USMCA Delayed, Tariff Relief Likely
In response to the all-consuming demands of COVID-19, the administration is considering suspending tariffs, with exceptions. The implementation of USMCA also is on hold.
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Emerge Stronger: Take Note of Innovations During Crisis
Ask these questions to capture best practices–and identify what can be eliminated–when the new normal emerges.
Read moreEmployee Election Form for COVID-19 Leave
Use this sample of an election form for employees seeking leave.
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Stimulus Offers Loans with Option for Forgiveness
The $2.2 trillion response deal allows small businesses to acquire grants and loans up to 125 percent of their payroll with the opportunity for loan forgiveness for businesses that can quickly ramp up or sustain their workforces.
Read moreDOL Clarifies Questions on New Families First Act
Clarifications issued Friday help employers make sense of the intermittent leave policy and how FFCRA works for businesses affected by closures or stay-at-home orders.
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Farm Equipment Makers, Related Industries React
Deere, AGCO, CNHI, and Alamo have reacted to the pandemic by temporarily shuttering overseas operations. Domestically, there is news of layoffs and plant closures resulting from employees testing positive.
Read moreIn This Fast-Moving Story, Online Resources Rule
The Association is building a web resource to serve as the go-to resource for manufacturers navigating the implications of COVID-19.
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Member-Relevant Highlights of $2 Trillion Stimulus
New stimulus bill provides billions in loans to small businesses that can be converted to grants that will not require repayment.
Read moreSee a Webinar on HR Legal Issues Related to covid-19
Webinar invitation: Ask an attorney your HR legal questions around covid-19.
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Deere Suspends Operations in Brazil
Deere & Co. is halting production in agricultural behemoth Brazil as the coronavirus outbreak erodes sales for the world’s biggest
Read moreCEO for CNH Industrial Resigns
The Board of CNH Industrial N.V. reached a unanimous decision and accepted the resignation of Hubertus Mühlhäuser as chief executive
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HR Resources from KCoe
Member company K-Coe Isom has compiled a toolkit with valuable information related to payroll and related employment questions.
Read moreEmployment Law Questions Emerge Around COVID-19
Association partner Nilan Johnson Lewis have drafted a series of responses to questions facing employers related to the coronavirus.
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Bill Calls for Paid Leave at Small Companies
The bill requires employers of small companies to pay up to $511 a day for sick leave and up to $200 a day for family leave.
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At Times Like This, Your Membership Matters Even More
A trade association can shine at a moment like this by seeking answers to your collective questions and serving as a clearinghouse for information.
Tell us what you need.
Association Looks Ahead After Summit Cancellation
The global outbreak that ultimately caused the cancellation of this meeting is expected to continue to disrupt supply chains and the workforce. The Association is committed to providing members information that helps them navigate these unprecedented circumstances.
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Carrie Gunnerson to Retire from Art’s Way
Carrie Gunnerson, CEO of Art’s Way Manufacturing, will retire in the third quarter of the 2020 fiscal year.
Read moreUSMCA: Implementation Begins
USMCA, described by Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer as the “gold standard by which all future trade agreements will be judged,” has been ratified by the final partner.
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Trade with China: Leaders Stay Focused on Phase One
Trade leaders for U.S. and China stay focused on deal amid global pandemic.
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Job Growth Remains Strong in February
U.S. hiring topped expectations in February. Unemployment ticked down, and average hourly earnings rose.
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Bayer Nears Settlement Reportedly Worth $10 Billion
Bayer has agreed on draft settlement terms with a half-dozen law firms representing tens of thousands of plaintiffs alleging that Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. Bayer has said that protecting itself from future litigation is a condition of any settlement.
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Farmers Await White House Response on Biofuels Ruling
President Trump hopes to meet this week with the chiefs at USDA and EPA to decide whether to appeal a court decision that represented a victory for biofuel advocates.
Read moreDealer News
New Holland dealer Delta Power Equipment soon will take possession of a dealer with two Ontario locations.
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Rocky Mountain Reports Earnings for Q4, Year
Rocky Mountain Dealerships last week released financial results for its quarter and year. President and CEO Garrett Ganden said that “by all measures, 2019 was a tough year.”
Read moreTractor Makers in India Report Strong Month
Two India-based tractor makers reported gains in sales in February compared to 2019.
Read moreCyber Scams Evolve, Pose New Risks
Today’s cyber scams are sophisticated frauds that cost American businesses and individuals billions of dollars a year, federal investigators say. Estimated losses have soared.
