Landoll Corporation’s new parts building is now in operation just west of the company’s North Street administration building. Landoll, which has 13,500 part numbers, will use the facility to store thousands of parts for equipment that the agricultural and industrial manufacturer has produced.

We will hold our annual business meeting during the general session that begins at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, during the Fall Convention in Las Vegas, NV.

Following the keynote address, we will convene the meeting, elect new directors, and transact other Association business, including voting on our Board of Director’s proposed revisions to the Association’s bylaws.

The joint membership of SouthWestern Association (SWA) and Canada West Equipment Dealers Association (CWEDA) voted to move forward with a merger of the two associations, forming the Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA), according to a joint news release issued by both entities. The associations’ members ratified the merger resolution with a 99% approval rating.

One of the must-not-miss elements of the Fall Convention will be the Wednesday afternoon session during which Mike Pearson will interview DTN senior analyst Darin Newsom, and the two will discuss the current state of, and the outlook for, the farm markets, and the global trends that influence them.

Cervus Equipment Corp. and Rock Mountain Announce Results and Rocky Mountain also announced that CEO Matt Campbell has declared his intention to retire, effective December 31, 2014. President Derek Stimson also announced that he intends to retire on the same date.

At this year’s Fall Convention, our own International Relations Committee will introduce Agritechnica Show Coordinator Sandra Willer, who will tell us more about the equipment extravaganza and explain why it is vital for U.S. manufacturers to participate.

AGCO announced plans to increase sales in Africa by almost a third next year as entrepreneurs from the continent and elsewhere invest in agriculture, reported Bloomberg’s Businessweek.

The company’s sales in Africa are forecast to rise to about 8,500 units in 2015, from about 6,500 this year, said Nuradin Osman, AGCO’s director of operations for Africa and the Middle East. Sales in Africa were about 1,400 three years ago, he said.

CNH Industrial N.V. will invest $24 million to expand its production in Burlington, IA, by adding a crawler dozer production line to its manufacturing plant… production facilities will include a new dedicated paint line, welding and computer numerical control machining equipment and a dedicated assembly line.

Danuser hosted an open house earlier this month to inaugurate the recent expansion of its Fulton, MO, facility and demonstrate to the public its latest attachment products…

Buhler Industries reported its revenue for the quarter was $77.1 million, down from last year’s record of $99.2 million. Sales of $250.7 million for the first nine months dropped from the $269.0 million reported for the same period in 2013. Sales for the quarter and year to date declined due to lower demand for agricultural equipment as a result of lower commodity prices.

A mechanical engineer with more than 30 years of experience providing technical design direction on hardware, mechanical products, machine parts and components for global agricultural product manufacturers seeks employment. He is skilled in new product development, mechanical design, production, installation, and testing; and experienced in various CAD design packages, including AutoCAD and AutoCAD Inventor.

Sentry Insurance will sponsor an advanced three-day seminar with breakout sessions to help you plan, implement and manage your company’s safety program and improve your safety culture.

Whether your employees operate forklifts or punch presses or drive motor vehicles, it is imperative that they avoid the risk of personal injury. Learn how you can help improve safety, efficiency and productivity in your operations by training your workforce to decrease risk, and provide your management team with tools to manage with safety in mind.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) revised its previous adoption of an international standard, ISO 6489-3:2004, for tractor drawbar connections.

The new standard, ANSI/ASABE AD6489-3:2004, Agricultural vehicles — Mechanical connections between towed and towing vehicles — Part 3: Tractor drawbar, includes an additional deviation for the placement of an auxiliary hole for the attachment of specialized implement hitches for PTO-operated implements. The standard applies to drawbar categories 1, 2 and 3.

California’s drought will cost the state $2.2 billion this year in losses and added expenses for its agriculture industry, while cutting 17,100, or 3.8%, of the state’s farm jobs, according to a report released by the Center for Watershed Sciences (CWS) at the University of California, Davis.

The report indicates that, in addition to $810 million in estimated losses there, the center calculates that dairy and livestock producers statewide will be hit with $203 million in losses, while the need to use more groundwater will add about $500 million in pumping costs, reported the Wall Street Journal.

A producer of sprayers and related equipment seeks a Regional Sales Manager. The position is responsible for sales and marketing activities resulting in a high degree of customer satisfaction, accomplishing planned sales and profits, and realizing company operating priorities within the assigned region and for the entire small farm solutions business unit.

U.S. cotton farmers are on pace to produce a 17.68 million bale crop this season, estimated a panel of analysts speaking at the Ag Market Network’s annual Cotton Roundtable in New York City. Regional reports….

Mervel E. Wood, the last surviving founder of Wood Brothers Manufacturing Co., an Association member, passed away on June 16. He was 94. He served in the Naval Reserve from 1943 to 1946.

