A dip in sentiment among farmers measured by the Purdue/CME Ag Economy Barometer reflects uncertainty about trade. Jim Mintert, principal investigator on the barometer, will speak to members at the Supply Summit in Omaha.

Manufacturing members have until Friday to meet the deadline to participate in an Association-commissioned survey intended to provide data that allows companies to assess their business operations and finances compared to other member companies.

A 13-year-old boy was rescued Monday after falling into a river of sewage in Los Angeles and getting swept away in the mazelike underground sewer system. Searchers located him after discovering a handprint on a sewage pipe.

Among the top 18 states for producing winter wheat, only 32 percent of the crop is in good to excellent condition. That’s significantly less than a year ago. A handful of states are bucking the trend.

Rural areas gained population between 2016 and 2017 for the first time since 2010.

BKT USA, Inc. and BKT Tires Inc. has appointed Leigh Johnston as marketing manager for BKT USA, Inc. She will be responsible for brand building, planning trade shows, and more.

CNH Industrial N.V. has announced that Richard Tobin is stepping down as CEO to pursue another executive opportunity. Derek Neilson, who has been with CNH for nearly 20 years, has been named interim CEO.

The farm equipment sales index, while still below the mark considered “growth neutral,” has improved. It was 22 in March 2017. This month, it is 37.2. Creighton University reports encouraging news overall in this month’s index.

Farmers seem more upbeat about current conditions than in the recent past. The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer has increased by 14 points since December. The February survey recorded the second-highest reading since data collection began in 2015.

Exoskeletons are moving onto the manufacturing scene. They may be upper-body rigs that attach like harnesses. They may be two-armed tanks. Regardless, in the early going, they offer the possibility of reducing occurrences of the most common workplace injuries.

The Internet of Things, or IoT, hit the manufacturing sector with force in 2017. Its biggest use: predictive maintenance. Learn the question you need to ask to optimize the impact of IoT at your plant.

When you register, you’ll be prompted to call the Association to book a room in an overflow hotel, which is on the other side of the parking lot from the Summit hotel. The price is the same.

John Fisher, chair of the Association’s Standards Committee, will be available at the Supply Summit in Omaha to talk to members about how a pending braking standard may affect them. Every member company that manufactures even one implement that might be transported on public roadways should take the time to review this proposal, and if needed, comment on it.

You can get to Omaha for as little as $224 for the Supply Summit. Check out ticket prices we found from Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, Los Angeles, and St. Louis.

Association members and leadership testified in Kansas last week. We’ll watch a hearing in Vermont tomorrow on right-to-repair. And, in Idaho, a bill that adds language to current equipment dealer law is expected to be signed by the governor this summer.

Steel tariffs are on members’ minds, so the Association, with the support of members with expertise in the steel industry, will host a roundtable discussion on the tariffs at the meeting in Omaha.

H&R Agri-Power has announced the acquisition of Tri-County Farmers Equipment. This will be H&R’s 14th and 15th locations.

House lawmakers on the Ag Committee have long targeted March to have a draft farm bill on the table. That seems less likely now because, in its current form, the bill would not win support from Democrats because of cuts to the food-stamp program.

The standard was determined to be outdated and redundant.

Trying to decide if the 2018 Supply Summit & Showcase is worth the time and money? The Association, and your colleagues in the industry, make the case for why it’s a good idea. Ten cases, in fact. Register today at Meeting.FarmEquip.org.

When the creator of Tractor Mike got a huge response to a video he posted on YouTube explaining how to hook up a three-point implement, he realized he’d stumbled onto a great tool for communicating with farm equipment customers.

It’s been 14 months since the United States withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. This month, leaders from the remaining 11 countries signed a deal.

Total sales at Rocky Mountain Dealerships decreased by 4.3 percent due to a decrease in used equipment sales year-over-year. That decrease was offset by improved revenues for new equipment, parts, and service.

Legal experts say more employers are turning to them for advice on how to appropriately conduct investigations into claims of sexual harassment. Check out the advice in this article, and take a second look at a magazine story written by the Association’s HR attorneys in the winter issue of Ag Innovator.

