I personally feel a good local dealer is an important asset. Look at the discussions on this board where customers choose a piece of equipment based on closeness to a local dealer.

Especially in planters, a knowledgeable local dealer with a good planter serviceman can be worth his weight in gold.

As an attachment line, we want to be available at all dealerships who sell new row crop planters. They can be across the street from each other.

However there are many pressures by the major line on dealerships to exclude "shortlines". In many cases shortlines offer specialty products which really complement the OEM's lines. If a dealership chooses not to sell our products and we do not have another interested dealer in the area we will sell directly to an end user at probably the same price as the dealer + freight.

However again I encourage folks to order our products thru dealers. We do not force customers to go to a dealer who does not want to sell our products.

I have also sent customers to a "dealer" who has actively tried to switch the customer to a competitors products. I guess that is the dealers perogative. At that point we will sell directly to the customer.

This is an important issue in the ag business as dealers consolidate and the OEM's exert more pressure to do things their way. We are members of and work with FEMA - the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association - who is also looking for a middle ground.

Thank you all for your interest in our products.

Jim at Dawn