The society recognized Andy Theisen’s outstanding leadership for this year’s Agricultural Equipment and Technology Conference.

News of the release of $4.7 billion to assist farmers affected by trade disputes drew comments from skeptics and believers this week. Virtually everyone agrees the solution lies in diligent, productive negotiations. In this first round of assistance, soybean farmers receive the most from the federal government and corn growers the least.

Hemisphere GNSS will buy the assets of the Outback Guidance business. The move, says Hemisphere, will accelerate its expansion into the global agriculture market.

A drought in Canada is scorching pastures and sending feed costs soaring. Some ranchers could be forced to sell animals to feedlots early if the drought persists.

MacDon and Broekman Logistics have reached an agreement for the warehousing, distribution, and assembly of MacDon’s farm machinery in Europe.

With two months left in the marketing year, the USDA that while corn exports are down, grain in all its forms is outpacing last year’s exports. Leading the gains is exports of ethanol.

The survey from Creighton University shows continued improvement in rural economies, but the farm equipment sales index lags behind. Bankers report rejecting a higher percentage farm loan applications and raising collateral requirements.

The former president of the what we now know as EMDA died August 16 at his home.

Hubertus M. Muhlhauser is the new CEO for CNH. He begins Sept. 17.

The latest survey of farmers’ reveals that, compared to a month ago, fewer think now is a good time to make large investments. And, while farmers’ optimism about the next 12 months has faded, their five-year outlook remains stable.

A subcommittee in the state has scheduled a work session on the matter in September. Find out what the Equipment Dealers Association thinks about right-to-repair and the Association’s priority as it monitors the legislation.

Leah Olson, president of the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada, is leaving the association to become the new CEO of SeedMaster and its sister company, Dot Technology Corp.

Total sales at Rocky Mountain increased 27.8 percent compared to the same period last year. The increase was the result of a record-setting second quarter for new equipment sales. The dealership also announced an acquisition.

U.S. soybeans now account for 37 percent of the European Union’s soybean imports compared to 9 percent only a year ago. That’s a 283 percent increase.

Registered guests of executives are welcome to attend convention events throughout the week. On Wednesday, the Association has planned a special outing to the American Swedish Institute specifically for guests and spouses.

The tractor maker reported better-than-expected revenue for its third quarter and a spike in net income. Earnings were weaker than expected because of “cost pressures for raw materials and freight.”

Take a look at a recent round of dealership openings, mergers, partnerships, and a plan for a super store.

You should have received the summer issue of the Association magazine earlier this month. It includes two pieces focused on how manufacturers can continue to claim space at dealerships in this climate of consolidation.

The Association is assembling a panel of farm equipment dealers to field questions about consolidations and a movement afoot to reduce the number of brands represented on store lots. Meet our first panelists.

The society has updated standards related to baling twine for automatic balers and the volumetric capacity of open-top manure spreaders. Find out what’s changed and how to access the latest standards information.

We conclude the Marketing & Distribution Convention this year with an option for plant tours on Friday. Attendees are invited to see igm Robotic Systems, Inc., or Glenn Metalcraft, Inc.

AGCO approves one-time stock award worth nearly $9 million to “encourage” Martin Richenhagen, the company’s chairman, president & CEO to delay retirement.

AGCO’s net sales for the second quarter of 2018 increased by about 17.2 percent compared to the second quarter of 2017.

Deere has signed a definitive agreement to acquire PLA, a privately-held sprayer and planter manufacturer based in Argentina with manufacturing facilities in Brazil and Argentina.

The price increase could bring relief to North American farmers, who have largely avoided such scorching weather, just as Chinese tariffs sap demand for other crops.

The percentage of producers expecting good times in U.S. agriculture during the year ahead fell from 32 percent in May to 26 percent in June, suggesting an erosion in producers’ optimism. But at the same time, the percentage of producers expecting bad times declined from 54 percent in May to 46 percent in June. The same question about the next five years revealed the same shifts: fewer optimistic, fewer pessimistic, more uncertain.

