The year is 1968. 26-year-old potato farmer, Ron Offutt, is farming alongside his father in Minnesota, US, operating John Deere equipment rented from his local dealership. Later that same year, Ron purchases that local dealership and grows it into a company with more than 75 stores across nine states. Fifty years later, RDO Equipment is one of the world’s largest John Deere and Vermeer dealers with partnerships in Africa, Mexico, Russia and Ukraine. RDO first came to Australia in 2012 when it acquired a 50% interest in Vanderfield (an agricultural machinery equipment dealer), followed by a 50% investment in Vermeer Australia in 2015. Fast forward to 2019, RDO is named the official dealer partner for John Deere Construction and Forestry equipment in Australia (excluding WA). Today, RDO and its partner companies Vanderfield and Vermeer Australia operate out of 29 dealerships across the country. The RDO Australia Group proudly employs more than 700 people offering sales, parts and service support to customers across the agricultural, roads, civil construction, landscaping, mining and forestry sectors.