“We talk about roadways and waterways and those kinds of things, but it’s also water infrastructure, it’s broadband infrastructure,” says Vermeer’s Mark Core. “There’s a lot of other elements for us to be competitive as a global player and to keep agriculture in the top where we need to be, and it’s in that whole infrastructure discussion.”

The Annual Business Meeting of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017.

Trade negotiators from Canada, the United States and Mexico kicked off round two in Mexico City to discuss, among other things, digital commerce and small businesses—topics upon which consensus was possible, officials said.

Hurricane Harvey arrived on the Texas coast as harvest began for what the state expected to be a bumper crop of cotton. The storm came at what one cotton gin operator called “the worst possible time.” Harvest was about 10 percent complete.

Senior executives from 25 U.S. steel and steel-related companies sent a letter to the president last week, telling him the industry was suffering from government inaction, and he could change that course through his “bold leadership” and America First vision.

“What could possibly be more bipartisan than allowing Americans to keep more of what they earn and creating an environment for real job and wage growth in the country that we love so much?”

U.S. farm exports will total $139.8 billion this fiscal year, the third-highest tally ever and ending a slump in sales that begin in 2014, the USDA estimated in a quarterly report.

Another box store has announced that it is selling tractors. This time, it’s Rural King. The company has begun selling 10 models of TYM (a brand manufactured in South Korea) at seven pilot stores.

IndustryWeek has released its list of the 10 largest machinery manufacturers in the U.S. The list, which is based on 2016 revenues, includes farm equipment manufacturers in the No. 7 and No. 2 spots.

The president announced Gregory Ibach as Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP), Bill Northey as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC), and Stephen Vaden as USDA’s General Counsel.

AGCO announced Tuesday it finalized its purchase of Precision Planting from the Climate Corporation.

The message from one Illinois farmer captured much of the meeting: “Crop insurance is working,” he told the committee. “Don’t screw it up.”

In response to a growing demand for maintenance professionals in manufacturing, Kondex has launched a Maintenance Mechanic Apprenticeship program.

While job satisfaction is key in creating a workplace focused on safety, lack of employee engagement and empowerment a “crisis” in the workforce.

One standard related to air quality in cabs has been published. A revision to another part of the series is almost complete.

The situation is Texas presents an “opportunity to see whose drones are capable and whose are merely toys,” says an executive in the drone industry.

The company has equipped 10 companies with the technology, which is expected to condense a day’s work to an hour.

We’ve been in communication with Association members based in Houston, convention contacts, and personal acquaintances in the city. The message has been consistent: Come. We’re back in business today and we’ll be ready in November.

We are watching events in Houston with the rest of the world, celebrating the best of humanity with every rescue, and asking ourselves how we can contribute to the recovery.

We of course are uniquely interested because we will be in Houston soon, and we expect a few hundred of you to join us. We are in communication with the Hyatt Regency Houston as well as several city residents. We’ve learned that the hotel is dry and in operation. The off-site locations we plan to visit are open or expect to be open by Labor Day.

Thanks to the member companies who displayed our “Proud Member” sign this week in Decatur. Over 100 signs on exhibitor lots made a very strong statement regarding the “Choice, Value and Innovation our Members Bring to Agriculture.”

Our singular focus on shortline manufacturers, their suppliers and marketing teams has served the Association and our members well for more than 65 years, and that focus remains as strong today as it was when we began.

Danuser Machine has begun an expansion that will include more offices and space for training. VP Glenn Danuser said the project reflects the company’s intent to double its office staff in the future.

Attorney General has agreed not to attempt to enforce a law passed this year by the state legislature which addresses what is commonly known as “dealer purity.”

A long-time friend of the Association died earlier this month. He had a 42-year career in farm equipment sales and was active in Association leadership roles.

ASABE has news to share about a standard for testing battery capacity for electric tractors and other equipment and a revision related to a tractor drawbar.

GROUP SCHUMACHER has begun a $4.5 million expansion at Schumacher Company in Durant, Iowa. The project will expand the capacity and upgrade manufacturing technology at the Durant site, which houses operations for the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

Both publicly traded Canadian farm equipment dealerships recently released earnings reports from their quarters ending June 30, and both posted revenue gains.

