ASSOCIATION RELEASES
CUMMINGS ELECTED AS THE 61ST PRESIDENT OF THE FARM EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION 11.09.12
Kindinger's Departure from NAEDA 10.8.12
HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE PRAISED FOR WORK ON 2012 FARM BILLFarm Equipment Manufacturers Association Calls for Quick Passage of H.R. 6083 7.12.12
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association Urges Members to Contact Their U.S. Senators on the NLRB's Ambush Elections Rule? 4.20.12
Court Posterizes New Labor Posting - 4.20.12
Supplier Section Elects Board of Governors During 2012 Biloxi Spring Management Clinic 3.3.12
Farm Safety 4 Just Kids celebrates 25 years 3.12.12
YRC Is Now YRC Freight 02.01.12
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association:
A Key Sponsor at AG CONNECT Expo 2013 02.01.12
Death of George Schumacher, Former President of this Association 01.20.2012
Kimball Elected As The 60th President Of The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association Signs Multi-Industry Letter regarding Budget Savings to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association Supports Efforts of the “Coalition to Save Our GPS”
New Tax Law: Just In Time
CUMMINGS ELECTED AS THE 61ST PRESIDENT OF THE FARM EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
During the 62nd Annual Fall Convention, October 31 to November 3, in Jacksonville, Florida, the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association elected Andrew Cummings, T. G. Schmeiser Company, Inc., as the 61st President of the Association. Cummings has served on the Association's Board since 2005, and has also served as the Chairman of the Association's Membership Committee since 2009.
Cummings is the President and General Manager of T. G. Schmeiser Company, Inc., located in Fresno, California. For over 80 years, T. G. Schmeiser has been manufacturing and delivering versatile solutions for progressive soil management. The company's years of proven performance in the demanding agricultural arena, also bring efficiency and reliability for other specialized soil management needs.
Cummings will host the Association's 2013 Spring Management Clinic in Omaha, Nebraska, April 10-13, and the 2013 Fall Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 21-25, where his term as President will conclude.
Also during the annual Fall Convention the following were elected to serve as the 2012-2013 Executive Committee: 1st Vice President, Marc McConnell, Art's-Way Manufacturing Co.; 2nd Vice President, Mike Kloster, Worksaver Inc.; Treasurer, Robert Atkinson, W & A Manufacturing Company; Secretary, Ric Kirby, Kirby Manufacturing; and Sandy Kimball, Bigham Brothers, Inc., will serve as an Ex Officio member of the committee.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is an international not-for-profit trade organization representing more than 300 manufacturers of specialized farm equipment, more than 280 industry supplier companies and 36 marketing firms.
Founded in 1950, the Association is headquarted at 1000 Executive Parkway, Suite 100, St. Louis, Missouri. For more information about the Association, please visit FarmEquip.org. ###
Kindinger's Departure from NAEDA
The below statement was issued on Monday - October 8, 2012 by NAEDA's St. Louis office. We would only echo the remarks of Joe Nash below and wish both Paul and NAEDA continued success.
PAUL KINDINGER, PRESIDENT & CEO OF NAEDA, ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE
At the September meeting of the Board of Directors of the North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA), Paul Kindinger announced that he would be leaving the organization. His resignation was effective October 4, 2012.
“NAEDA has benefited greatly from Paul's tenure as President and CEO,” said Joe Nash, Chairman of the Board. “We are very sorry to see him leave, but certainly wish him all the best.”
Among Kindinger's accomplishments during his tenure at NAEDA were greater focus on manufacturer and government relations, improved financial resources for the organization and greater visibility, acceptance and stature for the organization among members and throughout the industry.
The Board of Directors expects to form a search committee for the next President and CEO.
“I am very appreciative of having the opportunity to serve equipment dealers throughout North America and proud to lead NAEDA,” Kindinger stated. “It has been an opportunity of a lifetime and I would like to thank the board, affiliates, members and all those I have met and had the honor to work with these past twelve years. I wish the dealers and the organization only the greatest success in the future.”