Our members who manufacture farm equipment are keenly aware of, and concerned about, safety issues related to their products. They take measures to explain proper usage of their products to consumers who purchase them and encourage caution, but are those measures effective? Are they enough? And what liability, if any, do distributors face when injuries occur that involve their products?

The company stated that Irrigation Segment sales fell 19% to $219.9 million, reflecting a substantial sales decline in North American markets. While last year’s market remained influenced by the 2012 drought and high commodity prices, this year’s outlook for a decline in North American net farm income weighed on irrigation equipment demand

“Economic activity rebounded in the second quarter,” the Fed said in its July policy statement, noting the labor market is improving, the jobless rate is declining, and inflation is moving closer to its 2% objective. It included a qualifier noting that a range of indicators suggest there is still “significant” slack in the job market.

Short-term rates will stay low for “a considerable time after the asset purchase program ends,” the Fed said.

Titan International, Inc. announced its second quarter revenue and performance results. Sales for the quarter were $523.7 million, down 11.7% from 2Q13, and gross profit fell to $22.6 million, down 74.0%.

AGCO reported net sales of approximately $2.8 billion for the second quarter of 2014, a decrease of almost 10% compared to the same period in 2013.

North American sales declined 4.5% in the first half of 2014, compared to the first half of 2013, excluding the impact of unfavorable currency translation. The most significant decreases were in high-horsepower tractors and implements, with growth in small tractor sales partially offsetting the declines.

An Indiana judge issued a summary judgment this week, stating that the Right to Farm Act is constitutional, and ruled in favor of farms in four different lawsuits, reported National Hog Farmer. The lawsuits sought damages from farms for creating a nuisance regarding odor, manure management practices, and farm locations.

Dealers, manufacturers and suppliers of agriculture equipment expect a harvest season at least as good as last year’s, which should positively impact equipment sales, according to survey results released by GE Capital’s Commercial Distribution Finance Canada (CDF).

More than two-thirds (77%) of the respondents expect the harvest season to be the same or better than last year, while 20% expect it to be worse. A similar majority of respondents (78%) characterized the seeding season as the same or better than last year, while 18% thought it was worse.

We will hold our annual business meeting during the general session that begins at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, during the Fall Convention in Las Vegas, NV.

Agenda: Election of Directors, Bylaws Change and other business that may be announced.

The Rural Mainstreet economy moved above the 50.0 threshold for five straight months, according to the July survey of bank CEOs in a 10-state area. However, the index has been trending lower since June 2013 when the reading stood at 60.5.

The Small Business Association named GT Manufacturing its 2014 Exporter of the Year for the state of Kansas. SBA officials presented the award to GT President Dennis Pedersen and Operations Manager Gary Willmann on June 26.

McKay Industries Inc. purchased the assets of M.D. Products Inc., according to a news release from the McKay-Empire-Wiese group of companies (MEW). The new company will be called MD Products and Solutions (MDPS).

The report, from the Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees, found that Social Security’s retirement and disability programs, combined, have dedicated resources sufficient to cover benefits until 2033. However, the projected depletion date for the separate Social Security’s Disability Insurance Trust Fund is in late 2016.

This month we thank the following companies for their membership in the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association and their continued support. We look forward to having these companies, and yours, as members for many more years.

This week another state will ask voters to stand up for the folks who produce the nation’s food, fuel and fiber. They are the backbone of our rural communities and the customers who purchase the equipment that keeps our members in business.

The vast majority of the state’s ag organizations are backing passage of the amendment and have raised and spent over $1 million encouraging its passage.

In the last few weeks the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has cut a check for $375,000 to the political action committee opposing the amendment.

Due to the extreme lengths to which activist groups and their partners in government will go, many in our industry have concluded that it is, in fact, necessary to amend state constitutions to add clarification and protection for farm families and our industry.

Winona Powder Coating, a high-volume powder coater based in Etna Green, IN, was awarded the JDM F17 certification from John Deere. This paint process qualification enables the company to expand its color coatings offerings to a wider base of agricultural parts suppliers.

Whenever possible, we offer our members choices. For example, you can opt to receive an electronic copy of Shortliner by email, or a paper copy via U.S. Mail. However, a few times each year we send both versions to ensure that you receive the latest industry and Association news and know what options are available to you.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) announced the adoption of ASABE/ISO 12140:2013, Agricultural machinery—Agricultural trailers and trailed equipment—Drawbar jacks. Concurrently, ASABE withdrew its corresponding standard, ASAE S485.3, Implement Mounted, Screw-Type Jacks, on which the ISO 12140:2013 is based.

