But Carter is well aware of changes in the agricultural landscape surrounding Juda and beyond. With the reduction of farm numbers resulting in fewer but larger farms, there are fewer potential customers, he said. This has meant adding equipment lines to meet the needs of a different customer base. For example, the Brooklyn store has a different customer base than at Juda, Carter noted. These customers generally have no livestock but do buy smaller tractors.
Urban dwellers buy lawn care and maintenance equipment as well as snow handling equipment.
At the Brooklyn base, Ken Updike has established a computer network for selling antique tractors and parts as well as collectible toys. Meanwhile in Juda, to meet the needs of the fewer but bigger farm operations, Carter and Gruenewald has moved into selling larger equipment. Sometimes this has meant carrying more expensive equipment without the certainty of sales. He can pre-sell this piece of equipment. In the changing age of implement sales, manufacturers force dealerships to purchase the more expensive specialized tools needed for working on the more expensive tractors, combines and other implements.