HOUSE AG COMMITTEE PRAISED FOR WORK ON 2012 FARM BILL
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association Calls for Quick Passage of H.R. 6083
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association appreciates the work of Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Collin Peterson in drafting the House farm bill and in the Agriculture Committee's approval of H.R. 6083, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2012 on a bipartisan vote of 35-11.
While the House Committee approved farm bill, makes significant reductions to programs important to farmers, the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is pleased that the Chairman and Ranking Member provided workable safety nets that will protect against risks faced by farmers of all commodities in the United States.
The House Agriculture Committee bill, much like the Senate passed bill, calls for significant budget cuts that will directly affect producers. The elimination of certain programs, including the direct payment program, will undoubtedly impact many farms and their surrounding communities.
H.R. 6083, unlike the Senate passed bill, does provide new risk management tools that will at least give producers the opportunity to hedge against their risks and ensure that yield losses, price declines, and revenue dips do not automatically put farms out of business. The House Committee bill provides certainty for farmers, which will allow them to make long-term investments necessary for maintaining productivity and economic viability.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association asks that the House Committee bill, as written, be maintained through the full House. Any significant changes to the safety net programs included in H.R. 6083 would not only put our support at risk, it could put the livelihood of the nation's agriculture industry and rural communities at risk.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is an international not-for-profit trade organization representing more than 300 manufacturers of specialized farm equipment, more than 270 industry supplier companies and 35 marketing firms. Founded in 1950, the Association is headquarted at 1000 Executive Parkway, Suite 100, St. Louis, Missouri. For more information about the Association, please visit www.FarmEquip.org
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association Urges Members to Contact Their U.S. Senators on the NLRB's Ambush Elections Rule
Over the past several months, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued decisions and proposed rules which will harm employer-employee relations and the ability of manufacturers to create much-needed jobs. One of the worst actions is their rule about election procedures. It is so bad, that in both the U.S. Senate and House, members of Congress are working to overturn this rule.
The NLRB's actions would burden manufacturers with harsh new rules, making it harder to do business in the United States. The rule would limit what evidence can be presented at pre-election union representation hearings, stripping business owners of their legal rights to a fair elections process. The rule would also eliminate the current 25-day “grace period,” compressing the time frame for elections to occur to approximately 20 days.
Business owners would effectively be stripped of legal rights ensuring a fair election. Your employees could be denied the ability to make fully informed decisions about whether they want to join a union.
Please contact your Senators and urge them to support S. J. Res. 36. This will send a strong message to the NLRB and rein in the agency, whose actions have threatened the ability of business owners to create and retain jobs. We also encourage you to call or visit your lawmaker's local District office and let him/her know you care about the future of manufacturing.
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association's Labor Law Experts Advice on
No Need to Post NLRB's Worker Rights/Union Poster
Court Posterizes New Labor Posting
By David James and Joe Schmitt1
In fall 2011, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) issued a final rule requiring nearly all employers, whether unionized or not, to display a new labor poster in the workplace. Among other things, the rule required that a hard copy posting 11” x 17” in size be posted in a “conspicuous” place where other workplace notices are posted, that the notice be posted on the employer's intranet or internet site if employee handbooks, personnel policies or other employee notices are posted there and, for worksites where 20% or more of employees speak a language other than English, that the posting be translated into that language.
Initially, the new posting requirement was slated to take effect on November 14, 2011. However, the NLRB's authority to issue the posting requirement has been subject to various challenges in court, and the effective date has been pushed back twice, most recently to April 30, 2012.
On March 2, 2012, a federal district court dealt another blow to the posting rule. The United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that although the NLRB can require employers to post a notice of employee rights, it exceeded its authority by enacting the parts of the rule that establish penalties for failure to post a notice. The Court explained that the NLRB had no authority either to impose unfair labor practice liability on employers who fail to post a notice or to enact a rule that extends the statute of limitations on unfair labor practice actions against employers who fail to post. In essence, the Court determined that the NLRB could require the rule, but could not sanction employers for violating it.
Last week, a sister federal court, the District of South Carolina, concluded that the rule was impermissible altogether. Under this decision, the NLRB cannot require the posting at all – with or without teeth.
