The rural equipment market is vibrant, with many of you telling us that your market has grown significantly over the last few years. That means there is lots for the Rural Lifestyle Dealer staff to cover as we keep you updated on new products, best practices, expert strategies and more.

Manufacturers had a chance to show off their latest and greatest products to nearly 19,000 registered attendees, including nearly 3,500 dealers and retailers, at the 2017 Green Industry & Equipment (GIE+Expo), held recently in Louisville, Ky. The show had another record-setting year, with registrations up 13% from 2016.

Another box store announced that it is selling tractors — this time, it’s Rural King. The company has started branding TYM tractors and began selling 10 models ranging from 19-55 horsepower at 7 pilot stores this spring, with plans to sell throughout its 100-store network.

The segment outperforms other manufacturers for 2 straight years in the Equipment Dealers Assn.’s 2017 Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey.

Rural equipment dealers forecast another good year for overall and aftermarket sales, according to Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s 2017 Dealer Business Trends & Outlook survey, the magazine’s 9th annual. Despite the economic and social turbulence of an election year, these optimistic forecasts follow a very strong year for growth in 2016. Eighty-four percent of dealers think 2017 will be as good as or better than 2016 for total revenue and more than 90% think aftermarket revenue will also be as good as or better than last year. This compares with last year’s survey in which more than 88% of dealers expected 2016 to be as good as or better than 2015 for total revenue and more than 90% expected aftermarket revenue to be as good as or better than 2015.

UPDATED STORY. There were 900 exhibitors at the 2016 show and attendance was up 12% from last year. Here are some highlights.

Jordan Sales & Service of Post Falls, Idaho, was just 3 years old when it was named Rural Lifestyle Dealer’s Dealership of the Year in 2009. Today, the company is celebrating its 10th anniversary — the same milestone as Rural Lifestyle Dealer — and the fourth generation is now working in the dealership.