Spouses and guests at the Supply Summit are invited to explore Brookgreen Gardens, take an exclusive tour aboard a pontoon, and lunch at the trendy Market Common. The events are the centerpiece of the week for spouses and guests, who are invited to take part in all Summit activities.

The Association welcomes five new member applicants this month and sends a special thanks to nine companies celebrating milestone anniversaries.

A new round of talks between the U.S. and China is underway this week in Washington. Officials have been vague about progress, defaulting to phrases such as “very productive.” President Trump has expressed a willingness to extend the March 1 deadline before imposing higher tariffs.

Alamo Group Inc. plans to build a facility to house its Super Products vacuum trucks operation. The plant is expected to be operating in early 2020.

The final day of Supply Summit 2019 will feature a candid conversation with Don Landoll, who founded Landoll Corp. Attendees can expect to hear his thoughts on leadership, building a happy workforce, and more. Mike Kloster from Worksaver will join Landoll to offer his perspective from a smaller operation.

When AFBF President Zippy Duvall took the state recently at an agribusiness and farm expo in South Carolina, he did not mince words about challenges such as the labor shortage and farmers’ struggling bottom lines. In spite of the challenges, he is encouraged that ag has “a seat the table” in Washington.

Walmart is adjusting its pay structure to bring the average trucker salary to $87,500. It’s tossing in a couple of other incentives, too.

OSHA has eliminated requirements for businesses to electronically submit two forms related to injuries and illnesses. The move comes amid concerns that information on the forms could compromise employees’ privacy.

A new study finds that nearly nine in 10 doctors believe barriers set by insurance plans have created worse conditions for their patients.

Net sales for 2018 at AGCO increased by about 12.6 percent. Net sales in North America improved by 16.2 percent. Leading the growth were sprayers, hay tools, and grain storage equipment.

Want to find out what’s working for other manufacturers battling the labor shortage? Is there a strategy at your plant that could benefit a member company? When we gather in Myrtle Beach, we’ll talk best practices in dealing with the labor crunch. We’re calling for folks to lead the conversation and encouraging everyone to join the it.

Check out who’s expanding, who’s acquiring, and who’s recovering from disaster. RDO Equipment – Forrester Farm Equipment – LandPro Equipment – BCA Ag Technologies and Sherbrooke

The African swine fever in China has led to the slaughter of more than 900,000 hogs. Fewer pigs means a diminished need for soybeans, which further complicates the future for soybean farmers in this essential export market.

Editors at Farm Equipment magazine invite shortline manufacturers to nominate dealerships for the 15th annual Dealership of the Year award.

Returns on an acre of corn this year should eclipse returns on an acre of soybeans on high-productivity farmland in central Illinois. One researcher said the shift is unprecedented.

Richard James Tapper, founder of Buchanan Metal Forming, died Jan. 20.

The U.S. dairy sector last week sent a study to President Trump to stress the need for expanding market access overseas. The report noted that every major dairy-exporting country except the U.S. is included in one of two trade agreements with Japan.

Farm equipment dealers in North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota soon will belong to the same association. The historic merger is effective April 1.

The formula for a successful Supply Summit calls on attendees to take part not only in the sessions and showcase but also to seize opportunities to connect personally with others in the industry. Product problems can be solved on the ninth hole.

Lessiter Media has promoted Kim Schmidt to executive editor of Farm Equipment and Rural Lifestyle Dealer magazines. Schmidt succeeds Dave Kanicki.

The Summit includes a tour of a manufacturing training center lauded by one member executive as “one of the best places I’ve seen in my 40 years in manufacturing.” (video)

As the game changes on social media channels, more marketing pros are celebrating old-fashioned email. Unlike tweets or Facebook posts, no one company controls emails. And the platform allows manufacturers to address their most loyal customers.

An organization that advocates for broadband access in rural America has built a digital map to illustrate broadband use in your communities. It also provides you a direct link to tell lawmakers you want better.

A number of ag groups have asked the White House to resolve the North American trade deal and put an end to tariffs among the countries. Meanwhile, researchers at Purdue University have placed dollar values on what the trade deal, or lack of a deal, might mean for ag.