Even more recently, on Tuesday, April 17, 2012, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals enjoined the final rule following an appeal of the March 2 decision above. The short-term impact is to postpone implementation of the posting requirement (under either District Court interpretation) at least until the end of the pending litigation. This will likely take months, as the Court will not decide until after oral argument, which is to be scheduled for September. Long-term, this decision signals the D.C. Circuit's willingness to consider striking the posting requirement altogether, as the District of South Carolina did.
In short, posting by the April 30 deadline is not required. We will continue to work with FEMA to provide you updates regarding the status of the NLRB's controversial posting rule.
1 David James and Joe Schmitt are shareholders in the labor and employment group at Nilan Johnson Lewis. FEMA members are entitled to 30 minutes of free advice from David or Joe regarding labor and employment issues as an additional benefit of FEMA membership.
SUPPLIER SECTION ELECTS BOARD OF GOVERNORS
DURING 2012 BILOXI SPRING MANAGEMENT CLINIC
During the 55th Annual Spring Management Clinic, March 28-30, in Biloxi, Mississippi, the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association's Supplier Associate Section elected their 2012-2013 Board of Governors as follows: Chairman, Terry Flanary, National Tube Supply Company; Vice Chairman, Jim Tibbles, Osmundson Mfg. Co.; Secretary, Gary Esterling, ABT Bearing; and Treasurer, Jim Parsons, Myers Spring Co. Inc.
Also serving on the Board of Governors: Johnny Mills, Bondioli & Pavesi, Inc.; Steve Kertesz, Ingersoll Tillage Group; Chris Witt, Dotson Iron Castings, Mike Lessiter, Farm Equipment/Ag Equipment Intelligence, and newly elected James Silver, Muir Omni Graphics. Representing the Supplier Associate Section on the Association's Board of Directors is Jan Faassen of GKN Land Systems.
For more information about the Supplier Board of Governors, go to FarmEquip.org.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is an international not-for-profit trade organization representing more than 300 manufacturers of specialized farm equipment, more than 260 industry supplier companies and 35 marketing firms.
Founded in 1950, the Association is headquarted at 1000 Executive Parkway, Suite 100, St. Louis, Missouri. For more information about the Association, please visit FarmEquip.org. ###
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association
Congratulates Farm Safety 4 Just Kids On 25 Years
Farm Safety 4 Just Kids celebrates 25 years
Key Messages:
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids commemorates 25 years of focusing on children's safety.• FS4JK has a network of more than 120 local chapters in the United States and Canada.
• The mission of FS4JK is to promote a safe farm environment through education to prevent injuries and deaths of farm youth.
URBANDALE, Iowa (March 8, 2012) – 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids (FS4JK). The organization has promoted farm safety to more than 6 million people through local programs and education since 1987.
Over the past 25 years, FS4JK has established a network of more than 120 chapters across the United States and Canada that offer farm safety presentations on a local level. In that time, 35,600 volunteers donated 280,000 hours of their time to help promote safety on the farm.
Marilyn Adams founded the non-profit organization in 1987 after the death of her 11-year-old son in a gravity flow grain wagon accident. Its mission is to promote a safe farm environment to prevent health hazards, injuries and fatalities to children and youth. What started as a tribute to her son has touched nearly 6 million people so far.
“I didn't really know what to expect when I started FS4JK,” said Adams, FS4JK founder. “The organization has grown and evolved so much in the past 25 years. It's exciting to think about what lies ahead for the farm safety movement.”
FS4JK focuses on prevention through education. The organization has created a spectrum of nearly 100 educational resources on a variety of farm safety related topics. All resources are available to the public via an online catalog.
“Our goal is to teach the next generation of farmers to be safe,” said Shari Burgus, education director. “The entire industry depends on it.”
Education is paying off. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, from 1998 to 2009 the rate of all farm youth injuries has decreased by 59 percent. FS4JK was specifically mentioned as a contributing factor to the decline. Additional influences included other organizations, governmental agencies, educational institutions and private corporations.
FS4JK utilizes a system of local outreach chapters to spread farm safety education throughout the country. Amy Rademaker, an outreach coordinator in Illinois, expressed how being a part of FS4JK has impacted her life.
