Brazil recently paved the way for imports of U.S. corn following a short corn crop, according to industry sources.

Regulators in Brazil last week met and authorized outstanding biotech products needed to open Brazil for U.S. corn exports.

Farm Bureau Federation: As president, what actions will you take to minimize the federal government’s regulatory burden on businesses such as farming and ranching? Will you support regulatory reform to ensure that federal regulations pass a cost-benefit test and make the process of writing new regulations more transparent?

Man claims 300 pot plants in his home as his farm… argued the “Right to Farm” amendment voters approved in 2014 guarantees the right to cultivate marijuana. The amendment states, in part, that “the right of farms and ranches to engage in farming and ranching practices shall be forever guaranteed in this state.”

Uber has entered the freight business.

The company started in 2009 as a phone app to summons a driver, and it is today the world’s most valuable venture-backed startup at $68 billion. This summer, it bought Otto for $680 million.

The investment freeze in Russian agriculture is thawing, thanks to this year’s good harvest and government subsidies, tractor-dealer Ekotechnika said.

All agricultural businesses will periodically face forks in the road whereupon decisions, both strategic and financial, must be made concerning the future of the business. The causes are numerous and include an older generation of management/ownership planning for succession, new partners and/or managers entering the business, younger family members not wanting to exit the business, presentation to the ownership of a significant opportunity for the business, and/or a long-term downturn impacting the business negatively and challenging the balance sheet.

An independent truckers’ group asked a federal appeals court panel last week to bar the government from requiring drivers to install devices that log their hours behind the wheel. The electronic logging devices, known as e-logs, will be required in most trucks used for long-haul routes by . . .

U.S. farm programs are expected to provide nearly $25 billion in assistance to help offset the low commodity prices in 2015 and 2016.

The Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index sank for September and remained below growth neutral for the 13th consecutive month, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural communities.
The overall index, which ranges between zero and 100, fell to. . .

Manufacturers of metal-cutting machines are shearing prices amid a global slump in demand caused by lower energy prices and fewer investments in high-tech equipment. Manufacturers offered discounts, extended warranties and other incentives.

A deal the size of the pending $66 billion Bayer-Monsanto merger, even when it’s expected, generates a tidal wave of media coverage and opinion-sharing. We share a few excerpts here.

It is an American Farm Bureau Federation tradition to every four years ask presidential nominees to respond to questions of particular interest to farmers and ranchers.

Among issues put before the candidates this election cycle are food safety, biotechnology, clean water, immigration, and energy.

The federation also asked the candidates about the Farm Bill. In this issue of Shortliner, we include a section of that question and the candidates’ responses.

At the heart of the Marketing & Distribution Convention is the opportunity for manufacturers to meet the people who will get their equipment into the marketplace. Running along a parallel track are informational sessions designed to equip members with the tools they need to lead their operations. Leading those sessions in San Diego:

We were pleased to learn last week that the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in favor of production agriculture by finding that OSHA violated the law when it issued new standards for anhydrous ammonia storage.

Informa acquires 30 exhibitions, including the Natural Products Expo, Farm Progress, and WasteExpo, as well as over 20 data and intelligence brands, and more than 100 print and digital B2B brands.

Texas, Oklahoma and 19 other states have sued the federal government to block the Labor Department’s new overtime rule, saying the Obama administration is trying to impose heavy costs and its own policy choices on the states in violation of the Tenth Amendment.

The 30-page lawsuit accuses the President of pushing through a near-doubling of the salary level at which employers are required to pay overtime.

Fisher Barton has appointed Igor Zelenovskiy as its group president. In this position, Zelenovskiy will lead the company’s operating units worldwide and build upon the work of the Fisher Barton team under . . .

AT&T Inc. said last week it had discovered a way to deliver high-speed broadband over electrical power lines, a technology it claims would make it cheaper and easier to bring the internet to hard-to-reach places.

Six companies are celebrating milestone membership anniversaries this month.

China soon will allow imports of U.S. beef, Premier Li Keqiang told business groups in New York last week.

China has mostly banned imports of U.S. beef since 2003 over concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or “mad cow” disease.

AGCO’s Martin Richenhagen has been reappointed to Obama’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA).

ANSI/ASABE S592.1, Best Management Practices for Boom Spraying, identifies and formalizes basic spray application best management practices. It addresses areas that . . .

The U.S. Supreme Court is in conference this week regarding what cases they will take for the upcoming term. The Association should learn soon whether justices will hear Deere v. New Hampshire.

The number of auto jobs in Mexico reached 675,000 last year, a 40 percent increase from 2008. U.S. auto jobs increased 15 percent over the same period to more than 900,000, according to the Center for Automotive Research.

The Farm Science Review has named Nick Zachrich as its new manager. Zachrich joins Matt Sullivan, who began his role as superintendent of the Molly Caren center this summer. Sullivan was previously . . .

