Miller's Favorite Story of 2023

Editor's Note:

December naturally has us thinking back over the year that was, including the stories we've created. So, we've again asked DTN/Progressive Farmer writers to think back on their year and choose a favorite story from the archive. They range from hard-hitting investigative journalism and national scoops to farm family features and fun discoveries made while traveling U.S. farm country. We hope you enjoy our writers' favorites, with today's story by Progressive Farmer Senior Editor Dan Miller.

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (DTN) -- I spend a lot of time at DTN and Progressive Farmer reporting on the new technologies coming the way of the American farmer. There are so many -- combines that automatically adjust to harvesting conditions, tractors with eyes to steer around fields (sans an operator), and dozens and dozens of innovations that provide details -- meters, scales, sensors, and data collection and analysis -- that make production agriculture more accurate, more efficient, more sustainable and more timely.

Which led me to wonder last year: Who is fixing and maintaining all this stuff?

The government reports that overall employment of heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians is projected to grow 6% annually through 2032, double the average for all other occupations.

About 21,100 openings for heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. And salaries aren't bad. Median pay is $58,000 per year, about $10,000 more than for the average U.S. worker.

More than grease and oil, these are high tech jobs. Many can be done remotely by kids who never stepped foot on a farm.

"We fix as much with a computer today as we did with a wrench 20 years ago," said Jason Kinzey, John Deere's Service Development manager. "And that's a different student. I need someone that wants to take apart a transmission, but also someone who's really good with a laptop and voltmeter and can diagnose the problem."

Ash Alt, manager of after sales training for AGCO North America, explained, "The ideal technician would be a kid from the rural community who understands agriculture already. But realistically, our scope is much broader than that. People who have a passion for STEM -- science, technology, engineering and math -- people who love problem solving, using critical thinking and using their hands."

Many openings result from the need to replace techs who retire. There is a number floating around trades industries that for every five retirements there are only one to two new hires.

AGCO Corp. looks to place 2,000 technicians during the next five years. "The technician population is aging, and there are a lot of new skills that are needed," said Seth Crawford, senior vice president and general manager, Precision Ag and Digital at AGCO Corporation in Duluth, Georgia. "Whether it's fertilizer or chemical applications, planting, harvesting the fields and then all of the technology that goes on those machines, that's where the demand will come from and that's a big hill to climb."

Equipment manufacturers are going all out to fill their tech needs. For those with the aptitude and ethic, it's a rewarding field.

Take a look at my piece -- there's a great story to tell.

See "Scouting the Farm Machinery Technicians of Tomorrow," https://www.dtnpf.com/…

Dan Miller can be reached at dan.miller@dtn.com

Follow him on X @DMillerPF

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