“I grew up in a farm family. Being a part of this organization has changed the way I look at what we did growing up on the farm,” said Rademaker. “I think FS4JK has made me think of how things will be different for my son in a farm environment. It's about finding a balance while still honoring family and tradition.”
Corporate sponsors and individual donors fund FS4JK. Current projects include overhauling the current ATV safety packet, plus working with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health to research how safety needs are impacted in the changing demographics of agriculture as small, part-time farms are on the rise.
“We're excited to step back and recognize our past success and the tremendous support we've seen from sponsors over the past 25 years that has helped us with our mission,” said Dave Schweitz, FS4JK executive director. “It's a true testament to the importance of the farm safety movement and their dedication to their customers and agriculture. We look forward to building on those partnerships as we continue to build the organization.”
For more information on farm safety, or to learn how to start a chapter, visit www.fs4jk.org.
Contact: Tracy Schlater, Marketing Director 515-331-6506 x 102 tracy@fs4jk.org
YRC Is Now YRC Freight
A new company, a new culture: The introduction of YRC Freight is more than a name and logo change — it's a new company. Although we are just now rolling out the new brand to the market, we have already built a solid foundation for our new service culture by focusing on the basics.This internal change in focus has already improved service performance and customer perceptions. In the last four months with new leadership in place, we have recorded consecutive month-over-month improvements in:
- On-time service reliability
- Customer satisfaction
- Market share position
Confidence Delivered.®
We are the original LTL Experts and we intend to regain our leadership position. We'll do it by delivering flexibility and reliability to your supply chain through our comprehensive North American coverage and broad portfolio of expedited and specialized LTL services.
Our new name reflects our passion, our purpose and our commitment to regain our role as leaders in the industry. Freight is our business and now it is in our name. We will work to keep our brand promise of “Confidence Delivered” with every shipment, every day.
Members of this Association receive discounts with YRC Freight. To find out more about this program, go to yrc.com/forms/YRC/femaMbrSvc.
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association:
A Key Sponsor at AG CONNECT Expo 2013
AG CONNECT Expo 2013 is scheduled for January 29-31 at the Kansas City Convention Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The event is a world-class trade show, offering not only the latest innovations, products, services and technology and access to industry experts, but also quality learning and networking opportunities.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association, based in St. Louis, Missouri, represents specialized manufacturers of agricultural equipment and has been a key sponsor of AG CONNECT Expo since its inception.
Vernon Schmidt, executive vice president of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association, said the association is "proud to continue its role as a key sponsor" of AG CONNECT Expo.
"Our Innovation Square Pavilion at AG CONNECT in Kansas City will once again offer the end user a great opportunity to see the many choices of equipment designed specifically to meet their needs. With the widespread dealer consolidation we have seen in recent years, the Innovation Square Pavilion provides our member companies a great chance to visit directly with end-users and to develop the needed additional local demand for dealers to provide competing product lines," Schmidt said.
"From the first moldboard plow to the latest in Global Positioning Systems, member companies of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association have a long history of bringing innovation to the market, providing the needed competition that brings farmers and ranchers true value," Schmidt added.
Tim Merrett, vice president region 4 marketing for Deere & Company in Moline, Illinois, and the 2013 AG CONNECT Expo chairman, said, "The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association plays a very important role with AG CONNECT Expo and we are very pleased to have such support from them. Their leadership participates on the show's management committee as a key sponsor to provide important strategic direction for the show. AG CONNECT Expo has even more value to offer agriculture producers coming to Kansas City in January of 2013 because of the support of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association."
About Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association -www.FarmEquip.org
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is an international not-for-profit trade organization focused exclusively on representing more than 600 manufacturers of specialized farm equipment, industry supplier companies and marketing firms. Founded in 1950, the association is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.
About Association of Equipment Manufacturers - www.aem.org
AEM is the North American-based international trade group representing the off-road equipment manufacturing industry. AEM is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with offices in the capitals of Washington, D.C., Ottawa, Beijing and a European presence in Brussels. It represents more than 850 companies in the agriculture, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors.