Five Republicans and four Democrats were named to the panel charged with sorting out differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.

Net sales of agricultural equipment at CNH increased by 20 percent for the second quarter of this year, or by 18 percent on a constant currency basis.

Only 23 percent of entry-level jobs now ask applicants for three or more years of experience, compared with 29 percent back in 2012,

While order books fatten and industrial outputs rise, manufacturers contend with near-record-low unemployment of about 4 percent, which is driving up wage bills and leaving some companies short of workers, holding back production.

U.S. almond farmers crunched from all sides as they head into what is likely to be a record harvest season.

“A person’s location should not determine whether he or she has access to modern communications infrastructure,” says Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue.

The Board of Directors has scheduled the Association’s annual business meeting for Wednesday, Oct. 31, during the Marketing & Distribution Convention at the Hilton Minneapolis. Membership will elect directors at this time.

With this issue of Shortliner, we turn it over to members who are long-standing participants in meetings. Take their words for it: You need to be there.

“The returns from the fall meeting far exceed the small investment in time and money. We cannot afford to not be there.”

“All around, just being with other people who are part of the Association—as peers, or suppliers, or as part of your sales network, it’s a tremendous value. I can’t think of any better way of getting that done during the year.”

Jacto Inc. has changed its distribution approach for its tractor-mounted sprayers. It is no longer a two-step distribution system supported by a domestic warehouse but rather three direct importers/distributors.

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, held a roundtable discussion on trade and tariffs.

A sad fact emerged during discussion: The beneficiaries of current trade battles are the global competitors of Wisconsin businesses, including competitors in China.

Robert “Mike” Caraway, Executive Vice President of the Midwest-SouthEastern Equipment Dealers Association, passed away at the age of 71.

Mexico’s economy minister said on Friday that Mexico and the United States could overcome key stumbling blocks standing in the way of a new NAFTA deal this week, adding that Canada would likely soon rejoin the negotiations.

Each year at the Marketing & Distribution Convention, manufacturing members elect directors to serve three-year terms on the Association Board of Directors. During the months preceding the election, a committee works to assemble a slate of candidates for the full membership to consider.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, which establishes a Federal Communications Commission task force with the Agriculture Department to evaluate how to meet the broadband connectivity and technological needs of precision agriculture.

Deep South Equipment Dealers Association and Southern Equipment Dealers Association have merged to become the Deep Southern Equipment Dealers Association.

A federal jury decided Friday that the world’s largest pork producer should pay $473.5 million to neighbors of three North Carolina industrial-scale hog farms for unreasonable nuisances they suffered.

Gooseneck Implement, a Deere dealer, has acquired Dakota Farm Equipment’s five store locations. – P&K Equipment in Oklahoma recently acquired Grissoms, LLC.

The Association has received membership applications from two companies since the last edition of Shortliner. We welcome our newest members and wish a happy anniversary to the six companies celebrating membership anniversaries in August.

Alamo reports its agriculture division, net sales in the second quarter increased by 8.9 percent over the same quarter last year. For the first six months, the increase was 11.1 percent.

The mid-year Dealer Sentiment & Business Conditions Update from Ag Equipment Intelligence reports average dealer sales were flat year-over-year in June, falling from 2 percent growth in May.

Perdue said he told President Trump, “I can’t lie to you. It’s a little bit like a weight loss program. It’s painful when you’re going through it, but we think there’s going to be better days ahead.”

An Association member company has become the face of an issue in the shortline industry: the impact of steel tariffs and trade uncertainties. (Watch video on the Capitol Hearing during which his story is told, and find links on filing a tariff exclusion request, a tool to search by code number, and the harmonized tariff schedule)

London-based Green Park Partners has announced the acquisition of Kongskilde System Division. The firm said Kongskilde is a player in an “evolving and growing market.”

USDA will authorize up to $12 billion in programs, which is in line with the estimated $11 billion impact of the unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods. These programs will assist agricultural producers to meet the costs of disrupted markets.