Theft Prevention Kit Available.

"Don't Make it Easy" is the title of a free theft prevention kit for dealers in North America. The project is sponsored by NAEDA, Federated Insurance Companies, Federated of Canada and the state and regional dealer associations.

The kit outlines practices that will solve many theft problems, especially of lawn and garden equipment, mobile equipment, small horsepower equipment, tools and attachments. If dealers apply some of the steps outlined in the kit, the potential for theft will be greatly reduced, and so with insurance premiums, according to Bob Rosene, a Case IH dealer from Perry, Iowa, who chairs NAEDA's Safety/Risk Management Subcommittee.

For a free kit, call 800-356-9891 or fax your request to 651-450-7262.

* The North Dakota Implement Dealers Association,

which celebrates its 100th anniversary in November, is well along in its "Career Connections" program for interesting high school students in careers in the implement dealers industry. A survey of North Dakota teachers indicated they wanted classroom presentations about careers in the business and work experience programs for students. NDIDA's next step is to develop a plan of action that will help specific dealers work with specific teachers, according to program coordinator Joel Janke.

* Integrated Agri, Inc. (IAI) is the corporation that resulted from the merger of ten stores -- four in Iowa (Mason City, Belmond, New Hampton and Osage), five in Illinois (Galesburg, Monmouth, Aledo, Geneseo and Princeton) and one in Missouri (Kahoka) -- under the ownership of Steve Westbay, Chuck Westbay, Mike Maulsby and Kent Nixon. IAI serves 23 counties in the three states and employs 140 individuals. The company plans to integrate agricultural equipment, crop services inputs, technology and contract services at selected locations. In addition to carrying the Case-IH products, the other brands carried by IAI stores include Bobcat, Bush Hog, Case-CMI, Cub Cadet, J&M, Kinze, Kubota, Yamaha ATVs and Woods.

* Ed Allen, Jr., a John Deere dealer in Centre, AL, was asked by the NAEDA nominating committee to serve as the group's second vice president in 2000-2001. He is a member of the Southern Equipment Dealers Association (SEDA). He was a member of the Alabama Equipment Dealers Association for 26 years, serving as president in 1994 and as NAEDA director for three years before unification with the Southeastern Association. SEDA's bylaws call for his election at the association's annual convention in February, 2000, as the SEDA director in order to serve as the second vice president of NAEDA.

* Newly elected officers of the new board of directors of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute are: chairman -- David R. Zerfoss, Husqvarna Forest and Garden; vice chairman -- Michael S. Ariens, Ariens Company; secretary/treasurer -- Warner C. Frazier, Simplicity Manufacturing. Other directors include: Patrick W. Curtiss, American Honda Motor Company; William Docherty, Jr., MTD Products, Inc.; David A Ferris, Ferris Industries, Inc.; Alan W. Herstrum, Yazoo/Kees Power Equipment; Kendrick B. Melrose, The Toro Company; L. Edward Shultz, Murray, Inc.; Philip Tralies, Textron Turf Care & Specialty Products; Mark C. Rostvold, Deere & Company (Worldwide Lawn & Garden Care Division); and Akio Urakami, Ryobi North America, Inc.

* Caterpillar Ag Products has a free computer screen saver that features Caterpillar tractors and combines. The screen saver is free and can be downloaded from the company's Web site, www2.CAT.com/index2.html. Instructions for downloading the self-installing program are available on the site.

* Case Credit has launched Case Credit Vantage Account, a line of credit that offers agricultural equipment customers the option of financing parts, service and equipment rentals. The charge account is available through Case IH dealerships. Qualified customers 90-day free financing on Case IH parts and/or service totaling $1,000 or more by March 31, 2000.

* New Holland says its Used Equipment Locator makes it easy to find used farm equipment on the company's Web site (www.newholland.com/na). The site is not restricted to New Holland products, as participating New Holland dealers can list all brands in their inventory. The equipment search can be by type, make, model, features, geographic location, dealer and other specific criteria. Each piece of used equipment meeting the criteria is displayed and linked to the participating dealer's Web site.

* North American John Deere dealers are hosting "Dress Up a Deere Friend" tractor renovation clinics through the year 2000. The clinics will include courses on preventive maintenance and detailed demonstrations on bringing older tractors up to current standards of comfort, convenience and reliability. This program particularly focuses on John Deere 30, 40 and 50 Series models, many of which are still in service but lack some of the features that have been improved over the last two decades.

* MotorAuction.com is a new Internet site offering motorized farm vehicles, parts and accessories. The site, www.MotorAuction.com, claims to be the only one-stop hub for farming equipment on the net, offering prospective buyers and sellers low cost "classified" ads or online auctions for both new and used equipment.