Death of George Schumacher, Former President of this Association
ST LOUIS - January 21, 2012 The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association regrets to report the death of one of our most beloved former presidents, George D. Schumacher. George was elected to our Board of Directors in 1972 and served through 1981. Our condolences go out to his family and many friends. Vernon Schmidt, Executive VP of the Association, said, "Our Association and the farm equipment industry are better today because of his willingness to give of his time and God-given talents. He will be remembered as one of our very best leaders, as he always had a special place in his heart for our group of manufacturers."
The Schumacher family released the following information to local media.
George Davis Schumacher, age 93, died peacefully January 19, 2012. He was born July 26, 1918 in Lyons, Kansas to George and Ethel Davis Schumacher.
George, a long-time resident of Great Bend, Kansas, was the founder and CEO of Great Bend Manufacturing Company from 1962 to 1993. He lived a long and rich life, respected as an elder in the Presbyterian Church and as a participant in many community activities such as Rotary, Elks, American Legion, and Masonic Lodge. Of his many accomplishments, George was president of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association from 1979-80, a Great Bend city councilman, and an active supporter of his beloved Kansas State University. He was a WWII veteran and served stateside.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mary Alice; daughter Martha Ann and husband Meir Shillor; son Douglas Schumacher and wife Ellen, his granddaughter Sara Schumacher and grandson Andrew Schumacher and wife Heather; daughter Peggy Schumacher; brother Clifford Schumacher and wife Patsy.
A memorial service is planned to honor the life of George at Butterfield Trail Village in Fayetteville, Arkansas at 10 am on Wednesday, January 25, 2012.
He will be buried in the Fayetteville National Cemetery in Fayetteville, Arkansas under the direction of Moore's Chapel Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions can be made to First United Presbyterian Church, 695 E. Calvin Street, Fayetteville, AR 72703.
Online condolences may be offered at www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.
KIMBALL ELECTED AS THE 60TH PRESIDENT
OF THE FARM EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
During the 61st Annual Fall Convention, October 26-29, in St. Louis, Missouri the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association elected Von “Sandy” Kimball, of Bigham Brothers, Inc., as the 60th President of the Association. Kimball has served on the Association's Board since 2003 and has been a member of the Association's Dealer Relations Committee since 2006.Kimball is the President of Bigham Brothers, Inc., located in Lubbock, Texas. Bigham Brothers manufactures and markets a wide range of agricultural tillage and cultivating equipment designed to assist the farmer in gaining maximum crop production while conserving valuable resources. The company markets its products in the U.S. through its dealer network, and to other countries in cooperation with partner firms.
(Download 600dpi image )
Kimball, along with his wife Annette, will host the Association's upcoming Spring Management Clinic in Biloxi, Mississippi, March 28-30, 2012 and the 2012 Fall Convention in Jacksonville, Florida, October 31-November 3, where his term as President will conclude.
Also during the annual Fall Convention the following were elected to serve as the 2011-2012 Executive Committee: Andrew Cummings, T.G. Schmeiser Co., Inc., 1st Vice President; Marc McConnell, Art's-Way Manufacturing Co., 2nd Vice President; Robert Atkinson, W & A Manufacturing Company, Treasurer; Mike Kloster, Worksaver Inc., Secretary; and John Malinowski, Leon's Mfg. Company Inc, as an Ex Officio member.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is an international not-for-profit trade organization representing more than 300 manufacturers of specialized farm equipment, more than 250 industry supplier companies and 35 marketing firms.
Founded in 1950, the Association is headquarted at 1000 Executive Parkway, Suite 100, St. Louis, Missouri. For more information about the Association, please visit FarmEquip.org. ###
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association Signs Multi-Industry Letter regarding Budget Savings to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction
September 29, 2011
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE ON DEFICIT REDUCTION:
The undersigned organizations urge you, as a member of the newly appointed Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, to go beyond the legislative mandate of the Budget Control Act of 2011 to achieve savings of $1.2 to $1.5 trillion to ensure that we stabilize our nation's debt and put the debt's share of the economy on a downward path. This is essential for long-term economic growth in our nation.
We believe it is crucial to act expeditiously to rein in spending, reform the tax code, reduce the deficit, and stabilize and ultimately lower America's level of debt. Economic growth is critical to our nation's fiscal health, and we believe that these steps will remove the threat of fiscal instability, improve certainty, and create a sustainable foundation for economic and job growth in the years ahead.
