Big Bud Tractors Arriving in March
Big Equipment Co., LLC Havre, Mt. has partnered with Rome Agricultural and Construction Equipment out of Cedartown, Ga. in building a new HD Big Bud Tractor to be released in March of 2023.
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2023 Supply Summit & Showcase: Network with Peers / Meet the Experts
The Supply Summit & Showcase is March 21-23 at the Hotel Effie Sandestin. That is only nine weeks away, and your chance to save $100 on the registration if you sign up by January 30.
Read moreChanging of the Guard
Recently, Ben Hellbusch, the 2023 President of the Association, informed the Board of Directors that Steven K. Hathaway had accepted our offer to become only the fourth Executive Vice President in the Association’s 70-plus-year history.
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Postage Prices Are Rising – Again
The price of postage is about to increase as the US Postal Service works to wrangle its cost of operations amid economic inflation.
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CLAAS Reports Over $5 Billion in 2022 Net Sales
According to CLAAS’ 2022 annual report, the company earned €4.93 billion in net sales last year, around $5.2 billion.
Read moreHiring, Wages Ease in December
The U.S. labor market is losing momentum as hiring and wage growth cooled in December, showing the effects of slower economic growth and the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate increases.
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Osmundson Mfg. to Open New Facility in Kentucky
Osmundson will build a new facility in Graves County, Kentucky with a $12.5 million investment that will create 80 jobs.
Read moreAg Companies Push Carbon-Capture Farming; Growers Skeptical
The Wall Street Journal reports that ag companies are investing millions of dollars to develop farming programs designed to capture more carbon dioxide in fields, as a possible solution to mitigate climate change.
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Deere Says Farmers Can Fix Their Tractors—Sometimes
John Deere signed an agreement this week to let farmers repair their own equipment. Farmers and their advocates have little trust that Deere will actually follow through on their promise.
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U.S. Inflation Slows for Sixth Straight Month
U.S. inflation eased in December for the sixth straight month following a mid-2022 peak as the Federal Reserve aggressively raised interest rates and the economy showed signs of cooling.
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Farmers React to New WOTUS Rule
Last Friday the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers announced a final rule establishing the definition of “Waters of the United States.” Many farm and ag groups have reacted to the news.
Read moreHiring, Wage Gains Ease in December
The U.S. labor market is losing momentum as hiring and wage growth cooled in December, showing the effects of slower economic growth and the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate increases.
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Tractor/Combine Sales
Combine harvester sales finish the year with healthy gains in unit sales while ag tractors finish the year below 2021 levels in both the U.S. and Canada.
Read moreSurvey Shows Support for Ethanol Versus Electric Vehicles
A Voter Survey Finds Support for Ethanol, Opposition to State Electric Vehicle Mandates.
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White-Collar Layoffs Rise, Blue-Color Remains Resilient
Manufacturers laid off fewer blue-collar workers in this past quarter ending in November than they did in the year-earlier period.
Read moreAttracting Gen Z to Manufacturing
With an aging workforce and hundreds of thousands of jobs to fill, experts say the industry will need to offer flexibility and clear career paths.
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Farmers Win Right-to-Repair Deere Equipment
Farmers will now have the right to repair tractors and other agricultural equipment from John Deere without having to use the manufacturer’s own parts and facilities.
Read moreSteel Production
Domestic steel production as of January 2, 2023
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UAW Workers Reject CNHI’s ‘Last, Best & Final Offer’
CNH Industrial union workers at two U.S. plants reject proposed contract.
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Supply Summit & Showcase: Registration Now Open
This week we opened registration for our 2023 Supply Summit & Showcase Conference in sunny Sandestin, FL with a waiting list of members eager to engage and learn from each other.
Read moreSentry Safety January Webinar
Register today for Sentry’s Jan. 11 seminar: An OSHA compliance officer is at the door. What do you do?
Read moreBuilding a Better Linked In Profile in 2023
“LinkedIn is the most used social media channel for professional networking. For B2B operations, it represents an opportunity to grow business, and with recent changes at LinkedIn, that opportunity is expanding.”
Read moreHappy Anniversary and Welcome New Members
The Association would like to wish a very happy anniversary to our long-time member companies who are celebrating milestone anniversaries in January. We would also like to extend a warm welcome to our new members.
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Farmer Sentiment Rebounds at Year End on Stronger 2022
Ag Producer sentiment improved sharply in December as the Purdue University-CME Group Ag Economy Barometer Index reading of 126 was 24 points higher than a month earlier.
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GUSS Automation Receives Top-10 New Product Award
USS Automation is the recipient of their third Top-10 New Product award from the International Agri-Center and will be showcased at the World Ag Expo.
Read moreCLAAS Plans Dealership in Western Kentucky
CLAAS made a commitment to their Kentucky and southern Indiana customers by investing in its own retail operation, with a new facility slated for western Kentucky.
