The National Climatic Data Center has been measuring weather extremes since 1910. A value of 0% on its U.S. Climate Extremes Index means that there were no extremes of temperature or precipitation in that timeframe. A value of 100% means extreme conditions throughout the year - a virtually impossible scenario. The ranking for 2013 was 22.10%. The most extreme year in recent history was 2012, with a ranking of 49%.

Bobcat Company marked milestone of production of its one millionth loader with a formal ceremony on July 12, sharing the occasion with its valued employees and the community of Gwinner, North Dakota, home to Bobcat's primary production facility

Three Midwest farm families will be mowing in style, thanks to Exmark and Successful Farming magazine. As winners of the Successful Farming Farm Beautiful contest, each of the three families has received a new Exmark Lazer Z X-Series zero-turn riding mower.

Rural Lifestyle Dealer's new series, "Season-to-Season," digs into the seasonal challenges and opportunities dealerships face in a typical year.

"It certainly makes our job easier. They've done the studying.

Waukesha-based Generac announced Friday it has purchased Arkansas generator company Baldor Electric, according to a news release.

In 2012, the top 6 U.S. pumpkin-producing states (California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania) supplied over 1.2 billion pounds of pumpkins. In 2013, pumpkin crop conditions varied greatly by region. Wet spring weather, followed by a hot dry summer decreased pumpkin volume in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Growing conditions in the Midwest and Western U.S. were more favorable, and growers are reporting good quality and size for their pumpkins.

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

The National FFA Foundation has appointed Mark Hooper, Director of Marketing at New Holland in North America, to their 2014 Sponsors' Board. Sponsors' Board members will be introduced when the 2013 National FFA Convention and Expo convenes in Louisville, Kentucky, starting October 30, 2013.

Paula Wilson, the new chair of the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), outlines her priorities for growing the propane industry in this exclusive interview with Rural Lifestyle Dealer. She says that partnering with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) on new applications tops PERC's priorities, along with increasing education and marketing efforts to landscape professionals and lifting the current federal restriction on PERC's consumer marketing.