Put simply, Congress must reform entitlement programs and comprehensively restructure the U.S. tax code.
The U.S. tax system is in desperate need of simplification and fundamental, comprehensive reform that encourages investment and employment. Comprehensive reform of corporate and individual taxes has been urged by individuals and groups as diverse as the House Budget Committee chairman, the chairmen of the Senate and House tax-writing committees, the Treasury Department, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform among many others. We believe the primary goal of tax reform should be improving the nation's longterm economic growth, which will lift Americans' living standards and create jobs.
Globally, in just the past four years, 75 countries have cut their corporate tax rates to make themselves more tax-competitive and increase economic growth. America's largest trading partners—Canada, Great Britain, and Japan—have all taken steps to become more competitive. Meanwhile, our nation's small businesses are facing the prospect of a crushing 39.6 percent tax burden. We must have policies that lead to faster, more sustainable economic growth to employ and reemploy millions of Americans. Policies conducive to long-term economic growth are one of the keys to fixing the long-term fiscal crisis facing the country.
Regarding entitlement reform, our nation's demographics will continue to put increasing financial pressure on our entitlement systems, as more than 70 million baby boomers begin their retirements starting this year. Reforms to major entitlement programs should be made as quickly as possible so that the benefits of current and near-term retirees are secured and changes in future benefits can be phased in over a period of time.
We believe that putting in place a multi-year growth and deficit reduction strategy that reforms entitlements, implements comprehensive tax reform, and stabilizes the debt as a share of the economy is critical in creating the stability the business community needs, growing the economy, and restoring Americans' faith in the political system.
We strongly urge you, as a member of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, to go beyond the specific mandate of the Budget Control Act and take the steps necessary to achieve these critically important objectives.
Sincerely,
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
American Bakers Association
American Beverage Association
American Chemistry Council
American Coatings Association
American Council of Engineering Companies
American Financial Services Association
American Forest & Paper Association
American Foundry Society
American Gaming Association
American Gas Association
American Insurance Association
American Lighting Association
American Rental Association
American Supply Association
American Trucking Associations
AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology
Ardmore Chamber of Commerce
Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Arizona Small Business Association
Arizona Manufacturers Council
Arizona New Mexico Cable Communications Association
Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/AIA
Arlington Chamber of Commerce - TX
Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc.
Associated Builders & Contractors, Rocky Mountain Chapter
Associated Equipment Distributors
Associated General Contractors of America
Associated Industries of Florida
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
Association of Global Automakers, Inc.
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Association of Washington Business
Brick Industry Association
Buckeye Valley Chamber of Commerce - AZ
Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International
Business Roundtable
Business Council of NY State, Inc.
California Manufacturers & Technology Association
Chattanooga Regional Manufacturers Association
Club Managers Association of America
Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry
Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute
Consumer Specialty Products Association
CTIA – The Wireless Association
Delaware State Chamber of Commerce
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce - CO
Draper Area Chamber of Commerce - UT
Edison Electric Institute
Employers Group
European-American Business Council
Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce - VA
Fairfield Chamber of Commerce - CT
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association
Financial Executives International
Financial Services Institute
Food Marketing Institute
Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry - WI
Georgia Association of Manufacturers
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce - NC
Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce - LA
Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry
Illinois Manufacturers' Association
INDA, Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry
Indiana Manufacturers Association
Industrial Fasteners Institute
International Franchise Association
Iowa Association of Business and Industry
Johnson City/Jonesborough/Washington County TN Chamber of Commerce
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce
Kentucky Association of Manufacturers
Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association
Lynchburg Regional Chamber - VA
Maine State Chamber of Commerce
Manufacture Alabama
Metal Powder Industries Federation
Metal Treating Institute
Metals Service Center Institute
Michigan Chamber of Commerce
Missouri Association of Manufacturers
Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce - AL
Montana Chamber of Commerce
Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
NADCA - GA
NADCA - IL
National Association of Chemical Distributors
National Association of Manufacturers
National Automatic Merchandising Association
National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA)
National Council of Chain Restaurants
National Electrical Contractors Association
National Lime Association
National Marine Manufacturers Association
National Restaurant Association
National Retail Federation
National Roofing Contractors Association
National Shooting Sports Foundation
Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Nevada Manufacturers Association
Non-Ferrous Founders' Society
North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers
North Carolina Chamber
North Dakota Chamber of Commerce
Northeast PA Manufacturers & Employers Association
NPES - The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies
Nuclear Energy Institute
Ohio Society of CPAs
Outdoor Amusement Business Association, Inc.