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Employers: Use New W-4 Form
The new W-4 form is required for employees who receive their first check in 2020 and employees who want to change something on their Form W-4.
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FAA Rule Would Limit Potential of Drones on Farms
The FAA is proposing that drone users must connect to the internet and broadcast a signal to alert others. The rule poses problems for farmers.
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Plan to Widen Mississippi River is Good News for Ag
A plan to deepen the Mississippi River in the southern U.S. is akin to “bringing the ocean 50 miles closer to the farmer.”
Read moreU.S. Trade Deficit Narrows
The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in January as exports fell but imports fell more. The politically sensitive trade gap with China widened.
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Rural Mainstreet Wobbles Above Growth Neutral
The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index declined in February but remained above growth neutral. The farm equipment sales index increased but did not yet break into positive territory.
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Canceled: Supply Summit 2020
We look ahead to Orlando in October, where will we reconnect, learn, and grow your business.
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Regular Members Should Receive Survey Email Today
Regular members of the Association should have received an email today connecting you to a benchmark survey. This confidential survey is a benefit of membership that offers insights into plant profitability, productivity, and financial management. The deadline to complete the survey is April 17.
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Optimism, Willingness to Invest, Build Among Farmers
The Farm Capital Investment Index, which assesses farmers’ willingness to invest in equipment and other capital, continues to strengthen.
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USDA Predicts Better 2020 for Ag, More Aid Possible
In spite of challenges such as the coronavirus and competition from Brazil, the USDA’s chief economist sees “more hopeful signs” for farmers.
Read moreAlamo Reports Financials, Comments on Coronavirus
Specific to agriculture, Alamo saw a 45.9 percent increase in bookings compared to the fourth quarter of 2018. CEO Ron Robinson said that while “this is certainly not a trend, any improvement in the agricultural market is a welcome development.”
Read moreNorth American Irrigation Sales Stable for Valmont
CEO Stephen Kaniewski said even “with the impact of muted net farm income and trade uncertainty, our North American irrigation business performed well, supported by higher sales of advanced technology solutions.”
Read moreDeere Reports Earnings, Allen Resigns as Board Chair
Deere recently reported better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter results and said the U.S. farming industry is showing signs of improvement.
Read moreCNH, Deere Announce Layoffs
Deere plans to lay off 42 workers in Waterloo, Iowa. The Case New Holland plant in Fargo, N.D. is laying off 35 people.
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Survey Shows Promising Direction for Farmer Stress
Farmers feel better than they did a year ago about long-term profitability, commodity prices, and financing options.
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Truckload Market Changes May Lift LTL Market
A YRC executive says a ripple in the massive truckload market can create a tidal wave in the less-than-truckload market, and such a wave may be surging.
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Virus Puts Pressure on Farm Equipment Supply Chain
Executives say they are taking measures that include tying up sources outside China and booking air freight to fly in parts and components from China. One said its company is paying 40 percent more to domestic vendors for components that used to come from China.
Read moreKubota’s Year-End Earnings Show Gains
In the farm and industrial machinery segment, revenue increased by 2.9 percent compared to 2018. Domestic revenues for the segment increased by 3.8 percent.
Read moreDealer News
An executive from RDO Equipment has moved to 21st Century Equipment, and a dealership destroyed by fire is back in business.
Read moreTopcon Ag, CropZilla Partner to Share Data
Topcon Agriculture and CropZilla have finalized a licensing agreement for use of the Topcon Agriculture Platform application programming interface in the CropZilla Web Mobile Analytics platforms.
Read moreASABE Revises Standard for Ag Sprayers
Members of this Association who are not also members of ASABE can receive at no cost the compilation of industry standards produced by ASABE—a $650 value.
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Real ID: Bill Would Mitigate Travel Headaches
Travel data shows that 57 percent of Americans are unaware of the Oct. 1 deadline to have a Real ID to fly. An estimated 99 million do not have the necessary ID or alternative form of accepted identification.
Read moreFarmer Coalition Forms to Tell Story of Sustainability
The group’s guiding principles call for policies that support science-based research, voluntary incentive-based conservation programs, investment in infrastructure, and solutions that ensure vibrant rural communities and a healthy planet.
Read moreTrade Deals Push Confidence to Seven-Year High
The confidence index in the Rural Mainstreet survey shows a boost that researchers have not seen since 2013.
Read moreLegislation Would Mitigate Headaches Around Real ID
Citing the potential for “mass confusion, chaos and delays” at U.S. airports starting Oct. 1, members of Congress last week introduced legislation to head off travel disruption caused by the Real ID deadline.
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