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Unverferth Manufacturing 75th Anniversary Documentary
Unverferth Manufacturing is Co., Inc. is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2023. Check out the video that chronicles their humble beginnings from a farm shed in 1948 to today’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.
Read moreManufacturers Facing Supply Chain Issues/Worker Shortage
A survey of more than 150 equipment manufacturing companies released by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) warns that U.S. equipment manufacturers continue to face supply chain issues and a persistent labor shortage nearly three years after the onset of the pandemic.
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Steel Production
Steel production as of December 19, 2022.
Read moreTitan Machinery Acquires Pioneer Farm Dealerships
Titan Machinery Inc., announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the Idaho dealership assets of Pioneer Farm Equipment Co. (“Pioneer”).
Read moreBranson & TYM Merge as TYM North America
According to a Dec. 9 company announcement from Branson CEO Tony Bae, Branson Machinery and TYM-USA will merge as TYM North America.
Read moreTSA Raises Fines After Record Number of Guns in Carry-Ons
The Transportation Security Administration is raising the fine for people caught with a gun in their carry-on bag after intercepting a record number of firearms at security checkpoints this year.
Read moreState Medical Plans Push Injured Workers to ER
Emergency room visits by injured workers showed “substantial variation” across 28 states, even for the same injuries, calling into question whether some state programs push the more expensive care at the onset of an injury.
Read moreDealer News: FPI Purchases Real Estate Leased to Ag Dealer
Farmland Partners Inc. (FPI) acquired, on November 18, four Ohio properties that house agricultural equipment dealerships for $17.2 million.
Read moreDealer News: Ag Solutions Group & Livingston Machinery Merge
Ag Solutions Group and Livingston Machinery Company will rebrand as a unified company. Both businesses will officially be recognized as Parallel Ag.
Read moreProjected 2023 Recession Could Weaken Freight Market
The U.S. economy in 2023 will start with weak demand met with mostly adequate inventories. Shippers can expect sufficient freight capacity and lower rates as well as improved distribution center and warehousing availability.
Read moreRemlinger to Manufacture the Ninja Crimper
Remlinger Mfg and Paul Martin & Sons have entered into a manufacturing and marketing agreement regarding the Ninja Cover Crop Crimper.
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ASABE Revises Braking Series Standards
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has revised two parts of the ANSI/ASABE S648, Agricultural Field Equipment Braking, series of machinery standards.
Read moreRight-to-Repair Not Gaining Much Ground
It’s been an uphill battle but the right-to-repair movement isn’t giving up and is getting closer to winning over lawmakers, says a leading American advocate.
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Steel Production
Steel Production as of Dec. 12, 2022.
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R&R Engineering Increasing U-Bolts: 200,000 Per Day With Seven New Machines
R&R Engineering Co., Inc. is excited to announce they are scheduled to
receive seven new high speed U-bolt manufacturing machines in 2023.
Tractor/Combine Sales
Combine harvester sales remain positive, joined by 4WD units for both the U.S. and Canadian markets, while total tractors fell in both countries.
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Vermeer Expanding to Des Moines Location
Vermeer Corporation has announced their plans to open a new manufacturing operation in Des Moines.
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Equipment-Sales Index Climbs to Strong 60.4 – Region’s Overall Reading Above Growth Neutral First Time Since May
For the first time since May of this year, the region’s overall reading in December rose above the growth neutral threshold. The December index did increase to a tepid 50.1 from 45.7 in November. The index ranges between 0 and 100 with a reading of 50.0 representing growth neutral.
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Farm Income Jumps 14% to Record High
High commodity prices will propel U.S. net farm income to a record $160.5 billion this year, despite a steep climb in expenses, said the Agriculture Department. Farm income, a gauge of profitability, would be 14% higher than last year and twice as high as three years ago.
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Great Plains Names New President & CEO
Great Plains Manufacturing, Inc. (GPM), today announced that David Disberger will succeed Linda Salem in her role as President and CEO of the company following her semi-retirement on Jan.1, 2023.
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Association Gathering at Nebraska Ag Expo
The Association hosted a reception for our members at the Nebraska Ag Expo on Dec. 6. President Ben Hellbusch, and other members, visited with members and highlighted the many benefits of the Association with prospective members.
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Supply Summit & Showcase Details Taking Shape
Association staff members are in Miramar Beach, FL this week at the Hotel Effie Sandestin exploring the city on behalf of Supply Summit attendees.
Read moreDid Pandemic Kill Just-in-time Supply Chains?
Just-in-time supply chains took a lot of heat during the pandemic after empty shelves laid bare the pitfalls of ordering as little inventory as possible in the name of efficiency. Supply chain pros say the lean operating model may need to make a comeback.
Read moreHappy Anniversary to our Valued Members!
The Association would like to wish a very happy anniversary to our long-time member companies who are celebrating milestone anniversaries in December 2022.
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