If you read the “California Farmers Seek Allies” article in the Ag Innovator summer issue, then you know that Paul Wenger, President of the California Farm Bureau Federation and a third-generation farmer, is leading the charge to protect the water rights of growers and ranchers in western states scorched by a blistering three-year drought.

At the Fall Convention, Wenger will talk about the struggle to secure our most basic need—what is working, what is getting in the way, and why everyone has a stake in the outcome. Joining him will be Daniel Berc, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for NOAA’s National Weather Service, who will discuss national and regional weather trends, and water storage, use and conservation.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) initiated two projects to nationally adopt two recently revised international standards:

ISO 500-1:2014, Agricultural tractors—Rear-mounted power take-off types 1, 2, 3 and 4—Part 1: General specifications, safety requirements, dimensions for master shield and clearance zone

ISO 500-3:2014, Agricultural tractors—Rear-mounted power take-off types 1, 2, 3 and 4—Part 3: Main PTO dimensions and spline dimensions, location of PTO.

Art’s Way Manufacturing Co., Inc. announced that Art’s Way Scientific, Inc. was awarded a sole source contract for a “High Output Swine Behavioral Unit” for the University of Illinois Department of Agricultural Nutritional Sciences Division. The testing unit will support work to study the nutritional effects of infant formula in brain development.

This month we thank the following companies for their membership in the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association and their continued support. We look forward to having these companies, and yours, as members for many more years.

Ag-Power announced it will add 40 new jobs at its headquarters in McKinney, TX, bringing the total company employee count to more than 420.

Brandt Agricultural Products Ltd. announced that P&K Midwest opened three new locations as Brandt Authorized Dealers

Recent storms delivered pounding rains that hampered fieldwork and sparked local flooding across portions of the Plains, Midwest and South, although overall growing conditions remained mostly favorable for summer crops.

When any association has enjoyed the growth that we have over the last few years, it’s important for the staff and leadership to remember that, while the majority of our members have been with us for decades, just under 20% of our members joined in the last 24 months.

With that in mind, here’s a quick review of the goals and objectives of each of our annual meetings.

The latest USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service report on the breakdown of the U.S. food dollar indicated that the farmer received an average of 15.8 cents, according to the Farm Press Blog.

More than 80 cents went to processing, marketing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing.

The day when a tractor works a field without a human driver may not be as far off as you think, according to a USA Today article. It reports that Kinze Manufacturing Inc. has been testing new, autonomous row-crop technology that allows a driverless tractor to pull a grain cart. While the Kinze Autonomy Project is still in development, its technology is a hint of what is in store for future tractors. Also ahead, expect precision farming to become a requirement, rather than an option.

Rural fire departments across the nation will be devastated by an agreement between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which stops making available excess DoD vehicles that are critical to the fire departments’ ability to fight wildland fires, according to OklahomaFarmReport.com.

A year ago, North Carolina became the first state in the nation to exit the federal government’s extended-benefits program for the unemployed. Facing the prospect of hikes in payroll taxes to pay back Washington, the governor and state legislature instead reduced the amount and duration of unemployment-insurance benefits, which had been higher in North Carolina than in most states. As a result the state lost its eligibility to participate in the extended-benefits program on July 1, 2013.

Can’t wait to get your hands on the next issue of Ag Innovator? We understand. That’s one reason we now post it online. The Summer issue will hit the mail in mid-July. You have a choice—you can wait for the print edition to arrive in your mailbox, or you can view the digital edition at FarmEquip.org/AGI beginning on July 15.

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.’s single-employer program is improving, but the funding crisis for multi-employer pension plans (typically, union plans) is not, according to the federal agency’s fiscal 2013 projection report released on June 30.

…court documents read like an espionage novel with Chinese men found crawling on their knees in Midwest cornfields, secretly stealing corn ears, and federal agents obtaining court orders to tap the cell phone and bug the rental car of the CEO of Kings Nower Seed.

University of Missouri Agricultural Economics Professor Ron Plain said PEDv is reducing hog numbers, and producers can do little to stop its spread, but, “The pigs per litter continues to be very low and that’s pulling down the number of market hogs, and gives us a very bright outlook for hog prices.”

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed suit against an American company for discriminating against a group of Hispanic and Asian employees because they did not speak English fluently.

At issue is whether and to what extent may a court enforce the EEOC’s mandatory duty to conciliate discrimination claims before filing suit.

The Supreme Court has agreed to weigh in on the EEOC’s gender discrimination lawsuit against Mach, an Illinois-based coal mining company. Law.com reports that Mach’s lawyers urged the justices to take the case, arguing that the EEOC didn’t live up to its unique statutory duty to “conciliate in good faith”—i.e., to try to resolve a dispute fairly before filing suit.