The Expanding Role of Precision Specialists & How to Prevent Burnout

Feb 08, 2024

Precision specialists often wear many hats these days — technician, manager, salesperson, farmer. The long hours can lead to burnout. Several attendees at the 2024 Precision Farming Dealer Summit in Indianapolis, gathered for a roundtable discussion on ways to alleviate stress and lighten the load. Here are some top takeaways I jotted down in my notes app.

Training everybody — sales staff and customers — is the first big step to cutting down on burnout, one person suggested. "You need to manage the customer's expectations," he said.

"Everybody at our dealership is expected to know the technology," another person said. "Salespeople should be able to install retrofit kits. If you have the experience of doing it, you can help customers. You better be able to get the equipment set up in the field, or you won't be able to sell it."

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Video: CEOs of the Industry: John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems

CEOs of the Industry, Jim sits down with John McIntire, Partner at Pike Pig Systems, one of the most quietly impressive 26,000-sow operations in the U.S. John shares how he grew from operator to partner, how Pike built a people-first culture with long-tenured managers, and why they’re committed to weaning bigger, stronger pigs at 25+ days.

John breaks down how Pike stays efficient in a tough economic environment, the power of their shareholder-owned farm model, and how their work with PIC and a 240-head boar facility drives genetics and health outcomes. He also opens up about the innovations Pike adopts — and how they decide what’s truly valuable versus industry hype.

From Prop 12 and labor challenges to trade, consumer expectations, and sustainability, John chooses a hot-button issue and shares how Pike is preparing for the future. The episode closes with a rapid-fire “Fast Five” — mindset, leadership, daily habits, and three words that define Pike Pig Systems in 2025.

If you want a look inside a people-driven, purpose-driven, quietly elite pork system, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.