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.

ASABE has released information about several standards. Updates involve granular material application, combine harvesters, tractors in scraper applications, seed cotton module identification systems, and testing of LED models for plant growth.

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

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.

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.

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.)

Deere has changed its leadership team. The company also has completed the acquisition of PLA.

Topcon Agriculture and Kansas State University have formed a partnership that will lead to creation of the Topcon Agriculture Research Campus in the K-State Office Park.

Art’s Way Manufacturing Co., Inc. has announced consolidated corporate sales for continuing operations for the three- and nine-month periods ended August 31.

Titan Machinery reported its second quarter equipment sales were up nearly . . . Ag-Pro has acquired Wilson Equipment Co.

Beef exports to Japan and South Korea continue to climb. Combined shipments into the countries have increased by 64 percent in three years.

President Donald Trump this week lifted a federal ban on summer sales of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline.

The Dallas Fed reported that demand for agricultural loans decreased for a 12th consecutive quarter. The rate of repayment stabilized after two quarters of decline.

A college in Michigan hired a branding and graphics firm to create a space that would attract and inspire manufacturing students. Designers wanted students to recognize the training site as a specialized space for them and to believe that manufacturing is a sophisticated and modern career choice.

The monthly assessment of farmers’ moods found discouragement in the September survey. The Ag Economy Barometer has been especially volatile over the past few months.

While differences over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have been the most mentioned in coverage of farm bill negotiations, deep differences also exist on farm subsidies and other spending priorities.

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue said he understands farmers’ worries around trade but believes the White House’s tough tactics will lead to more protection for U.S. economic and intellectual property interests. In the meantime, agriculture deals with a harsh reality of low commodity prices.

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.