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Pennsylvania Business Council
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association
Printing Industries of America Inc
Property Casualty Insurers Association of America
ProsperityAlaska.org
Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce
Rhode Island Manufacturers Association
Rowan County Chamber of Commerce - NC
Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce - MD
San Antonio Manufacturers Association
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce - PA
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates
South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
South Shore Chamber of Commerce - MA
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce - MO
Steel Manufacturers Association
Strategic HR Partners LLC
Tempe Chamber of Commerce
Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Texas Association of Business
The Aluminum Association
The Council of Industry of Southeastern New York
The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers
The Financial Services Roundtable
The Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce - TX
The Kansas Chamber
The Longview Chamber of Commerce & CVB - TX
The Ohio Manufacturers' Association
The Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce - MN
The State Chamber of Oklahoma
Tulsa Metro Chamber - OK
U. S. Oil & Gas Association
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Travel Association
United States Telecom Association
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
West Virginia Chamber
West Virginia Manufacturers Association
West Virginia Oil and Gas
White Pine Chamber of Commerce - NV
Wisconsin Grocers Association
Woodworking Machinery Industry Association
cc: Members of the United States Congress
Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association
Supports Efforts of the “Coalition to Save Our GPS”
Association urges members to add their support & calls on Congress to insist on an impartial FCC review process.The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association today has joined a wide variety of industries and companies supporting the efforts of the “Coalition to Save Our GPS”, in an effort to resolve a serious threat to Global Positioning Systems (GPS) — a national utility upon which farmers and their equipment rely on more everyday.
The threat stems from a recent and highly unusual decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant a conditional waiver that allows the dramatic expansion of terrestrial use of the satellite spectrum, immediately neighboring that of GPS, potentially causing severe interference to millions of GPS receivers. The conditional waiver was granted to a company called LightSquared.
The “Coalition to Save our GPS” includes representatives from a broad range of industries, including agriculture, aviation, construction, transportation, engineering and surveying, as well as GPS-based equipment manufacturers and service providers. The Coalition's website is www.SaveOurGPS.org.
On March 11, 2011, a founding member of the Coalition told a House subcommittee that the recent action by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) could cause “consequences of disruption” to GPS that will be “far reaching, likely to affect large portions of the population and the federal government.”
In testimony prepared for delivery before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science of the House Appropriations Committee, Vice President and General Counsel Jim Kirkland of Trimble, a GPS equipment manufacturer, stated that a recent and highly unusual FCC decision creates a serious risk of severe interference to millions of GPS receivers.
The unusual waiver granted in January to LightSquared by the FCC, allows it to use its satellite spectrum for high-powered, ground-based broadband transmissions, if the company can demonstrate that harmful interference could be avoided. The usual FCC process of conducting extensive testing followed by approvals was not followed in this instance. Instead, the process was approved first, then tested.
Additional safeguards are needed, the GPS Coalition says. The Coalition recommends the following:
- The FCC must make clear, and the NTIA must ensure, that LightSquared's license modification is contingent on the outcome of the mandated study. The study must be comprehensive, objective and based on correct assumptions about existing GPS uses rather than theoretical possibilities. The views of LightSquared, as an interested party, are entitled to no special weight in this process.
- The FCC should make clear that LightSquared and its investors should not proceed to make any investment in operating facilities prior to a final FCC decision (or at least make it explicit that they do so at their own risk). While this is the FCC's established policy, it failed to make this explicit in its order.
- Further, the FCC's, and NTIA's, finding that “harmful interference concerns have been resolved” must mean “resolved to the satisfaction of preexisting GPS providers and users.”
