U.S. farmland prices fell for a ninth successive month, amid worsening agriculture sector sentiment that has sent conditions in the farm machinery market to the worst in at least nine years, Agrimoney.com reported.

An index compiled by Creighton University showed farmland prices in major farming states such as Illinois, Iowa and Kansas at 41.4 for August, below the 48.3 points recorded for July, and the 50.0 mark that indicates a neutral market.

If you have not already done so, now is the time to start making plans for our Fall Convention in Las Vegas, which opens in less than eight weeks.

With executive registrations for this meeting running far ahead of prior years’, we increased the number of rooms reserved for our attendees. Still, we have fewer than 70 rooms remaining at the special rate of $99 per night. While it’s unlikely Las Vegas will run out of rooms during our meeting, we have talked with several members who noticed airfares are moving higher and some flights are already shown as unavailable.

Please note the following adjustment to the schedule:

“Because we compete as an independent brand in an industry dominated by iconic brands like John Deere, our avenues of distribution are limited,” Miller said.

“We make a world-class product that I would put up against any other machine in our industry, but we have struggled to expand our market presence because 99% of farm equipment dealerships carry their major lines of Case IH, John Deere and Agco,” he added. “Continuing to operate as a small niche player was not a viable long-term strategy, so we proactively sought out this partnership with CNH.”

Rather than slashing costs, small businesses are now spending more on new plants and industrial machinery, trucks, computers, office equipment and furniture, reported the Wall Street Journal.

Among 798 small private firms with less than $20 million in revenue, 51% said in August that they planned to increase their capital spending in the next 12 months. That is a record high, and it is also up from 42% a year ago, according to the survey by WSJ and Vistage International, an executive-advisory group.

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.

A sponsorship is one of the best ways to stand out and leverage your participation at the Fall Convention. If your company sponsors a speaking program session, a refreshment break or a reception, your personnel can take this opportunity to network with fellow attendees and display or distribute marketing materials.

Deere & Co. announced it will lay off approximately 460 employees at the company’s Waterloo, IA, reported AgriMarketing.com. This pushes Deere’s job cuts in Iowa to 1,000 when combined with layoffs announced earlier for plants in the Des Moines and the Quad Cities areas.

When Deere announced third quarter earnings on Aug. 13, the company said it needed to reduce agricultural equipment production for the balance of the year to respond to “current market demand for its products.”

A Dearborn-area Ford Motor Company worker filed federal charges against the United Auto Workers (UAW) union and the company for violating his rights, according to a news release issued by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.

Todd Lemire, a 16-year Dearborn Tool & Die plant worker, filed the charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in August.

During his Fall Convention presentation on Thursday afternoon, Howard A. Dahl will deliver an update on developments in Russia and Ukraine and their impact on American agriculture and manufacturing.

Mr. Dahl is President and CEO of Amity Technology, LLC. He serves on the Board of Directors of University of North Dakota’s Center for Innovation and the Board of Regents for the Russian American Institute. He also is a Director and Past Audit Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

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.

Deere last week reported its third quarter earnings. Company officials said net income of $851 million was the second highest for any third quarter in its history. Net sales and revenues were $9.5 billion, down 5%. Total worldwide equipment operations net sales were $8.7 billion, down 6%. Agriculture & turf sales declined by 11%, primarily due to lower shipment volume. Operating profit was $941 million.

Custom Products of Litchfield Inc., a maker of cabs and operator protective enclosures for industrial vehicles in the construction, forestry, turf care and other sectors, plans to invest more than $2 million and add 31 jobs in a manufacturing expansion. The company said it will add 20,000 square feet to its

Effective Jan. 1, 2014, and starting with the current tax year, new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules will change how owners of warehouses and distribution centers can deduct the cost of certain improvements to their property, reported DCvelocity.com. The IRS will consider the improvements tantamount to placing a new asset in service if they qualify as a “betterment” to the property, such as installing a new machine that does the same job better than

While much has been written about the divide between agriculture’s producers and consumers, several recent examples have struck a nerve.

In our last newsletter, we encouraged support for passage of the Right to Farm amendment to the Missouri Constitution. Later we viewed election results from across the state in what had become a closely contested election. Most rural voters seemed to understand the need to protect the use of modern farming methods and supported the proposal. However, two out of every three voters in metropolitan areas voted no, with 74% of City of St. Louis voters—the highest rate in the state—telling farmers “Hell no!” with their no votes.

Ag Growth reported its trade sales and adjusted EBITDA reached record highs in the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, as favorable crop conditions in North America and continued investment in ag infrastructure lead to robust demand for on-farm and commercial grain handling, storage and aeration equipment, said Marketwatch.com.

During the past six months, dozens of sources have reported that the sprawling Ogallala Aquifer beneath the Great Plains, which provides about 30% of the ground water used for irrigation in the U.S. and drinking water to more than 1.5 million people between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River, is being depleted at an alarming rate.

To address these issues, the speaking program at the Fall Convention will include a presentation by Paul Wenger, President of the California Farm Bureau Federation and a third-generation farmer, and Daniel Berc, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for NOAA’s National Weather Service. Mr. Berc graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in Meteorology and worked as a forecaster in Riverton, WY, before joining the National Weather Service in 2007. Since 2012, he has served as NOAA’s Warning Coordination Meteorologist in Las Vegas, focusing on weather hazard mitigation, warning services and emergency communication. During the special session starting at 2:45pm on Wednesday, Nov. 5, Berc will talk about national and regional weather trends, and water storage, use and conservation.

Former Beall Manufacturing and Cutting Specialists, Inc. executive Norm White passed away on August 14. Norm had represented both companies in a variety of positions before retiring in 2008. He often served as the companies’ representative at trade shows, mower council meetings and conventions, besides calling on many FEMA members as a salesperson.

Joint Opening Session will feature keynote address by Rick Barry. This Hall of Fame forward is the only player to lead the NCAA, NBA and ABA in scoring. Inspired by his raw talent, drive, determination and staying power, EMDA invited Barry to talk about his remarkable career, share what he’s learned and tell us how we can apply his success secrets when working towards goals in our own businesses and lives.

Earlier this month, Alamo Group reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2014. Net sales for the quarter were a record $206.3 million, compared with net sales of $178.1 million for the previous year, a 16% increase. The majority of the increase was driven by sales from recent acquisitions, primarily the units of Specialized, which Alamo acquired in May this year. Excluding acquisitions, net sales for the quarter increased 3% to a record $182.7 million.

A sponsorship is one of the best ways to stand out and leverage your participation at the Fall Convention. If your company sponsors a speaking program session, a refreshment break or a reception, your personnel can take this opportunity to network with fellow attendees and display or distribute marketing materials.

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.

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.

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.