Art’s Way Manufacturing Co. reported a drop in sales in 2018. Chairman Marc McConnell says the company had made changes that will “allow for better results under similar conditions and substantially increased opportunity for profitability in an improving market.”

Ag industry leaders will join with manufacturers and other business representatives on Capitol Hill later this week to deliver a message to lawmakers that the time is now to increase pressure on Trump and his administration to end the trade war.

Many market analysts are warning farmers to watch for the glut of data from USDA shocking the market when released.

North Dakota Implement Dealers Association and Minnesota-South Dakota Equipment Dealers Association Announce Merger

CoBank outlook report examines key factors that will shape agriculture and markets sectors that serve rural communities throughout the U.S.

Major fire destroys JLD Laguë Group’s Deere facility in the Lennoxville sector of Sherbrooke.

China surprises Trump administration with Oval Office announcement of five million metric ton bean purchase. Causes early confusion regarding if the five million was tons, bushels, one time or some reports of daily purchases.

Canada’s House of Commons Agri Committee has published its report on the Advancements of Technology in the Agriculture Industry to support Canadian Exports. Calls for expedited tax deduction for new farm equipment.

The speaker lineup continues to take shape for the 2019 Supply Summit, but it’s off to a fantastic start with experts on the economy, trade and tariffs, implementing lean principles, and cybersecurity.

Executive leaders in the work comp industry say topping their list of worries in 2019 are risks associated with an aging workforce, unskilled workers, independent contractors, and new technology.

U.S. and Chinese trade officials are in talks to reopen China’s market to U.S. chicken exports as they seek to forge a new trade deal. China’s immense appetite for chicken feet has made the loss of that market painful for chicken processors.

Scientists from the University of Illinois have researched a new conservation practice known as saturated buffers and say it could reduce nitrogen from agricultural drainage by 5 to 10 percent.

Inflation in Canada unexpectedly accelerated in December, pushing up the average rate of inflation for all of 2018 to the highest level in seven years.

Transport Canada has announced new rules for drones effective June 1. The rules require registering a drone, passing an online exam, and limiting aircrafts’ altitude.

While the farm equipment sales index has not yet tipped toward growth, it has made consistent gains in the Rural Mainstreet Index. Meanwhile, the overall index shows economic growth in rural America.

An agriculture policy expert who spoke at the recent American Farm Bureau Federation convention said an export market for ag is critically important. In addition to immediate losses, the U.S. must consider what it will take to regain markets as countries build relationships with other suppliers.

Producers’ interest in making large investments in their farm operations waned somewhat in December. The research suggests farmers are wary of making substantial farm investments given current financial conditions on their farms.

LinkedIn saw dramatic growth in 2018 in terms of users and their level of engagement. In an analysis of its potential for B2B operations, one expert says building personal profiles builds business.

Growers can earn $200 to $400 an acre growing hemp for use in textiles, plastics, insulation and construction materials. Hemp grown for cannabidiol could earn farmers thousands of dollars an acre.

Member companies who report net annual sales of less than $5 million spend proportionately more on materials than their counterparts but spend less on overhead. Participate in the benchmark survey this spring and find out how your operation compares.

Ag Growth International Inc., or AGI, has acquired Improtech Ltd., an engineering services firm. Improtech joins Danmare, Sabe, and Mitchell Mill Systems as recent additions to AGI’s food platform.

Join us in Myrtle Beach for a three-day immersion in exploring top-of-mind industry issues, connecting with suppliers, and learning from one another. Register by Feb. 4 and save as much as $200.

Heritage Tractor has acquired Legacy Farm and Lawn. Shearer Equipment will sell its assets to Ag-Pro Ohio LLC.

The partial government shutdown could cause tens of thousands of businesses to make a tough choice about whether to claim one of the biggest perks in the 2018 tax overhaul. Owners of pass-through entities have to file their businesses’ returns by March 15, and they still don’t have the final word from the Internal Revenue Service about who qualifies for the 20 percent deduction.

Members most enjoy reading news about other members: promotions, expansions, acquisitions, new hires, awards, and other successes. Send us yours.

Steel producer Nucor Corp. said it will spend about $1.35 billion to build a plate mill in the Midwest, taking advantage of federal tax cuts that have resulted in windfall gains for several companies.