- Resolution of interference has to be the obligation of LightSquared, not the extensive GPS user community of millions of citizens. LightSquared must bear the costs of preventing interference of any kind resulting from operations in LightSquared's frequencies. GPS users or providers should not have to bear any of the consequences of LightSquared's actions.
- This is a matter of critical national interest. There must be a reasonable opportunity for public comment of at least 45 days on the report produced by the working group.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is an international not-for-profit trade organization representing more than 300 manufacturers of specialized farm equipment, more than 260 industry supplier companies and 40 marketing firms. Founded in 1950, the Association is headquarted at 1000 Executive Parkway, Suite 100, St. Louis, Missouri. For more information about the Association, please visit www.FarmEquip.org. ###
New Tax Law: Just In Time
There is no question that many of the provisions contained in the tax bill signed by President Obama last week are a victory for the manufacturers of specialized farm equipment.While we believe a repeal of the estate tax and making the Bush-era tax rates permanent would have been more beneficial, this two year relief for small, family owned manufacturers is far better than the 55 percent tax that would have destroyed many family businesses.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association was in part created by multi-generational family manufacturing businesses. The estate tax provisions in this bill will help many of our members, who want to pass down the family businesses to the next generation, without having to sell their assets just to be able to afford this tax. If the estate tax had been allowed to revert back to the pre-2001 level of 55 percent, on property valued at $1 million, there would have been little, if any chance of family run businesses surviving for the next generation.
The Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is not alone in praise of the legislation which extended many of the Bush-era tax rates and incentives for renewable fuels. "Securing meaningful estate tax reform for farm and ranch families has been a top priority for the American Farm Bureau Federation," Bob Stallman, the group's president, said. "It offers considerable relief that will help farmers, ranchers and rural communities in these difficult economic times."
The bill raises the threshold for the estate tax to $5 million from $3.5 million in 2009 and reduces the estate tax rate to 35 percent from 45 percent. Couples will be allowed to pass up to $10 million from an estate to their heirs tax free, with assets above $10 million to be taxed at 35 percent.
We are pleased to see many of the provisions in the law that will effect our members and the thousands of workers they employ.
- A two year estate tax with a $5 million per person ($10 million per couple) exemption (indexed for inflation) and a 35 percent rate beyond that.
- Allows businesses to expense 100 percent of the cost of qualified property placed in service after Sept. 8, 2010, and before Jan. 1, 2012. It provides for a 50 percent first year additional depreciation deduction for qualified property placed in service in 2012.
- A two year "patch" to prevent the alternative minimum tax from affecting 25 million
- taxpayers. For 2010, the measure sets the exemption amounts (i.e., the income not subject to taxes under the AMT) at $47,450 for individuals, and $72,450 for couples filing jointly. It increases the exemption amounts for 2011 to $48,450 and $74,450, respectively. It allows various nonrefundable personal credits to be claimed against the AMT in both years.
- A two year extension of the expiring 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for taxpayers at all income levels. An extension for two years of the reduced 15 percent maximum tax rate for capital gains and dividends, as well as the 0 percent rate for those in the lowest two tax brackets.
- Extends through 2012 the maximum child tax credit of $1,000 as well as provisions that expand eligibility for the refundable credit.
- Extends for two years the size of the 15 percent tax bracket and the standard deduction for married couples filing a joint tax return intended to prevent the "marriage penalty" that led some joint filers to pay more than they would as unmarried individuals filing separately.
- Extends through 2012 the rules that simplified and expanded eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit, and increases the income range at which the credit phases out for married couples.
- A one year extension of the ethanol blender credit at 45 cents (at a cost of $4.9 billion), and the 54 cents import tariff. In addition, the bill extends for one year the 10 cent a gallon, small producer ethanol credit.
- The biodiesel tax credit would be made retroactive to Jan. 1, 2010, and extended through the end of 2011, at a cost of $2 billion over 10 years. The bill extends the $1.00 per gallon production tax credit for biodiesel, as well as the small agri-biodiesel producer credit of 10 cents per gallon. The bill also extends through 2011 the $1.00 per gallon production tax credit for diesel fuel created from biomass.
