Japanese farm machinery maker Kubota has announced it will be building its first European tractor factory in northern France, according to a report in the British publication Farmers Weekly.

Rural Lifestyle Dealer thanks all the dealers who completed our 2014 Dealer Business Trends & Outlook Survey. The rate of response was excellent and well share all the trends and statistics in our upcoming winter 2014 issue.

Kioti Tractor's 2014 line up will include a new tractor series, expansions to two current series and Tier 4 compliant engines on several models. The new products along with a restructured parts operation were introduced to dealers at a recent dealer event.

"Could I get by with a lot less? Sure, but it doesn't hurt to have a spare unit." A.J. Swanson

Educating customers about safe operation are critical dealer responsibilities, and failing to heed those responsibilities could put dealers in jeopardy, as well as their customers.

Green Farm Parts, the online leader in genuine John Deere parts, has just published their new and improved online store. The online store still bears the same name, but the customer experience is completely different than before and different than any other competitor's web site.

More than 48% of dealers say lawn and garden products are among the best prospects for increasing sales in 2014, second only to GPS/precision farming equipment, according to the September issue of Ag Equipment Intelligence. Dealers expect growth of 2-8% or more for the segment.

Last issue, we shared news about Woods Equipment's partnership with Cabela's to sell the company's tractor attachments through test markets. Cabela's is also just now introducing its own brand of tractors through similar tests. We followed up with Cabela's to learn more about their tractors.

Clyde Rodgers, founder and co-owner of Rodgers and Sons, says his Cherry Creek, N.Y., dealership had to adapt to survive during its 25-year history. Some adaptations were by choice; some not. However, they've always worked to stay true to who they are: a small, family dealership that is committed to service.