Welcome

Inside Agri-Turf was launched in 2020 by Chris Biddle who has more than 60 years experience in the farm and grass machinery industry, first with a major manufacturer, then as a dealer principal and susequently as editor and publisher of industry leading magazines

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LATEST EPISODE

EPISODE 106: FARMING COLLECTIVE AT NEW SCIENTIST LIVE 2023
with Anna Eccleston (Farmers Weekly)
and Kit Franklin (Harper Adams University

Described as the World’s Greatest Festival of Ideas and Discoveries, New Scientist Live (NSL) will this year have Farming and Food Production as its largest feature. The 2023 edition of NSL will be held from 7-9 October at ExCel London.

The talks and hands-on visitor experiences featuring the innovative and ground-breaking ways that food is produced is being curated by the Farmers Weekly in partnership with a collective of commercial and educational partners from across the agricultural sector.

In this preview of the event, Anna Eccleston, Commercial Director and Project Leader at the Farmers Weekly and Kit Franklin of Harper Adams University, one the speakers, talk about how their initial displays at the 2019 NSL proved highly successful - and why an enhanced presence at NSL 2023 will aim to inform and educate consumers of the route from farm to fork utilising the latest state-of-the-art technology.

Recent Episodes

EPISODE 105: AI: YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS with Wesley Baker

"The greatest thing since the Industrial revolution" are amongst the opening words by Wesley Baker, Founder and CEO of Canterbury AI.

In this podcast, Wesley provides an overview of the likely impact that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have on us all in clear and no-nonsense language.

AI is not here to take jobs, if it does, they will be replaced quickly, he says. It will certainly reduce workloads and massively improve service and productivity.

Links to Wesley Baker and his company are in the show notes to the episode

EPISODE 104: DEALERSHIP DISSECTOLOGY
with David Hart

This episode is another in a series I'm calling The Franchise Jigsaw. And who knew that the collective name for a jigsaw enthusiast is a dissectologist?

My guest is David Hart, Managing Director of Kubota UK and President Business Transformation Kubota Europe BV.

As the consolidation of the UK farm machinery dealers network continues, so companies such as Kubota are taking the opportunity to offer a replacement main franchise to dealers who have been sacked by a major brand, or have decided to change their lead franchise due to unacceptable terms and conditions being offered.

However, as David explains the task of putting together a workable franchise territory for new dealers is never easy nor straightforward, particularly if several branches are involved.

And what are the priorities for manufacturers when they appoint a replacement new franchise?

David's experiences have confirmed that manufacturers in this position should always 'expect the unexpected'

EPISODE 103: TOP RANKING DEALERS with PETER HILL

Fascinating episode of Inside Agri-Turf features Peter Hill unpicking the results of the latest survey he has compiled for Farmers Weekly identifying the UK’s Biggest Farm Machinery Dealers – based on 2021 turnover compared with 2020.

This follow-up survey is compared with his initial survey based on dealers’ financials for 2020.

The report lists the top 45 dealers, all of whom have turnover of more £30 million – and illustrates how mergers and acquisitions are reshaping Britain’s dealer network. All of the dealers included reported increased in 2021 as recovery from Covid continued despite supply issues.

FORTHCOMING EPISODES

21 September 2023: THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT?. First in a two-part series, Dan Pratt, founder of DAP Consultancy Ltd will discuss the various techniques to improve customer engagment, and in particular how to deal with angry or disruptive customers

5 October 2023: THE ART OF THE SALES CONVERSATION . First in a two-part series, St John Craner, md of Agrarian Ltd, a leading rural sales company based in New Zealand, will talk about The Art of the Sales Conversation