Changes on the dealer landscape include closures in South Dakota and Nebraska and construction in Idaho.

A ransomware attack known as “NotPetYa” will cost shipping giant Maersk as much as $300 million. The CEO acknowledged that the company was not able to recover quickly enough from the attack and is implementing a backup plan.

The Western Equipment Dealers Association elected a new president to lead its Board of Directors. He brings more than 20 years of equipment dealership leadership experience and worked with WEDA on its strategic plan.

Dealers feel better this year than last about their inventories of both new and used equipment, but their responses are subdued compared to manufacturers’ thoughts on inventories.

Deere forecasts ag equipment sales to be down for 2017 in the U.S. and Canada, but sales overall in the ag-and-turf division are up so far this year, primarily as a result of higher shipment volumes and price realization.

We hold our annual business meeting and elect directors to our board at the convention in November. Take note of the time and date, and take part in shaping the Association’s leadership team.

President Trump said at a rally in Phoenix on Tuesday that he may scrap the North America Free Trade Agreement. Take a look at the thoughts shared by leaders who spoke at the opening of trade negotiations last week.

Spouses and guests at the Marketing & Distribution Convention in Houston can choose between a walking food tour of trendy Rice Village or a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The Association’s Marketing & Distribution Convention is a bit more complex than our spring meeting. These tips will help you make the most of your time in Houston whether you’re a convention rookie or an old-timer. And, don’t forget: Register by September 11 and save $100.

As is tradition at our Association meetings, we have set up opportunities for executives and guests to learn more about industries in the city we’ll visit.

In Houston, those industries are petroleum and space. Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of Space Center Houston and a trip to an offshore drilling rig museum.

Members celebrating anniversaries this month represent an impressive 310 collective years with the Association. They share the spotlight here with four companies who have recently joined.

Bank CEOs who responded to a survey from Creighton University in July were less optimistic than producers who responded to a study conducted by the Purdue/CME Group. The Rural Mainstreet Index showed decline in every state.

AGCO will buy Monsanto’s Precision Planting business on the heels of a failed deal between Precision Planting and Deere. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals.

Technology that enables workers to scan a machine’s serial number and bring up a digital manual, photo or video in their headset has enjoyed success during its introduction at AGCO. The company credits the use of the device with saving time on inspections and production.

A fundamental shift has occurred in the attitudes of farmers. These producers used to show more optimism about the future, but recently, those expectations have trended sideways, and their attitudes about current conditions have improved.

Large employers say the cost of healthcare plans may grow 5 percent next year to an average of more than $14,000 per employee. Employers will shoulder approximately 70 percent of those health costs, leaving employees on the hook for an average of $4,400.

CNH reported net sales for agriculture increased 3 percent in the second quarter of this year compared to last year. Net sales declined in North America.

The controversial rule that would have more than doubled the salary threshold for who can qualify for overtime pay is getting a makeover, and the DOL is asking for input on how to make it right.

Lawmakers have brought back a bill for consideration that would amend the U.S. tax code to permanently set a five-year depreciation schedule for certain farm equipment.

Members at the Marketing & Distribution Convention in Houston will have the opportunity to hear attorney Trent Johnson discuss the baseline provisions in dealership contracts. He’ll also be available for a limited number of no-cost, one-on-one meetings.

The Association of Equipment manufacturers and a handful of major tractor manufacturers have asked a federal court to block a law in North Dakota regarding contracts between independent equipment dealers and their suppliers. We believe the suit is a move toward dealer purity disguised as a federal trademark issue, and we are NOT a party to it.

The men and women who design or build wheels or mowers or mixers have something in common with the men and women who build space shuttles: Dismissing a potential flaw in design can be tragic. Astronaut Col. Mike Mullane will deliver that message in a most unforgettable at the Marketing & Distribution Convention in Houston.

Lawmakers have proposed a bill that seeks to drive entrepreneurial success by offering tax credits to companies engaged in research and development.

Joani Woelfel, the new president and CEO of FWEDA, pledges to “highlight the critical role” that the association’s stakeholders play in the American economy.

Rice growers and millers in the U.S. soon will be able to export the grain to China. The USDA reached an agreement with China that opens the export market for the first time.