The USDA says soybean exports for the first quarter of the fiscal year have declined more than 20 percent. The decline is related to a huge Brazilian crop.

One of the services most frequently requested by members has been statistical and benchmarking industry data. It has also proven to be one of the most difficult services to deliver. You have the opportunity now to receive that data if you participate in a survey. Please take the time.

Governors from Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota, and Nebraska sent a letter to President Trump asking him to not change the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Robert K. Schnell, who was executive vice president of this Association from 1984 to 2009, has died. He is being remembered as a man “with a gruff exterior but a big heart.”

Many of you received an email Monday from Industry Insights—a third-party firm conducting a survey on behalf of our Association. The survey will gather business and financial data and return it to you as a tool to assess your own operations against others. The Association intends to make the industry data available only to companies that respond.

A true character. A gentleman. Insightful. Dedicated to the industry. Former presidents of this Association and Bob Schnell’s colleagues share their thoughts on his life and legacy.

Charles E. Sukup, president of Sukup Manufacturing Co., has been elected into the National Academy of Engineering. The election is considered the highest professional distinction accorded an engineer.

Thinking about how you’ll continue to offer health insurance to your workforce? Curious about the tillage market beyond North America? Trying to make sense of tax reform?

Join us at the 2018 Supply Summit & Showcase.

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers has revised a standard on the diaphragm design of metal-clad, wood-frame rectangular buildings.

Deere & Co. is acquiring King Agro, a privately held manufacturer of carbon fiber technology products with headquarters in Valencia, Spain, and a production facility in Campana, Argentina.

Farm Equipment dealerships who took part in a Cost of Doing Business study appear to be making gains in sales inventory levels, but expenses are rising, and total profits from operations have declined.

A Czech tractor maker is buying selected models from a South Korean manufacturer and has gained a foothold in the Russian market. The tractors are headed for select markets, including the United States.

An announcement from the White House that the U.S. would impose tariffs on imported steel drew criticism from U.S. manufacturers and overseas trade partners. Among worries are possibilities that countries will buy fewer U.S. farm commodity exports and that steel prices will cut profit margins for shortline manufacturers.

Kubota Corp. plans to build three new plants in the United States. The move marks the start of engine production in this country for the Japanese manufacturer.

This summer’s driving season is likely to be the most expensive since 2014. Rising oil prices are the clearest culprit. Also contributing to the increase are higher demand and refiners due for maintenance.

Median weekly earnings for American workers fell in late 2017 after hitting a plateau earlier in the year. Why are low unemployment, robust business investment and soaring confidence measures not causing faster real wage growth? Analysts point to a few possibilities.

The senator who championed the needs of rice and cotton farmers from his home state of Mississippi will leave Congress on April 1.

The newly confirmed Bill Northey will begin his tenure with the USDA by applying his expertise to the now-in-progress Farm Bill.

Perdue tells farmers: “Hear me clearly, all of you. I have not and will not support any policies in this country that diminish the demand, undermine the RFS and are harmful to our agricultural producers. I will not.”

Many business owners considering changing how their company is structured to lower their tax bill have until March 15 to decide.

The Alamo Group reported a 15.5 percent increase in net sales for the fourth quarter of 2017 and a 10.5 percent increase for the full year.

The Association welcomes Acieta as a new member applicant and wishes a happy March membership anniversary to these companies.

Spouses and guests at the 2018 Supply Summit are invited to Lauritzen Gardens, a botanical garden and arboretum in Omaha.

With this issue of Shortliner, we re-introduce a series of articles to raise awareness about the work of the Association’s committees and councils. We begin with the Education Committee.

In an industry all too familiar with uncertainty, this week is no different. Top of mind for many of us is news about the possibility of tariffs on steel imports. And, in Kansas and Connecticut, bills have been filed that would affect relationships among manufacturers, distributors, and independent dealers.

RDO Equipment Co. has acquired Washington-based equipment dealership Evergreen Implement.RDO Equipment Co. now has more than 80 locations.