Highlights of tractor/combine sales are from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ Ag Flash Reports. For complete data, go to FarmEquip.org/flash.

Gordon Thomsen, the founder of Trail King Industries, died in August due to complications from Parkinson’s disease. He was 89.

He will be remembered for his business acumen, sense of humor, and generosity.

Member company Maxilator has announced a partnership with Tie Down Engineering. Company says, “. . . partnership will bring immediate design, engineering, manufacturing and financial resources to Maxilator Equipment.”

Farmers are getting less for raw milk, cheese and cattle, forcing them to slash spending, which further complicates the bottom line for . . .

When the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Deere recently, arguing its purchase of Monsanto’s Precision Planting business would give Deere a monopoly in planting technology, we understood. We were disappointed though that what we see as other moves to monopolize the industry go . . .

The world inventory of wheat has climbed from 4.6 billion bushels in 2007/2008 to a projected 9.3 billion bushels in 2016/2017. The world is awash in wheat, and prices will not rise above . . .

Bayer AG’s $66 billion all-cash deal to acquire Monsanto Co will test growing political and consumer unease. Bayer’s pesticide-focused business has few overlaps with Monsanto’s dominant seed franchise. Still, marrying two of the world’s top farm suppliers at a time when rivals are also merging is fuelling concern over reduced competition in the $100 billion global market.

The challenging farm economy has contributed to a climate in which companies are considering change: merging, selling, or buying. KCoe, an agricultural consulting and accounting firm, will join members at the Marketing & Distribution Convention in San Diego to offer . . .

The Annual Business Meeting of the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association is 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016. The brief meeting is held as part of the Marketing & Distribution Convention at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina in San Diego.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie last week vetoed a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour over five years. Thirty states have set minimum wages above . . .

“Fight for $15” minimum wage movement made headlines recently for not paying its field organizers $15 an hour and resisting workers’ effort to unionize.

The median in-network deductible on employer-sponsored PPO health plans increased 50 percent from $1,000 to $1,500 in 2016. Raising the deductible $500, you avoid a premium increase of roughly . . .

Recent changes in the way Google does business are affecting agri-marketers. And, because of Google’s dominance in the search engine marketplace, those who market shortline equipment must take note.

The FBI recently warned about a “dramatic” increase in so-called “CEO fraud,” scams in which the attackers spoof an email from the boss and trick someone at the organization into wiring funds to fraudsters. The FBI estimates these scams have cost organizations more than $2.3 billion in losses in the past three years.

The UMMC study found that regardless of work environment or individuals’ work preferences, financial concerns, including job loss, were a major factor in producing stress in employees

This morning, I watched a time-lapse video of the set-up at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. It was a spectacular site for a couple of reasons.

First, as one of the biggest farm shows in the United States, watching it all come together is impressive. Next, seeing the diversity among manufacturers is a reminder of the breadth of the equipment in the industry.

Unfortunately, the breadth of equipment at this farm show, and every farm show is a stark contrast to what many manufacturers will see when they return to their communities. Because of dealer consolidation and the continued push by majors for brand purity on independent dealer lots, farmers have fewer choices at their local farm equipment dealerships.

In this final installment in a series exploring the presidential candidates’ positions on economic issues, we look at trade and globalization.

The 2016 election has kicked off the rawest debate in decades over trade agreements, globalization and the impact of lower tariffs and more open borders on U.S. workers and their wages.

Farmers are driving more than 400 miles to attend auctions selling used farm equipment, and online simulcasts are drawing participants from around the globe, says Matt Maring, owner of an auction operation in Minnesota. He also said farmers are spending $50,000 on replacement tractors that would otherwise cost more than $100,000.

The manufacturing sector is now one of the most frequently hacked industries, second only to healthcare, a new report says.
Manufacturing ranked above financial institutions as a target for hackers.

Production applications for 3D printing could eventually grab at least 5 percent of the worldwide manufacturing economy, and translate into $640 billion in annual sales, according to Wohlers Associates, which has tracked the 3D printing market for 28 years.

Titan’s forecast for 2017 anticipates same-store sales in the U.S. ag market falling 17 to 22 percent from 2016.

It may seem counterintuitive to source new vendors during a less-than-stellar market, but this is the optimal time to bridge new relationships. The most significant gains can be found through a greater focus on testing and research, cost-saving opportunities, and thorough review.

The Association invites member executives’ spouses and guests to the Marketing & Distribution Convention in San Diego. The hotel is perfectly located to independently explore the city and San Diego Bay. Registered spouses and guests are welcome to receptions, meals, and any other convention event. And, we’ve planned two unforgettable, optional outings.

A federal judge has limited the scope of litigation seeking to hold Syngenta responsible for damages caused by China’s rejection of genetically engineered (GE)corn in 2013.

The Association welcomed Andrea Schnelten to its office team this summer as director of meetings and member services. Schnelten brings more than a decade of experience in planning events and serving members for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She also manages a family farm in Rockbridge, Ill.