Agricultural retailers are used to being close to the customer. They know the acres, the operation, the history, the pain points, the products, the timing and often the family behind the business.
So it makes sense that many retailers see themselves as a leading source of new ideas for large commercial producers.
But the 2025 Large Commercial Producer Survey from Purdue University suggests farmers may see the information landscape differently. That difference creates an important tension, says Masie Keshavarz, senior research project manager.
In the 2025 survey, large commercial producers were asked to rank their top sources of information for new production and management ideas. In a companion survey, agricultural retailers were asked what they believed their large farm customers would rank as most important.
Comparing the two studies shows a noticeable disconnect.
Retailers were more likely to believe dealer and retailer sources sit at the center of the farmer’s information world. When asked what farmers would identify as their single most important source of new ideas, 25.2% of retailers pointed to dealer or retailer representatives, publications, newsletters, advertisements or websites.
But only 13.6% of producers ranked dealer or retailer sources first.
Instead, producers were most likely to rank ag media first, at 25.6%, followed by other farmers at 21.0%.
Dealer and retailer sources still appear in producers’ top three sources of information. But the data suggest they may not be the starting point for new ideas as often as retailers assume.
Other Influences Are Reordering the Conversation
Relationships between retailers and farmers matter, but relationship strength does not automatically mean information primacy.
By the time a farmer brings an idea to a retailer, the conversation may already be well underway in the farmer’s mind. Farmers are not waiting for one trusted source to tell them what to think. They are assembling ideas from many places: ag media, other farmers, universities, farm groups, manufacturers, retailers, events and digital channels.
That changes the retailer’s role.
The retailer is not always introducing the idea. Sometimes the retailer is being asked to validate it, challenge it, adapt it locally or make it practical. And sometimes, the retailer is competing with an impression formed long before the sales call.
What Retailers Should See in That Gap
The perception gap between retailers and producers matters because it can shape strategy.
If retailers believe they are the top source of new ideas, they may invest too heavily in messages that assume the customer is beginning with them. They may focus on promotion rather than interpretation. They may underestimate the importance of websites, newsletters, digital content, events or educational materials. They may overlook the fact that farmers are comparing retailer information against ag media and peer conversations.
They may also miss an opportunity to become more valuable.
If farmers are hearing new ideas from many places, they need help making sense of them. They need context. They need local adaptation. They need someone who can say, “Here is what that means for your operation, your soils, your equipment, your risk tolerance and your goals.”
Retailers Still Matter, But Their Role Is Changing
The survey isn’t suggesting farmers have lost trust in retailers, or that retailers have lost relevance. Instead, it highlights how the nature of their influence is changing.
For many large producers, retailers may be less of a gatekeeper for new ideas and more of a translator, evaluator and implementer. They help move an idea from general awareness to farm-level action.
That role is valuable. In some cases, it may be more valuable than simply being the first source of information. But it requires a different mindset.
The Strategic Question
Most importantly, retailers need to avoid assuming that a strong customer relationship means they automatically rank first.
Retailers appear to believe influence still runs heavily through direct relationships and retailer-controlled channels. Producers, meanwhile, describe a broader information environment where ag media and other farmers play leading roles.
That tension should get the attention of leaders.
Retailers need to ask whether they are showing up early enough in the farmer’s learning process.
The report authors say retailers need to:
- Consider whether their content is educational or merely promotional.
- Understand which media sources, peer networks and events are shaping their customers’ thinking.
- Know what producers are reading, who they are listening to and where they go when they are curious about something new.
Perception gaps do not always show up immediately in sales numbers. They show up gradually in missed conversations, weaker positioning, slower adoption, reduced credibility or content that fails to meet customers where they actually are.
Key Takeaway
In today’s information environment, being trusted is not the same as being first. And being part of the decision is not the same as shaping the beginning of it.
