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.

Alamo’s net sales for agriculture equipment increased by 4.6 percent over the same quarter last year. In the first six months of this year, the company’s net sales of agriculture equipment increased by 5.5 percent.

If President Trump’s second nominee for the National Labor Relations Board is confirmed, the board will have a Republican majority for the first time since 2010.

A group of scholars from around the world visited Firestone Ag recently to explore the science and principles of tire manufacturing.

Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Ag Flash Report

It is with sadness that we report the death of John Swanson, a former supplier member who served as president of the Board of Governors.

Organizers for the 2018 Agricultural Equipment Technology Conference are looking for speakers from smaller, private companies. Are you interested in sharing what you’ve learned about how to get a product to the market, for example, or how to support customers as they learn to use the product?

Sukup Manufacturing in Iowa hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue last week as part of his five-state RV tour.

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.

The ASABE has completed a revision to its field equipment safety standard. Learn how you can access the new information.

Now’s the time to plan for the 2017 Marketing & Distribution Convention. Early registrants save over $200 and enjoy more flexibility when they make appointments. Calendars fill quickly for wholesalers and independent reps.

Strip-Till Farmer soon will debut the first in a series of webinars for the strip-till community. Jack Zemlicka will host the first session on July 19.

Employers who have adopted integrity testing find that the practice can pay for itself by reducing costs associated with workers comp claims.

Alamo Group Inc. has completed the previously announced acquisition of Old Dominion Brush Company, Inc.

Jobs in manufacturing grew at their fastest pace in three years. The news is part of a generally optimistic jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Sentry Insurance broke ground recently on a new 270,000-square-foot office in Stevens Point, Wis.

U.S. steelmakers want the White House to play tough with nations that offer state support for steel production. U.S. farmers, however, feel differently. Ag groups last week urged the Department of Commerce to “avoid igniting a trade war.”

A university in Michigan recently introduced goats into its ground maintenance plan, and the union that has had the university’s grass-cutting contract has filed a grievance. The complaint says the goats are doing jobs that could go to laid-off union workers.

One of the first tasks of a newly formed federal task force on rural America is to remove barriers to economic prosperity. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says that means the U.S. will insist that if a country blocks an ag import from the United States, the country better base that decision on science.

Worried about becoming the victim of cyber theft? Follow these low-cost, low-tech strategies for a little peace of mind.

Infrastructure plan calls for improved broadband in rural areas. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue calls efficient internet connectivity as important today as telephone, water, sewer, and roads.

The national agriculture community continues to wait for the appointment of 15 people who will serve as undersecretaries to the USDA. The appointments may be delayed until after the August recess.

A recent Supreme Court decision on product liability will “extremely limit the notion that large companies can be sued by anyone, anywhere,” according to a legal analyst.

More pieces of farm equipment traveling on roadways in New York may soon require a “slow moving” emblem. A bill is in process now to increase the rate of speed at which such an emblem would be required.

Put down your phone. Take your hands off the keyboard. Your equipment dealer probably wants to see you in person.

Another group health insurance provider has exited the market because of “uncertainty and upheaval” in the industry. The insurer has “little confidence” that things will improve soon.

Farmers in Kansas won a nearly $220 million settlement from Syngenta AG over the GMO case that caused U.S. corn prices to plummet after China rejected shipments. Thousands of other corn producers and traders also seek damages from Syngenta.

Farmers’ ability to repair their own equipment is a time-and-money issue, but it’s about something else, too. There’s a psychological benefit to tinkering with the things we buy. It “answers to a very basic human need.”

The EPA recently released proposed volume requirements for 2018 and a diesel volume requirement for 2019.

The strength of this Association rests with its members. We take this opportunity to thank the companies who have milestone anniversaries this month, and we welcome recent applicants.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing lower biofuel quotas in 2018 than those currently on the books and required by federal law.

Farmers haven’t have this much corn in storage since 1988. That could be why they planted a record number of soybeans this year.

A publication that covers agriculture for the western U.S. profiled a member company recently. The story called attention to the unique and vital role of shortline manufacturers.

Registration is underway for the Marketing & Distribution Convention in Houston from Nov. 7 to 9. Save with early registration discounts.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., is calling on Ag Secretary Perdue to allow emergency haying in addition to the emergency grazing expansion that was announced June 29.

The Purdue/CME Group’s June survey of 400 U.S. agricultural producers indicates producers feel their farm operations’ financial positions are stronger now than a year ago

Machinery giant John Deere has announced the acquisition of Mazzotti, a privately-held sprayer company based in Ravenna, Italy.

It happens to all of us in every line of business. We think we’re speaking clearly, maybe even being redundant, but inevitably, we hear from our customers or clients or members that they simply were not aware of what we offered.

In this issue ofShortliner, we’re going to hit a few highlights from the “I didn’t know” file. This is not a comprehensive list of benefits but rather a look at those less frequently mentioned.

President Trump last week called for an expanded apprenticeship program in the U.S. and signed an executive order to double its funding to $200 million. The order calls for strategies for creating industry-recognized apprenticeships and the best ways to encourage the private sector to create apprenticeships.