage lines for future use. Check out this and other tutorials at youtube.com/watch?v=EeWCjyNCHhc.
20. In August, Ag Leader released the latest version of SMS. Highlights of SMS Version 23.5 include the ability to utilize satellite imagery to identify health trends within your fields as well as view current and historical weather trends for your fields.
21. A global company, Ag Leader welcomed new dealers and distributors in Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, Serbia, and Slovakia. By offering precision farming solutions to growers in these areas, dealers and distributors play a crucial role in helping farmers overcome the various challenges they face in their operations, so they are more efficient and sustainable.
22. Ag Leader founder Al Myers and his son Mike hosted the UNI Iowa Family Business Conference at the Ag Leader Academy in Ames, Iowa in November. This event, which drew more than 100 people, brings in the most experienced leaders from the family business world to help others navigate best practices, tough conversations, and more.
23. In 2023, Ag Leader partnered with Melbourne Polytechnic, a Technical and Further Education Victoria college with eight campuses, to bring the SMS EDU package to its students. This partnership also included Ag Leader hardware in two Kubota tractors, a Kubota RTV, and control of an air drill, spreader, and sprayer. This program helps students gain the training and skills necessary for a career in precision agriculture. •
