How Certified Ag Dealers are Helping Farmers Get ROI on Their Work Trucks
For most farmers and ranchers, a pickup truck is a tool as essential as a tractor or a combine. However, unlike other equipment, trucks are often viewed as depreciating assets from the moment they leave the lot. Lyle Orwig, Chief Marketing Officer for the Certified Agriculture Group, is working to change that narrative.
Speaking with Oklahoma Farm Report, Orwig detailed how the Certified Agriculture Group is transforming the truck-buying experience by bridging the gap between automotive dealers and the agricultural community.
Bridging the Gap Between Dealer and Producer
The program’s core mission is certifying auto dealers to better serve farm and ranch customers. According to Orwig, the process isn’t just a label; it requires rigorous commitment. Dealerships must put their parts, service, and sales staff through a specialized video-based training program designed to help them understand the unique commercial needs of agriculture.
“They need to understand that it’s a commercial operation even though it’s a retail buy from the automotive standpoint,” Orwig explained. “You can’t be sitting along the side of the road pulling a load of cattle… waiting for a tow truck for ten hours. You need somebody right away.”
Once certified, these dealers receive weekly agricultural newsletters to keep them informed on industry trends, allowing them to have meaningful, educated conversations with producers walking through their doors.
AgPack: $48,000 in Real Value
The biggest tangible benefit for producers purchasing from a Certified Ag Dealer is AgPack. This package is a collection of rebates and discounts from leading agribusiness companies, provided at no extra cost to the buyer.
“It’s a way to get an ROI on your truck instead of just depreciation,” Orwig said.
The value is significant. Orwig estimates the total potential savings at nearly $48,000. The program currently boasts 29 partners, with offers that include:
- Michelin & BFGoodrich: $4,500 in rebates on farm tires (combines, tractors, ATVs).
- AgroLiquid: $2,000 worth of fertilizer.
- New Partners: Just announced additions include Gen-Y Hitch Company and Alkota Cleaning Systems.
Crucially, Orwig noted that AgPack rewards are stackable on top of all existing dealer or manufacturer incentives. They are also valid on both new and used trucks (up to five years old with less than 75,000 miles), and the benefits apply per vehicle, not per farm.
The AgWagon: Built by Farmers, For Farmers
Orwig also highlighted the AgWagon, a new custom truck concept born from direct producer feedback. After conducting a focus group with 14 farmers and ranchers across the country, the team partnered with Fox Factory Performance Vehicles to engineer the “perfect farm truck.”
The result features 29 functional changes designed to solve common headaches, including:
- Heavy-Duty Tires: 14-ply BFGoodrich tires designed to handle mesquite thorns and shed mud at 10 mph to keep it out of the highway.
- Suspension: A three-inch BDS lift kit that increases field clearance while maintaining gooseneck hitch compatibility, paired with Fox shocks and Firestone airbags.
- Durability: Heavy-duty leather seats with diamond stitching to prevent the wear and tear common with work tools carried in pockets.
- Utility: 360-degree lighting for checking calves or fixing equipment in the dark.
“We really approached it from the functional standpoint and what was needed on the farm and ranch,” Orwig said. The result, according to the farmers who first saw the prototype, was not just functional, but a “badass truck.”
