The Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada Board of Directors has selected a new executive director.

The Ag Economy Barometer rebounded in October to a reading of 136—a 22-point increase in the index compared to September and a level nearly equal to a year ago. Producers’ views with respect to making farm investments improved in October, but they remain cautious.

The USPS has proposed new postage rates beginning January 27, subject to approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission.

Greg Pellegrom from Sentry Insurance will retire at year’s end. He has been with Sentry for 37 years and a standout adviser and resource to the Association and its member companies for 30 years.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has released the preliminary top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for 2018. Topping the list: fall prevention.

Rocky Mountain Dealerships Inc. and Cervus Equipment Corp. recently released earnings reports. Garrett Ganden, president and CEO for Rocky Mountain, said the company continues to execute its growth strategy.

The percentage of firms that purchase cyber insurance has increased 40 percentage points since 2011, including a 10-percentage-point uptick from 2017 alone. Smaller companies are joining the moving far more slowly.

Sales numbers among farm equipment manufacturers appear strong in a series of third-quarter earnings reports. See highlights from AGCO, Kubota, CNH, Alamo Group, and Valmont.

Rocky Mountain Equipment soon will sell used farm equipment from a U.S. dealership. Rocky’s CEO said the timing is right in the industry for such a move.

After six years of consecutive population loss, rural America is growing, according to the USDA. The most significant increases are in rural communities considered scenic or located near urban areas.

NIck Jensen from Thurston Manufacturing will lead the Association in 2019. See who will join him in shaping the direction of the organization that serves as voice and advocate for shortline manufacturers.

Only 14 percent of small employers currently offer a retirement plan, according to the Government Accountability Office. A proposal from the Labor Department may make it easier for small businesses by offering a strategy in which employers can band together to offer plans.

United Parcel Service Inc.’s freight workers ratified a final contract offer this week, averting a work stoppage that prompted the carrier to clear its network ahead of the vote.

The agreement formerly known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership becomes effective December 30. Participants begin to lift tariffs on that date among the 11 trade partners.

The Association welcomes four new member applicants and thanks the companies celebrating anniversaries for their ongoing commitment.

Farmers are scrambling for space to store their soybeans, a crop hard hit by the trade war with China. They are storing rather than selling in hopes that the dispute will be resolved and prices will improve.

AGCO Corp. has created a COO position and appointed an executive who joined the company in 2013. He will oversee regional commercial operations, global product management, engineering, manufacturing and supply chain functions.

The mid-term elections are in our rear view mirror, yet the effect the results will have on agriculture and small business is uncertain. See what it might mean for the farm bill, trade, and California, where successful ballot measures will put more pressure on producers.

The Association is required by the IRS to remind members that as a result of ongoing lobbying activities on behalf of our members, a portion of members’ dues payments are not deductible as an ordinary and necessary business expense.

AgJunction is moving its headquarters from Hiawatha, Kan., to Scottsdale, Ariz. In April, AgJunction created two technology Centers of Excellence, one of which was in Scottsdale.

Jennifer Edney, vice president of Edney Distributing Co., Inc., in Lakeville, Minnesota, has been elected to a one-year term as president of the Equipment Marketing & Distribution Association. See who else will lead EMDA in 2019.

Traffic congestion added an estimated $74.5 billion in operational costs across the trucking industry in 2016, according to a report from the American Transportation Research Institute. The group is calling for infrastructure investment to solve the problem.

Rural Mainstreet Index climbed above growth neutral in October for a ninth straight month, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a region dependent on agriculture and/or energy.

This is not a typical newsletter. We did not print this issue, which means everyone is receiving an email, and no one will read a PDF. We’ve strayed from our usual distribution to bring you the latest while we prepare for convention next week.

Low commodity prices for soybeans and an abundant harvest have created a shortage of space in grain elevators. The shortage is causing backups in some states and intensifying traffic on the Mississippi River.

Three Nebraskan farmers pleaded guilty recently to fraudulently marketing non-organic corn and soybeans as certified organic. Prosecutors are seeking a $10.8 million forfeiture in connection with the fraud.

Frank Lessiter takes a look at the no-till movement since its beginning and celebrates the “early adopters and underdogs who changed the world.”

Leaders in Canada and Mexico say it is perhaps too soon to celebrate the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. They first want relief from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum.

The Kuhn Group has agreed to purchase all outstanding shares of Artec Pulverisation.

The founder of Haven Steel died earlier this month. He is being remembered as a man who thrived amid adversity.

Mahindra North America has appointed a new president and CEO. Earlier this year, Mahindra announced plans to double its business in the U.S. market.

KIOTI Tractor has broken ground on a $13 million expansion of its North American headquarters in Wendell, N.C.

President Donald Trump has moved to pull the United States out of the Universal Postal Union, arguing that the multilateral system gives China a competitive edge and fuels the shipment of counterfeit goods.

Changes are afoot among Deere dealerships in North Carolina, Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania. Check out the latest in mergers and acquisitions.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a warning to publicly held companies that they may be in violation of federal law if lax internal controls are believed to lead to cyber-related fraud.

In response to feedback from payroll and tax professionals, the IRS has delayed using the new Form W-4 until 2020. In the interim, the IRS encourages taxpayers to review their withholding situations.

As the Association works to improve relationships between shortline manufacturers and independent distribution networks, it’s helpful to understand the state laws that govern those relationships and how those laws may apply to contracts between dealers, their shortline manufacturers, and their major tractor suppliers.

Attorney Trent Johnson offers tips for protecting yourself during this era of dealer consolidations.

As of last week, the federal government had distributed $53 million in direct payments to farmers of tariff-hit products, with an estimated $78 million on the way.

See how the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement will affect agriculture, manufacturing and steel.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses says that a record number of small businesses—37 percent—reported raising overall compensation in September to compete in a tight labor market.

The Commerce Department said Friday that the trade gap rose to $53.2 billion in August from $50 billion in July. The August reading was the highest since February.

A consulting firm projects the health benefit cost per employee will increase 4.1 percent in 2019. A more stable health care market and technology are contributing to this more modest increase.

The IRS has issued guidance on the business expense deduction for meals and entertainment in response to changes introduced in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The new law eliminated the deduction for expenses related to activities considered entertainment, amusement or recreation.

Association partner Sentry Insurance invites members to a safety training opportunity. Participants will develop action plans for safety management principles and topics such as regulatory compliance, leadership commitment, hazard recognition, and more. The deadline to register is Friday.

If you have a Facebook account, join our conversation about best (and worst) channels for online marketing.

Brian Olson, president of Power Pin, Inc., is the recipient of the 2018 Evelyn E. Rosentreter Standards award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to ASABE standards and the safety of the agriculture industry.

We are pleased to offer, free of charge, a forum where candidates can connect with prospective employers in the shortline industry.

Nearly a dozen companies have joined the Association since the Sept. 11 issue of Shortliner. We welcome them to the Association, and we thank the 15 companies celebrating milestone anniversaries for their ongoing commitment to the industry and the Association.

If you are joining us for the 2018 Marketing & Distribution Convention at the Hilton Minneapolis, here are a few notes to help you prepare. (If you have not yet registered, there’s time! Go to Meeting.FarmEquip.org.)